Creative pupil from leading dyslexia school has artwork recognised by prestigious Royal Birmingham Society of Arts

James Doyle, 14, triumphed in the 11 to 14 years category with a striking acrylic portrait on canvas titled “Nosey Man”, competing against the largest number of entries across all three age groups. The achievement is particularly remarkable as this is the first Young Artist Prize in the RBSA’s 200-year-plus history.

James created the winning painting during a fine art camp run by Korean artist Joohee Chun during the summer holidays. The portrait of an elderly man showcases his detailed technique of building up layers of acrylic paint over pencil drawings.

“I was amazed and very pleased when I found out I’d won,” said James. “It has really helped me believe I am maybe as talented at art as everyone keeps telling me I am.”

The win is particularly significant given James’s journey. When he started at Maple Hayes just over two years ago in Year 8, aged 12, he was described as “illiterate” with a reading age of around six or seven years. His confidence had been so eroded by his struggles in mainstream education that he was barely attending school, often too anxious to go in or only managing a few hours a day.

“James started school a very confident child but this was gradually eroded to a point where he had very low self-esteem,” said Matt Doyle, James’s father. “We were recommended Maple Hayes and it was the best decision we ever made.”

The transformation has been remarkable. James now has 100% school attendance and is meeting age-related expectations for reading. “James is like a different child and this happened quite quickly after he started at Maple Hayes,” said Mr Doyle. “He is now confident and able to try new things and does not fear that he will fail. Now his literacy is pretty good, he can access so many other things more easily.”

Mrs Burchell -Fearn, James’s art teacher at Maple Hayes, has been instrumental in nurturing his talent. “James has shown exceptional dedication and natural talent in his artwork,” said Ms Fern. “His ability to observe detail and translate that into his paintings is remarkable. We’re incredibly proud to see him gain recognition at such a prestigious competition. This achievement demonstrates that when children with dyslexia receive the right support and encouragement, they can excel in their areas of strength.”

Mrs Burchell- Fearn was ecstatic to hear about James’s win and is proudly displaying a copy of his painting in the classroom.

James was presented with his first prize certificate and vouchers to buy more art materials from Cass Art by RBSA’s current president Ed Isaacs at a prize-giving ceremony on the final day of the exhibition in August. His painting had already been chosen from a large number of entries across the West Midlands to be exhibited in the prestigious historic gallery and included in the exhibition catalogue.

Kerry Oddy, James’s mother, praised the school’s holistic approach: “Maple Hayes has been instrumental in nurturing James’s artistic talent. The school recognises that children with dyslexia often have strengths in creative and visual areas, and they actively encourage and develop these skills. I do think that Maple Hayes has a very varied approach to education where all the children get to ‘shine’ at something.”

James is now studying GCSE Art and aiming for a high grade. While he’s not yet certain about pursuing art professionally, he’s considering combining his love of art and design with his love of organisation, mentioning interests in town planning, architecture, or landscape architecture. He also loves cooking and horticulture, and grows his own vegetables.

Mrs Oddy’s advice to other parents of children with dyslexia reflects the family’s experience: “We have always encouraged both our dyslexic children to spend time at home doing the things they love and are naturally good at. James showed a real talent and loved being creative, making things, cooking and crafting since he was a very young child. When there are things he struggles with, we remind him how good he is at other things – art, cooking, gardening etc.”

Established in 1982 by Dr Neville Brown and his wife Brenda, Maple Hayes Hall School has been at the forefront of dyslexia education for over four decades. The school uses a distinctive morphological approach to teaching, which employs visual icons to create links between meaning and spelling, offering an alternative to traditional phonics-based instruction that can prove challenging for dyslexic learners.