Wynford Newman Dore (born 1949) is a British businessman and author.[1] He has written two books such as Dyslexia: The Miracle Cure and Stop Struggling in School. Previously, he founded Nullifire and Education Development International. He is also associated with Arnold Lodge School.

Wynford N. Dore
Born
Wynford Newman Dore

10 June 1949 (1949-06-10) (age 75)
Tongwynlais, South Wales
NationalityBritish
Alma materKing Henry VIII School
Harvard Business School
OrganizationsNullifire
Education Development International
Brigade Clothing
Zing Performance
Arnold Lodge School
Websitewynforddore.com

Early life and education

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Wynford Dore was born in Tongwynlais, South Wales.[1] His parents moved to Coventry in 1959 in search of work. He gained a scholarship to King Henry VIII School and went into industry to study computing and systems design.[2]

Career

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In 1974, Dore saw a business opportunity following the introduction of the Fire Precautions Act 1971.[3] In response, he set up his own company Nullifire Ltd, offering fire protection products to public buildings, including hotels and guesthouses.[2] In 1998, Nullifire was acquired by an American company.[2][4] Following the sale of Nullfire, Dore became involved with a number of companies, including Brigade Clothing, a supplier of school-wear.[4][5] He is now associated with Zing Performance.

Education Development International

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In 1999, Dore co-founded The Education Partnership with Gareth Newman, a retired principal of a reputed college, Brooke Weston City Technology College.[6][7] The initiative was established in response to Education Secretary David Blunkett's 1998 policy, which permitted private companies to manage schools or education authorities.[7] Among the company's directors was James Tooley.[6] The company bought a school, named Arnold Lodge School in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

The company was later renamed as Education Development International plc. In 2011, it was sold to Pearson plc.[8][9][10]

Private schools

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Dore, the financier and chairman of Newman Schools Ltd, acquired Arnold Lodge School in Royal Leamington Spa in 1999, which was nominated for Senior School of the Year in the UK in 2020 by the Times Educational Supplement.[11][12]

In 2023, he acquired Stratford on Avon Preparatory School.[13]

Dore method

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Dore later became known for developing an exercise-based programme that he claimed to be an effective treatment for people with dyslexia, ADHD, developmental coordination disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

The treatment was developed by researchers at a centre Dore founded in Warwickshire after studying Professor Jeremey Schmahmann of Harvard Medical School[14] and Professor Rod Nicolson of Sheffield University's work on dyslexia.[15][16][1] The treatment gained national attention when it was featured on ITV's Tonight with Trevor McDonald.[1] Around £15 million were spent on research by him.[17] The treatment was endorsed by Professor David Reynolds, an academic from Llantrisant.[18][1][19] The treatment was believed to had the potential to significantly impact many children's lives.[1] Driven by his daughter Susie's dyslexia-related suicide attempts, Dore had founded the Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, and Attention Disorder Centre in Kenilworth for further development of the treatment.[1] Between 2006 and 2007, Dore opened 11 clinics,[20] known as Dore Achievement Centres.[21] Later, clinics were expanded internationally in countries such as Australia, South Africa, and the United States.[16] At the clinics, people with dyslexia, ADHD and dyspraxia followed a programme of exercises designed to stimulate the cerebellum.[20] Dore claimed that his programme has a success rate of over 80 percent.[22]

The Dore method is a non-pharmacological approach to improving brain function, specifically targeting the cerebellum.[23] The programme, spread over 12 months, utilizes a series of exercises, primarily focused on balance, which are designed to unlock the cerebellum and restore its optimal functionality.[17][23]

Dore's methods proved controversial with some experts in the conditions that he claimed to have found a cure for.[24] The study funded by Dore was criticised for including no control group.[25] Subsequent research studies have justified the theories he proposed and the role of the cerebellum is now accepted.[26] His programs have now been shown to benefit children struggling at school.[27]

In May 2008, the DDAT company (Dyslexia Dyspraxia Attention Treatment), which operated the clinics, went into liquidation in the UK.[28]"The Dore Group", operating 13 Australian clinics in, went into voluntary administration in June 2008.[20][29][30] Dore further developed his research to create an online adaptation of the technology, eliminating the need for clinic visits. This development is now operational as Zing Performance Ltd, a company under Dore's ownership.[31][32] Additionally, these programs have been effectively employed to assist seniors in improving balance and memory. [33]

Charity work

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Since 2014, Dore has served on the Board of Directors at The Reach Institute, New York which is chaired by Professor Peter Jensen, former head of Child Psychiatry for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).[34] The institute provides support for children with behavioral and developmental issues across North America.[34]

Bibliography

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  • Dore, Wynford (2006). Dyslexia: The Miracle Cure
  • Dore, Wynford (2006). Opening the Dore on ADD/ADHD: The Miracle Cure
  • Dore, Wynford (2008). Dyslexia and ADHD: The Miracle Cure
  • Dore, Wynford (2018). Stop Struggling in School

