National Handwriting Association

What National Handwriting Association does

The National Handwriting Association (NHA) is a UK-registered charity (Charity Number: 1051157), founded in 1987 and previously known as the Handwriting Interest Group, that operates as the primary UK authority on handwriting as a literacy component. Its stated mission is to raise awareness of the importance of handwriting and keyboarding, promote good practice in handwriting instruction, and support professionals working with children who experience handwriting difficulties (including those with Developmental Coordination Disorder, dyslexia, and autism spectrum conditions). The NHA serves teachers, SENCOs, teaching assistants, parents, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, educational psychologists, student teachers, schools, clinics, and hospitals across the United Kingdom, with content aligned to the National Curriculum, EYFS framework, and UK school inspection requirements.

The NHA's offering is content-led rather than technology-led. Core products include 33 publications (the Tips for Teaching series, the Handwriting Today Journal published annually since 1987, the Good Practice for Handwriting Toolkit, the Handwriting Patterns Playbook developed with The School Run, and policy guides), five online short courses delivered through the Communicate-Ed platform, and five webinar recordings. Training services include In-Service (INSET) training delivered directly to schools (full day £675/£575 for members, half day £375/£320 for members) and a comprehensive three-day course for educators, therapists, and psychologists. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via the charity's own WooCommerce storefront, supplemented by direct INSET sales to institutions and the Communicate-Ed partnership for online courses. There are no APIs, integrations, mobile apps, patents, trademarks, AI capabilities, or proprietary technology platforms — the technology stack is e-commerce and webinar delivery only.

The NHA is governed by an executive committee of volunteer teachers, therapists, academics, and researchers (including Chair Mellissa Prunty, Associate Professor at the University of Limerick) supported by a part-time finance officer and a part-time administrator. Revenue is generated through individual (£18/year) and institutional (£36/year) memberships, publication sales, webinar and course sales, INSET training fees, charitable donations, and corporate member sponsorships (edding, Hamelin Brands, STABILO, STAEDTLER, Touch-type Read & Spell). The organization holds a reciprocal partnership with The Handwriting Collaborative (Columbus, Ohio) for cross-border conference access. No revenue, funding, or investment is publicly disclosed, and the entity operates as an independent charity with no parent company or external investors.

Name

National Handwriting Association

Legal name

National Handwriting Association

Website

https://nha-handwriting.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The National Handwriting Association is a UK registered charity that promotes good practice in handwriting literacy by providing publications, online courses, webinars, and INSET training to teachers, parents, occupational therapists, and schools across the United Kingdom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Handwriting Education & Training

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Handwriting & Fine-Motor Writing (Print/Cursive) (EDAMAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dysgraphia/Writing & Handwriting Support Tutoring (EDANAFAF), Fine Motor & Handwriting Intervention (EDAKAFAC), Writing & Spelling Intervention (Dysgraphia Support) (EDAKAJAE)

Keywords

• Handwriting education
• Teacher training
• Occupational therapy
• Literacy resources
• Special educational needs

Headquarters

HQ city

Eversley, Hook

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees for individuals (£18/year) and institutions (£36/year), providing access to resources, publications, and member discounts.
2. Publications and Resources: Sale of educational publications, guides, journals (Handwriting Today), posters, and teaching materials ranging from £1.50 to £20.
3. Webinar Recordings: Sale of recorded webinar content at £15 for members and £20 for non-members.
4. Online Courses: Online short courses hosted through Communicate-Ed platform, priced at £30 with member discounts available.
5. INSET Training: In-service training for schools: Full day £675 (members £575), Half day £375 (members £320).
6. Donations: Accepts charitable donations to support the work of the association.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The National Handwriting Association is a UK registered charity that sells educational publications, online short courses, webinar recordings, and in-service training to teachers, therapists, parents, and schools focused on handwriting instruction and support. Membership (individual and institutional) provides access to specialist resources, and the association delivers bespoke INSET training to schools along with a flagship 3-Day Course for educators, therapists, and psychologists.

