Creating an Autism-Friendly Classroom: What Can Mainstream Schools Learn from Specialist Settings?

Numbers of autistic children in mainstream schools continue to rise, including pupils with more complex needs, yet special schools are often still ahead of the curve when it comes to specialist pedagogy and SEMH strategies. Matthew Lee, Vice Principal at Wales International School in Abu Dhabi, has made it his mission to transfer the knowledge he has gained from working at special schools into the mainstream, to enhance the support offered.

Special schools are inclusive by design, always prioritising independence and viewing children as co-agents of learning. In this two-part blog series, he shares some of the strategies that, in his experience, can make the biggest impact on building independence and emotional resilience in autistic children, particularly those who are minimally or non-speaking individuals.

In this first article, he covers task structure, and both classroom and breaktime routines. Our thanks also go to Matthew’s long time friend and collaborator Shahida Jaffer, SEND consultant, for her ideas and support.

Key takeaways:

• Create clear, structured environments and task flows using TEACCH principles
• Make visual scaffolds for just about everything using PECS and Widgit
• Start off with real photos of things, include photos of the child and assign fun roles
• Adopt consistent classroom routines and visual timetables to manage transitions between years/classrooms
• Keep strategies going at breaktime and on visual trails around the school
• Adapt strategies for the individual child and keep trying different approaches

• As always, the key is to adapt strategies with the individual child and keep trying different approach

1. Create structure with the TEACCH approach

For many children with special educational needs, particularly those with autism, the concept of sitting down to do an activity can be daunting because they have no idea how long the task is going to take or that anything else is going to come after it. They may have a limited schema of time, verbal instructions may overwhelm them and if they can’t immediately see the value in completing the task, the pupil may simply struggle to find the motivation to get started. 

The TEACCH method (Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped Children) is an evidence-backed approach and helps establish:

• Predictable, logical task sequences with clear structure and defined goals.
• Activities that play to children’s strengths and interests, fostering independence.
• Clear visual structure, zoning, and instructions for children to follow.

You can actually use TEACCH throughout your whole classroom using floor tape, dividers and visual instructions within specific zones.

Especially useful for some individuals are TEACCH task boxes and workflows. They consist of;

• Structured tasks provided in colour-coded boxes – tasks are made up in advance that are designed to provide the right level of challenge for the individual. The child checks their visual timetable in front of them and works their way through task boxes assembled on their left.  Once they are done, they place them in the finished pile on their right. The finish box and symbol helps them see their progress and reminds them to communicate to an adult they are done.

• Distraction-free workspace – with clear zoning to help students stay on task, while minimising sensory overload.  Everything they need to do the activity should be included within the task box.
  
• Symbols that emphasise the concept of finished – if a child understands that things can and will finish they are more likely to do the task.

• Visual timetables, task flows and instructions – wherever possible use real photos of the child’s face and give them something they can touch/hold to make using the timetable more engaging. As an alternative to providing the tasks already set out within the workstation, you can encourage children to go and collect a box with the corresponding colour/symbol on their individual visual timetable.
  
• Working towards cards and token systems – help build extrinsic motivation. Plenty of positive praise should follow – of the effort and not just the outcome. You can also use a token system where the child collects tokens as they complete tasks and trade-in tokens for time spent on an activity they enjoy. Make sure to plan ahead to the next reward after all the tokens are spent.

Matthew’s additional tips: “Group workstations can provide a useful alternative to individual workstations if you have several children all working at the same level and can be more inclusive. You can colour-code the tables by task type and rotate groups of children working on the same tasks together. If possible, try being flexible with your classroom environments so children who use them can choose when they arrive whether they want to sit at the group workstation or go to their individual one.”

2. Classroom routines and visual communication tools

Inclusion, of course, isn’t just about creating specific tasks and workstations for individuals, but proactively designing the whole-class experience to be as accessible as possible. As always, the right balance must be found between adaptations focused just on a particular individual and those that the whole class can follow. 

There isn’t the scope to cover adaptive teaching and scaffolding in detail, but you can read more in our blog: Adaptive Teaching; Understanding the Barriers and Enablers. In the meantime, some key things to think about in terms of classroom routines can be found below.

Daily class schedules – whereas individual task flows break down the specific task at hand, daily schedules show everything going on that day. Both have their place, but the nice thing about daily schedules is that the whole class can get involved.

Now and Next or First, Then boards – help children see quickly the component steps in a task or process. TAs and teachers can also draw on wipe-clean Now and Next boards to show their students that a reward is coming up so the child can easily visualise the benefit.

