OUR BLOG

Understanding and supporting neurodiverse children can feel overwhelming. You want to do the best for your child or student, but sometimes the path is unclear. In the Midlands, there are unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to neurodiversity. This post will guide you through practical steps and resources to help you create a supportive environment. Together, we can make a difference. How to Support Neurodiverse Families in the West Midlands Supporting neurodivers

Öhlböck et al. (2024) explored whether training mainstream primary teachers in the Zones of Regulation could improve their confidence in supporting autistic pupils with self-regulation needs. The study involved teachers working in mainstream primary classrooms where at least one autistic pupil had identified self-regulation difficulties. Teachers completed a short online training session focused on key parts of the Zones of Regulation approach. The findings showed that teache

For many children with special educational needs and disabilities, the classroom can be a busy, demanding and sometimes overwhelming place . Noise, transitions, sitting still, written tasks, social expectations and sensory overload can all become barriers to learning. But what happens when learning moves beyond four walls? The recent study by Godwin and colleagues, Making outdoor learning accessible and inclusive for children with special educational needs and disabilities (S

Adaptive teaching is not about lowering expectations. It is about removing barriers so that every pupil has a fair chance to access learning, participate meaningfully and experience success. For neurodivergent pupils, including autistic pupils, pupils with ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and other differences in learning, attention, communication or sensory processing, this is essential. Too often, support for neurodivergent pupils is seen as something additional, separate or only

For children with ADHD, the classroom environment is not just a backdrop to learning it can directly affect attention, listening, wellbeing and participation. Bright displays, background noise, cluttered workspaces, constant movement and unpredictable transitions can all increase the cognitive load for pupils who already find it harder to filter out irrelevant information. A recent scoping review by Mealings and Buchholz examined how classroom environments and activities aff

When a child with special educational needs is struggling at school, exclusion should not be the first response. Too often, behaviour is treated as defiance rather than communication. A child who is overwhelmed, anxious, dysregulated, unable to process instructions, struggling with sensory overload, or reacting to unmet need may be punished instead of supported. For pupils with SEN, a behaviour policy cannot simply be applied in a rigid, one-size-fits-all way. Schools have le

Preparing for the Schools White Paper: What Schools Can Do Now The schools white paper, Every child achieving and thriving, sets out an ambitious direction for education in England. Its central message is clear: schools will be expected to raise standards, close gaps, strengthen inclusion and work more coherently with families, trusts, local authorities and wider services. For school leaders, the immediate challenge is not to react to every proposal at once. Some reforms will

In mainstream education, inclusion is often spoken about as if it simply means placing neurodivergent children in the same classroom as their neurotypical peers. But real inclusion is much more than physical presence. It is about belonging, participation, autonomy, and being recognised as a valued member of the classroom community. A study by Piedade, Neto, Pires, Prada, and Nicolau, titled “That’s our game!”: Reflections on co-designing a robotic game with neurodiverse child

Macdonald et al. (2018) showed that simple visual supports can make a big difference for autistic pupils in mainstream classrooms. By using visual schedules and work systems, pupils were better able to understand expectations, stay on task, follow routines, and work more independently. The study highlights that non-verbal cues are not just “extra help” — they are powerful tools for reducing uncertainty and helping autistic children feel more confident, calm, and included in e

Mainstream school doesn’t just feel harder for neurodivergent pupils — this study found it carries about twice the emotional weight. Lukito et al. (2025) showed that autistic and ADHD pupils experience more frequent and more intense negative school experiences than their neurotypical peers, creating a heavier emotional burden that is linked to anxiety and depression.

SENCO burnout is not just anecdotal. Lewis’s study found 84% of SENCOs described the role as moderately to extremely stressful. A national SENCO workload survey also found many work significant extra hours, with workload a key reason some plan to leave. Research suggests SENCO burnout is a serious and systemic concern. Lewis’s mixed-methods study of SENCO wellbeing found that 84% of SENCOs described their role as moderately, very, or extremely stressful. This highlights the e

The evidence is clear: using the EEF’s Five-a-day principles — explicit instruction, scaffolding, metacognition, flexible grouping and technology — can make adaptive teaching stronger for every learner! Evidence supporting the Five-a-day approach comes from the EEF’s Special Educational Needs in Mainstream Schools evidence review. Cullen et al. (2020) reviewed 38 systematic reviews and found positive outcomes for high-quality teaching approaches for pupils with SEND, includin

Teacher training works best when it is embedded in classroom practice, not just delivered as a one-off workshop as shown in recent study. Donath, J. L., Lüke, T., Graf, E., Tran, U. S., & Götz, T. (2023). Does Professional Development Effectively Support the Implementation of Inclusive Education? A Meta-Analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 35, Article 30.

Literature review highlights the positive impact of visual schedules and how they can help increase academic-related on-task behaviour for autistic learners. Such a simple quick addition to the classroom can remove barriers for neurodivergnt pupils. Liang, Z., Lee, D., Zuo, J., & Liang, S. (2024). The use of visual schedules to increase academic-related on-task behaviors of individuals with autism: A literature review. International Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 1–

Zazzi and Faragher explored autistic students’ views of classroom “visual clutter.” Their findings identified themes including colour palette, feature congestion, affordances, and spatial size, each linked to negative emotional responses from the students. The study supports involving autistic pupils in classroom design decisions and reducing overwhelming visual input. Zazzi, H., & Faragher, R. (2018). “Visual clutter” in the classroom: Voices of students with Autism Spectrum

A pupil should not have to reach crisis point before support is taken seriously. Small adjustments, early conversations and trusted relationships can prevent distress long before it becomes visible behaviour.

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, one principle has remained constant- the importance of building strong teacher-student...

Remove stress from neurodivergent pupils and staff alike.