VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM
really enjoy the extra physical activity which makes them feel good and ready to learn.
• Emotional support
At NWLJDS we have developed the whole school PSHE curriculum to incorporate “emotional literacy” where pupils are explicitly taught to recognise, name and describe emotions as well as ways to help manage them if they become too overwhelming. For many children with ADHD, they recognise that they feel different to their peers and that they can struggle with their learning, their feelings and/or socialising. For some children, they benefit from more personalised and individual support and this is offered as “Wellbeing Interventions” for a sequence of between 6-12 weekly sessions from trained members of staff. These interventions are planned with specific learning intentions matched to the pupils’ needs (e.g. teaching coping strategies, managing anxiety, or developing confidence or self-esteem). For some pupils, they are offered support internally by more trained mental health professionals – we have a caseload of pupils who see our child psychotherapist for either weekly or fortnightly sessions, and we also offer creative/play therapy as weekly sessions. For some children with ADHD, they might benefit from CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) to help reframe negative thinking they may have about themselves. We make use of external support and when necessary refer to CAMHS or when appropriate our local authority, London Brent’s WEST (wellbeing emotional support team).
• Positive and meaningful relationships with others
Staff at NWLJDS work so hard to connect with all the children and develop a positive rapport and mutual trust – and this is especially important
for pupils with ADHD. All members of staff truly care about the children and have learned the effectiveness of a positive approach and using positive comments to build and sustain good pupil- teacher relationships. As told to the recent Ofsted inspector a pupil shared that “we connect with our teachers like we connect with our friends. If you are sad, they make you feel happy.” We value the importance of pupil voice and listen to how pupils are feeling, their interests and motivators. It is also important for pupils with ADHD to make use of positive role models either as older pupils, members of staff and making examples of successful people in the world who may also have ADHD, to validate their feelings as well as to motivate and inspire.
The question of medication – the role of the school
Evidence suggests that appropriate medication combined with counselling and academic support can be extremely effective in countering the negative effects of ADHD. At NWLJDS we work to support the parents in their decisions about medication – and support the decision to either medicate or not. In the circumstances when medication is prescribed, we take responsibility to carefully observe the pupil and report to parents/ carers of any side effects. We are mindful of the negative side effects that medication can elicit and do our best to support the pupils through this. We have engaged with child and adolescent psychiatrists to learn more about the different types of medication and how this can affect pupils (both desirable and undesirable side effects) and how as a school we can best support the pupils and families.
What support is offered to parents/carers of pupils with ADHD?
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www.education-today.co.uk
At NWLJDS we have a dedicated SENCO team who encourage open communication with the parents of pupils with SEND and offer our support throughout their child’s journey at our school. We signpost parents to helpful resources (much provided by The ADHD Foundation) and also offer parent talks by Educational Psychologists (e.g. building resilience, and emotion coaching). We recognise that each child’s needs differ and value parent partnership when deciding the provision for their child.
What are your final thoughts and your vision for pupils with ADHD at NWLJDS? Last year, for the first time, we actively participated in “Neurodiversity Celebration Day” with the message that there are “minds of all kinds”. The aim of this day is to extend understanding and knowledge of different neurodivergent needs and for children to appreciate that some minds are wired differently but all minds have value and should be celebrated. In class we explicitly learnt about ASD and ADHD as neurodivergent conditions – how this affects an individual and what we can do to be supportive peers. The children loved learning about which famous people openly talk about their neurodiversity and found this affirming and inspiring. NWLJDS also participated in the ADHD Foundation’s Umbrella Project - a visual representation of all neurodivergent needs that should be recognised and celebrated. We have a vision to educate all children about neurodivergent needs – as a way to better understand themselves, and their peers – and to continue to build a more inclusive and secure learning environment where we can all feel proud of who we are, our strengths and what can be achieved.
www.nwljds.org.uk March 2023
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