Break visuals – a couple of cards can be allocated to each child on their desk or throughout the classroom. This can help remind children to ask and help them achieve this without requiring a lot of words.

Managing expectations with morning meeting visuals – can remind children about social norms as well as who is present today. This reduces stress around changes in the environment and minimises the need for repeated questions.

Individual real picture schedules/mini-schedules – some children might prefer these organised into folders, some might prefer vertical schedules up on a classroom wall. Some educators, such as Dr Chris Reeve, founder of The Special Educator Academy in the US, have also observed some children prefer the timetable to be revealed gradually, or may prefer part-day to full-day. 

Whatever technique you use, make sure there is a clear mechanism to allow children to place finished tasks in a designated place. You might also introduce a symbol to remind children to check their personal visual timetable.

Thumbs up, thumbs down checks, ask for help cards, traffic light systems; introducing these into lessons helps pupils signal understanding without needing to rely on verbal methods which they may be too anxious or not have the vocabulary manage. Again the whole class can be encouraged to use them.

PECs and Widgit: PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) is a well-researched approach for autistic children who have more significant speech and language difficulties, and uses external motivators in return for engaging with comprehension-based tasks. 

In UK schools this is often well embedded, but this is not always the case internationally where teachers and LSAs may not have any training at all. 

Matthew’s additional tip: “In my school we use Widgit for a huge range of things. We do formative reviews every three months, as an example, and children all access the same assessments. It’s just a matter of scaffolding the essay comprehension questions with Widgit symbols. We also design vocabulary mats for every subject designed to go up to secondary level as part of our inclusion by design philosophy.”

3. Managing breaktimes and routines beyond the classroom

Photos of pupils’ faces – using these throughout the school for example on the backs of chairs during assembly time, on lockers etc can reduce anxiety and steer pupils towards where they should be sitting and what they should be doing.

Matthew’s additional tip: “In my school we use photos to help children quickly see who is currently using a resource or toy. We have a board in the playground where our five trikes are, for example, and pupils put their faces on the grid next to a picture of each trike. This helps other pupils quickly see who is using it – reducing the likelihood of meltdowns.”  

Assign roles and responsibilities – this can be both within the classroom and beyond, e.g. breakfast monitors, school librarian helpers, line leaders etc. It helps with belonging as well as structured routines – particularly as breaktimes can be unpredictable.

Portable PECS boards – allow children to continue to express what they want at breaktimes and lunchtimes, while talk buttons enable them to listen back to instructions and carry them round with them.

Widgit and Makaton hand signs in the playground – not only help children with SEND re-enforce their understanding of these symbols, but it gets the whole school involved as well. 

Matthew’s additional tip: “You can create school-wide trails for pupils to help them find their way around using a particular symbol. This can be especially useful for pupils transitioning into the school. One pupil has been shown how to use our animal trail to successfully get from their class to the bus drop off point independently.” 

Things to remember

Teaching professionals in specialist settings focus on enabling pupils to be as independent as possible first and foremost. All staff get to know their pupils incredibly well and are trained not to overwhelm them with language, learning how to utilise their strengths and maximise the use of visual supports and structured tasks and environments. All forms of behaviour are primarily viewed as sources of communication.

So many of these principles can be carried through into the mainstream and can be used to support children with a range of additional needs – not just autism.

The most important thing is to be curious and open when it comes to helping neurodivergent students, allowing the pupil to express what they want, being led by them and adapting over time. It is important to listen to the voices of the children when setting up and maintaining the environments that can help them to thrive. While the strategies mentioned in this blog won’t overcome every hurdle when it comes to task engagement, they hopefully can contribute towards a framework that minimises the chance of overwhelm or loss of focus. 

Matthew advises his staff to start with the tried and tested strategies mentioned above and then “keep trying alternatives until a collection is found that can best support the individual child.”

In the next blog Matthew will look at some key SEMH strategies.

Relevant courses

Take a look at our autism courses that can be studied as part of our Masters in Autism.

If you are an SEN professional working in an international setting you may be interested in our iSENCO award

Our Assistant SENCO programme is ideal for UK professionals who want to train for the role.

About Matthew Lee

Matthew is currently Vice Principal at Wales International School. He has been a senior leader in multiple award-winning inclusive international schools across three continents and has a strong background leading in both mainstream and specialist settings.

Matthew’s PhD focused on understanding of inclusion, inclusive leadership, and improving parental engagement with school choice. He has been widely published, and has written about pastoral structures, leadership challenges and supporting marginalised groups in international schools.

