Debbie Hepplewhite, MBE FRSA

A former teacher, special needs teacher and headteacher, Debbie has campaigned extensively over many years to achieve national, research-informed, systematic synthetic phonics teaching in primary schools. As a representative of the UK Reading Reform Foundation (former editor of the RRF newsletter, founder of the RRF website and Honorary Committee Member), she advised the British Government for the parliamentary inquiry ‘Teaching Children to Read’ (March 2005) and she helped to inform Sir Jim Rose’s ‘Independent review of the teaching of early reading’ (Final Report, Jim Rose, March 2006).

In 2012, Debbie was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Years Honours List for services to education.

Debbie is known to be a controversial and inspirational speaker and has spoken alongside Sir Jim Rose at literacy conferences and at several researchED conferences.

Debbie is currently a member of the Developmental Disorders of Language and Literacy (DDOLL) Network Group and a founding member of the International Foundation for Effective Reading Instruction (IFERI) as she strongly recognizes the value of  international connections and the need for further campaigning to raise awareness of the ‘disastrous disconnect’ between research findings and actual teaching and provision for learners.

Website: https://phonicsinternational.com/

Twitter: @debbiehepp