Personal life

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Dore has four children; Susie, Rosie, Glyn and Gareth.[2] He lives in Stratford on Avon in Warwickshire, England.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Pioneering dyslexia centre for South Wales". South Wales Echo. ProQuest 342085211.
  2. ^ a b c d "Tycoon plans education business venture: [CITY Edition]". Birmingham Post. ProQuest 326450490.
  3. ^ 1971 Chapter 40. Fire Precautions Act 1971 Retrieved 21 June 2012
  4. ^ a b "Wynford Newman Dore" Companies House Retrieved 21 June 2012
  5. ^ "BRIGADE CLOTHING LIMITED people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk.
  6. ^ a b Bright, Martin; Bright, By Martin; Correspondent, Education (10 January 1999). "Tycoon who wants to take over schools" – via The Guardian. {{cite web}}: |last3= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ a b Beckett, Francis (15 January 1999). "Blunkett accepts schools for profit".
  8. ^ "Pearson seeks a little more learning with EDI". Evening Standard. 11 April 2012.
  9. ^ Edgecliffe-Johnson, Andrew (15 September 2011). "Pearson steps up push into online schooling". www.ft.com. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  10. ^ RECOMMENDED CASH OFFER BY PEARSON PLC FOR EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL PLC London Stock Exchange 7 March 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2012
  11. ^ "Leamington school is shortlisted for national award". WarwickshireWorld. 15 November 2019.
  12. ^ "Arnold Lodge in running for top independent schools award".
  13. ^ "Stratford Preparatory School under new ownership after more than 30 years". Stratford Herald. 16 May 2023.
  14. ^ Schworm, Peter (10 May 2006). "Can exercise help hyperactivity?" – via NYTimes.com.
  15. ^ "Controversial dyslexia treatment 'works'". New Scientist.
  16. ^ a b "Father's devotion helps dyslexic child". Life.
  17. ^ a b Greatrex, Jonny (6 June 2008). "Tycoon blew a fortune to save daughter". BirminghamLive.
  18. ^ "David Reynolds, professor of education at Newcastle University | Tes Magazine". www.tes.com.
  19. ^ Meikle, James; correspondent, health (5 November 2002). "Academics hail success of dyslexia treatment" – via The Guardian. {{cite web}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  20. ^ a b c Sherborne, Louise Hall and Naomi (8 June 2008). "ADHD 'miracle' duped thousands". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  21. ^ Bishop, Dorothy VM (October 2007). "Curing dyslexia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder by training motor co-ordination: Miracle or myth?". Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. 43 (10): 653–655. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1754.2007.01225.x. ISSN 1034-4810. PMC 2835859. PMID 17854448.
  22. ^ "Daddy's 'cure' for dyslexia". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  23. ^ a b Mainwaring, Rachel (17 September 2005). "Millionaire who gave hope to dyslexics". WalesOnline.
  24. ^ "The man who spent millions proving he could 'cure' dyslexia". The Independent. 23 October 2011. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  25. ^ "A cure for dyslexia?". Nature Neuroscience. 10 (2): 135. February 2007. doi:10.1038/nn0207-135. ISSN 1546-1726. PMID 17259957. S2CID 40038280.
  26. ^ Alvarez, T. A.; Fiez, J. A. (2018). "Current Perspectives on the Cerebellum and Reading Development - PMC". Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 92: 55–66. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.05.006. PMC 6078792. PMID 29730484.
  27. ^ Blouchou, Panagiota; Nicolson, Roderick I. (31 May 2020). ""Cerebellar Challenge" for Adolescents at Risk of School Failure: Evaluation of a School-Based "Whole Person" Intervention". Frontiers in Education. 5. doi:10.3389/feduc.2020.00088.
  28. ^ Hawkes N (29 May 2008). "Millionaire Wynford Dore pulls plug on his dyslexia cure". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 29 August 2008. Retrieved 13 November 2008.
  29. ^ "Dyslexia 'cure' centres shut down". 29 May 2008. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  30. ^ "Parents distraught as revolutionary dyslexia centre forced to close". www.standard.co.uk. 13 April 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  31. ^ "ZING PERFORMANCE LIMITED people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk.
  32. ^ Dream, Journey's (23 November 2021). "Children's Mental Health And The Secret Brain Reset With Wynford Dore Of Zing Performance".
  33. ^ Gallant, Zoe; Nicolson, Roderick I. (31 May 2017). ""Cerebellar Challenge" for Older Adults: Evaluation of a Home-Based Internet Intervention". Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. 9: 332. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2017.00332. PMC 5663712. PMID 29163125.
  34. ^ a b "About - The Reach Institute".
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