He is also a tutor on Real Training’s International Award in SEN Coordination (iSENCO) course that helps education professionals develop effective inclusive leadership skills in international settings.

Declan currently works as an Inclusion Teacher in a large mainstream school in Abhu Dhabi.

After starting his teaching career in South Africa he moved into special educational needs, becoming an SEN Teacher at a specialist autism school in the US, before moving to a special school in the UAE.

How has the iSENCO course helped make an impact at school?

The course helped me reflect on how we structure our IEPs, coming to the realisation that they were too long and not getting to the specifics quickly enough. We’ve slimmed this down into a single page document and changed the format to make targets more easy to track and communicate to parents. This has made communication between the team around the child much easier and improved how we liaise with parents.

We’ve also enhanced the support offered to pupils with their social, emotional and mental health. Part of my project looked at emotional regulation and I selected Zones of Regulation as a suitable SEMH intervention to support children with special educational needs. We did a six week staff training programme before rolling out the intervention, supported by the creation of sensory rooms and using sensory circuits. We’ve encouraged the teachers to make personalised boxes and toolkits. The feedback from staff and pupils so far has been incredibly positive and it has subsequently been expanded to all pupils in the primary school and we’ve also led a parent workshop on Zones of Regulation and charts linked to the intervention are now part of IEP meetings.

Inclusion staff are also more confident supporting pupils with SEND. I also identified staff training in SEND as an area that could be developed and created a plan for this. We now have regular CPD programmes led by the Inclusion Teachers every Monday, so far we’ve done colourful semantics, IEPs and Smart Targets, de-escalation strategies, sensory integration and sensory circuits.

Overall there’s been increased momentum in the school when it comes to inclusion and the course has given me a framework and opportunity to convey what I learned from working in a special school into the mainstream environment. We’re rolled out more assemblies and inclusion days to build on our inclusive culture and the parent community is also more engaged.

What made you choose the Real Training course over other options?

The iSENCO was recommended to me by our Head of Inclusion – he told me it was a great course and that I should look into it. I was doing another online course at the time with a different provider but having a few issues which had slightly put me off distance learning! He told me that Real Training’s online set up was really good and the tutor support was amazing.

How has the course helped your personal professional development?

It’s definitely helped me become a stronger leader and refine my personal leadership style. LSAs have commented how easy they now find it to approach me and how they value our relationship. I used to approach difficult conversations with some trepidation but I now feel well equipped to have these productively.

It’s also really helped my organisational skills – I already knew the pedagogy and intervention side of things, because of my background in special schools, but being able to learn how to actually coordinate provision at a higher level has been really beneficial and was lovely to learn.

There’s a huge demand for SENCO and inclusion teachers in the UAE now and gaining a good quality postgraduate qualification in SEN can really expand your career. Having Real Training’s iSENCO on my CV has made a big difference and helped me secure a new role in a really good school. Hopefully my next step is as a SENCO and then Head of Inclusion.

What did you enjoy most about the course? What do you think other international SEN professionals would find most valuable?

Definitely the leadership development and being able to analyse and evaluate SEND processes and coordination in my school. 

I also really liked the project comparing how SEND was delivered in my school compared to another. Going into another setting – seeing what things work and taking back ideas to improve your own SEN provision – that’s really invaluable for SEN professionals.

What are the top three things you have implemented since/during your study or are planning to implement?

• Rolling out Zones of Regulation throughout the Primary school and for pupils with SEND in secondary
• The restructuring of our IEPs 
• Upskilling the inclusion department. Moving forward I’d like to expand the SEND CPD to all teachers as well as supporting them with early identification of needs.

From improved self-esteem to reduced behavioural incidents and improved attendance, a body of evidence points towards ELSAs (Emotional Literacy Support Assistants) being a valuable resource for pupils in UK schools. It’s testament to the programme’s popularity that the number of Local Authorities adopting ELSA has more than doubled in a decade, now standing at over 170.

In this article we take a look at some of the key ways ELSAs can support children’s mental health and what research studies and feedback from schools can tell us about the programme’s success.

ELSAs: A brief overview

Specifically trained to support emotional literacy or build emotional literacy skills, ELSAs learn to adapt a range of techniques and hands-on activities to help children recognise, understand and manage their emotions to meet jointly agreed, often very specific goals.

Practitioners receive training from educational psychologists in a wide range of skills including, active listening, emotional regulation techniques based on cognitive behavioural therapy, grief support, anger management and positive psychology.

