Children at Orleans Park School were in for a treat when Happy Days star Henry Winkler, aka Fonzie, came to open their new dyslexia unit and special needs block.

The actor and author visited the school on Tuesday, October 18, to talk to students about his struggle with dyslexia, before celebrating the opening of the new department.

As someone who has suffered from the condition his whole life, opening the unit was hugely significant for Mr Winkler.

He said: “I am so delighted that I, as a major dyslexic, get to be part of this ceremony.

“School was unbelievably hard for me. I got a bad grade in everything but lunch. I was great at lunch.”

Yet behind the joviality which Winkler, as the self-professed classroom clown, brought to his schoolmates, lay a deep frustration and unhappiness about his learning difficulties.

He said: “I was told I was stupid and lazy most of my life. And when you’re younger and you’re told that, you believe it.”

But despite early difficulties, he told the children: “Every one of you has brilliance inside of you.”

And students were clearly left inspired by the actor’s speech.

Alex Collier, 12, said: “I like the way he told us that we’re all great. He’s really funny as well”

Daniel May, 14, added: “He was fantastic. I never knew anyone that famous had dyslexia.”