Product overview

The National Handwriting Association operates as a membership-based charity offering educational resources, training, and publications focused on handwriting instruction. The core offering includes 33 publications (including the Tips for Teaching series, Handwriting Today journals, and policy guides), 5 NHA Online Short Courses delivered through Communicate-Ed, and 5 Webinar Recordings. The organization provides tiered membership plans (Individual at £18/year, Institution at £36/year, and Corporate) offering access to member-exclusive content and discounts. Training services include In-Service (INSET) Training for schools and a comprehensive 3-Day Course for Educators, Therapists and Psychologists. Free resources include the Handwriting Patterns Playbook (joint project with The School Run) and the Good Practice for Handwriting Toolkit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Membership of the National Handwriting Association Annual membership for individual teachers, therapists, parents, and other interested individuals providing access to specialist handwriting resources, member discounts on publications and courses, and member communications.
• Institution Membership of the National Handwriting Association Institutional membership for schools, academies, trusts, and other organisations providing access to NHA resources and publications for multiple staff members within the institution.
• NHA Publications Specialist handwriting publications sold to teachers, therapists, and parents, covering handwriting instruction, assessment, and remediation.
• Handwriting Today Journal Annual peer-reviewed journal published by the NHA featuring articles on handwriting research, instruction, and remediation for teachers, therapists, and researchers.
• NHA Online Short Courses Online short courses on handwriting topics delivered via the NHA website, available for individual purchase and offering a multi-buy discount.
• NHA Webinar Recordings Recorded NHA webinars available for purchase covering specialist handwriting topics for teachers, therapists, and parents.
• In-Service (INSET) Training Bespoke in-service training delivered to schools and institutions on handwriting instruction and supporting pupils with handwriting difficulties.
• 3-Day Course for Educators, Therapists and Psychologists Flagship intensive 3-day course delivered by the NHA for educators, therapists, and psychologists providing in-depth training on handwriting instruction, assessment, and remediation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of teachers surveyed would recommend the edding handwriter (partner product supported by NHA guidance)

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The Handwriting CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 December 2021Based in Columbus, Ohio, USA, The Handwriting Collaborative was founded in autumn 2019 by Kathleen Wright. The partnership provides NHA members with a 60% discount on online conferences. The collaboration aims to support children, parents, teachers, and school administrators with handwriting skill development through professional development training and consultant services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• nasen (National Association for Special Educational Needs): UK membership organisation for SEND professionals across all need categories. Comparable to NHA in serving the SENCO and special needs professional audience and selling training and resources to schools, but at a much wider scope covering all SEND rather than handwriting specifically.
• Learning Without Tears (formerly Handwriting Without Tears): US-based handwriting and early literacy curriculum provider serving schools globally. Comparable to NHA in core focus on handwriting instruction and teacher training, but operates as a commercial publisher at much greater scale and broader international reach.

Direct peers

• British Dyslexia Association: UK charity dedicated to dyslexia awareness, training, and resources. Closely comparable to NHA as a UK-based membership charity supporting educators, parents, and professionals around specific learning difficulties, including the writing and spelling challenges that overlap with NHA's remit.
• Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity: UK charity providing dyslexia assessment, training, and resources to teachers, parents, and adults. Directly comparable to NHA in serving the same UK SEND training and resource market and selling courses, memberships, and publications to schools and families.
• PATOSS (Professional Association of Teachers of Students with Specific Learning Difficulties): UK membership association for specialist teachers supporting students with SpLD including dyslexia. Comparable to NHA in target audience (specialist teachers and assessors), training offering, and UK charity / professional-association operating model.
• Dyslexia Action: UK charity delivering specialist teacher training, assessments, and resources for dyslexia and literacy difficulties. Comparable to NHA in operating model (UK charity, training, publications, professional memberships) and overlapping audience of teachers, parents, and therapists.
• The Communication Trust: UK coalition of charities supporting children with speech, language, and communication needs. Comparable to NHA as a UK membership charity serving education and therapy professionals with training, resources, and policy advocacy around literacy-related needs.

Regional players

• Australian Handwriting Association (Inc): Australia-based association focused on handwriting education and teacher resources. Comparable to NHA in mission and product mix (handwriting-focused publications, courses, and teacher resources) but serves the Australian curriculum market rather than the UK.

Others

• Touch-type Read & Spell: Online touch-typing program marketed to students with learning difficulties. Listed as a corporate member of NHA and a partial substitute/adjacent offering, since it positions keyboarding as a literacy skill for learners who find handwriting difficult.

Emerging players

• British Assistive Technology Association (BATA): UK organisation promoting the use of assistive technology in education, including for learners with handwriting difficulties. Comparable to NHA in addressing the needs of students who struggle with handwriting, but specifically through technology rather than teaching.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NHA_news
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-handwriting-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/nationalhandwritingassociation/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Handwriting Association