How do ELSAs help improve children’s mental health?

1. Developing emotional understanding and vocabulary

Through shared engaging activities, relationship building, stories and discussions, ELSAs help children build a vocabulary for their emotions, enabling them to communicate their needs more clearly and understand the feelings of others. 

Working collaboratively with a pupil, ELSAs create SMART goals to help develop emotional literacy in a particular area. For example, being able to ask for help when there is conflict in the playground, being able to recognise when other people are feeling sad, or demonstrating understanding that other people might show their feelings in different ways.

Example activities/approaches: Puppets, social stories, emotion stones, mirror games, feeling cards, activities that require you to match bodily sensations to emotions etc.

2. Coping with bereavement, loss or family break-up

Bereavement, such as the loss of a grandparent, is a normal part of childhood. Not all loss needs individualised support at school. Rather, children are referred to ELSA when they are unable to move on from a bereavement, the loss is particularly traumatic or when there is a difficult family break up. 

In these circumstances, ELSAs help young people understand the specific challenges they are facing due to their grief. Instead of giving direct advice, they guide individuals to reflect on their concerns and explore coping strategies and solutions together. 

Example activities/approaches: Creating memory boxes, journals, or drawing pictures to help children remember and connect with the person they have lost. Using models to discuss the positives of mum’s house and dad’s house, suggesting relaxation techniques or encouraging physical activity, and also using therapeutic stories.

3. Managing emotions, including anger

Typically ELSAs start by breaking down big targets around managing emotions into smaller steps. For example, a pupil may first need to learn how to identify angry facial expressions in others, before they recognise their own bodily symptoms and are able to name three things that trigger their anger. Only then will the ELSA start teaching and setting targets around the use of coping strategies. 

Breaking things down step-by-step like this and making the links between bodily sensations and emotions is often particularly helpful for children with autism.

Example activities/approaches: Considering other emotions that underlie anger; sadness/fear etc. and teaching ways to recognise and identify anger. To support this, ELSAs may use puppets and games to explore self-expression. ELSAs may also work with tools such as the Incredible 5 Point Scale, as well as teaching basic CBT techniques, such as challenging negative thoughts, recognising bodily feelings and progressive relaxation.

4. Building self-esteem, resilience and belonging

A lot of ELSA work is based on Borba’s five building blocks of self-esteem; security, selfhood, affiliation (a sense or belonging or relatedness), mission (sense of purpose) and competence, (in terms of developing awareness of personal strengths and how to build on them). 

By guiding children through exercises linked to the above, ELSAs promote positive self-talk, help children set aspirational goals and develop a positive self-image. They are also trained to help promote a growth mindset, drawing on the work of Carol Dwek. 

Example activities/approaches: Using Strengths Cards to encourage pupils to self-select their positive attributes as well as online tools to help them build personal profiles, and teaching students how to set effective goals. The ELSA may draw on positive psychology techniques as well as motivational interviewing and models of change. They may encourage pupils to use self-esteem diaries, vision boards, and/or gratitude diaries.

5. Facilitating social skills and dealing with conflict

ELSAs often work with individuals and small groups to develop essential social skills such as communication, empathy, and conflict resolution. This could include conflict with peers or teachers. They may develop pupils’ active listening skills, or work on specific goals such as building awareness of how tone of voice can convey meaning. They may also teach conflict reduction techniques, such as keeping calm and engineering ‘win-win’ situations where both parties can benefit.

Example activities/approaches: Role playing with the ELSA or another friendly, socially confident pupil, working through friendship scenarios, using empathy games or cards. Videos and photos of social situations (especially ambiguous ones) can be helpful, as can comic strip conversations and problem solving by matching scenarios with sticky notes for feelings, actions or thoughts.

6. Helping children manage difficult transitions

When used appropriately, ELSAs can act as a bridge between the pupil, parents, and teachers (both current and future). With appropriate consent, they can share insights about the child’s needs, ensure their voice is captured and advocate for consistent strategies.

ELSAs can help children name feelings around key transitions, manage their expectations and break down changes into smaller steps to help them seem more manageable.

Example activities/approaches: Size of the problem, using positive psychology to help reframe transitioning to new situations, creating transition memory boxes or craft work, helping pupils visualise their new environment through maps, drawings and encouraging problem-solving skills.  A key activity is often working with the child to make a booklet /PowerPoint / video about themself to be used by the new school.

7. Managing anxiety

ELSAs draw on cognitive behavioural techniques to help pupils to challenge negative thoughts, recognise bodily symptoms of anxiety and become aware of thought spirals. They develop personalised coping strategies for students and work on problem solving skills.

Example activities/approaches: Three houses (worry house, dream house, happy house) therapeutic storytelling, breathing techniques, size of the problem exercises. ELSAs may also encourage mindfulness exercises, devoting scheduled “worry time”, or using tools such as an anxiety scale to identify and manage problems.

[Some example ELSA resources – many more can be found on the excellent ELSA support website.]

What’s the evidence that ELSA is effective?

There is a clear link between emotional regulation and children’s ability to learn. A meta-analysis of over 213 school based studies has shown that students participating in social and emotional literacy programmes achieved an 11-percentile-point gain in academic achievement on average, compared to their peers. 

Given that ELSA is just one means by which to model social and emotional literacy, however, what evidence do we have to indicate it is the best approach?

Measuring impact in an empirical way is challenging. Firstly, it’s a big ask to implement this type of academic research (including control groups) within school environments. Secondly, the way in which the ELSA programme is delivered varies considerably from school to school (indeed one of its strengths is its adaptability). All of this is confounded by lack of consensus on how to best measure gains in emotional literacy. 

This being said, there are qualitative and quantitative studies that build a picture of success. A recent 2024 study, for example, conducted across 18 schools showed that ELSA had a significant positive impact on children’s emotional literacy scores, when analysing results from a social and emotional support assessment (SESA) questionnaire. A control group was used which showed no progress.

A much larger landmark study led by Sheila Burton, (who trained the very first ELSAs and developed the ELSA project), has also demonstrated improved scores on a teacher rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) administered pre and post-intervention. In addition, the primary and secondary pupils involved in the study showed improved scores on teacher-rated measures of emotional literacy. It’s worth noting, however, that improvements were also seen in the control group, albeit to a much lesser extent.

More specifically connected with individual SMART targets, a very small study conducted by a team at the University of Southampton showed measurable improvement in the behaviour of three children, prior to and after an ELSA intervention. 

Teacher and TA observations showed; 

• a reduction in aggressive incidents both in class and in the playground 
• an increase in the number of times one pupil was observed playing an active role in his peer group from 35% to 63%
• an increase in one of the pupil’s average percentage classroom time spent on task from 51% to 81%.

There are many more studies (some ongoing) and evaluation reports from Local Authorities available on the ELSA Network, as well as a considerable analysis of qualitative feedback – some of which we’ll come onto next.

What do headteachers, parents and students say?

A recent 2024 survey conducted by the County Psychological Service and Cumberland Council showed that headteachers had overwhelmingly positive things to say about the ELSA programme. Some of the comments are replicated below;

“The children supported appear to be better engaged in lessons and back on track academically (one child is now exceeding their academic targets). Attendance and punctuality has increased, where this has been identified as a concern. In one case, a child decreased their minutes late by 1346 over a term.” 

“Reduced number of seclusions, suspensions and exclusions.”

“Our ELSA has made a big difference to the lives of the children she works with.”

“Our long-term cases show huge transformation in our older children and we have a large current caseload of children who struggled on their first term in Yr3 but are already making positive steps both inside the classroom and on the playground. The support of ELSAs in this is invaluable.”

“In the case of bereavement, the parent praised the school for the quick and timely intervention of support, which “made a significant, positive difference.” 

Research from Cardiff University using semi-structured interviews also found that the majority of parents rated ELSA to have positively impacted on SEMH, commenting that skills learned within the ELSA sessions transferred to the home context.

There is also evidence to suggest pupils themselves rate the intervention highly; all participants in a study of 53 primary school pupils reported the ELSA programme to be effective, with analysis of structured interviews highlighting common themes around the importance of the relationship they could build with their ELSA and how they felt it helped them build resilience. Other studies capturing student voice show similar positive results (Purcell, Kelly & Woods, 2023), (Purcell, 2023).

Programme impact: ELSA perspectives

ELSAs often comment on their increased confidence supporting emotional literacy and the transformational impact of the unique ELSA-child relationship dynamic on children’s wellbeing. They also value educational psychologist supervision.

Some comments from different studies are replicated below.

“I have increased knowledge of emotional literacy in myself and others which has helped to increase my confidence personally and as a teaching assistant. I feel that I have the resources to help me improve my effectiveness to deal with difficulties due to emotional problems.”  (ELSA quoted in Dodds & Blake, 2015)

“I think we get to see the bigger picture as well, teachers just see this disruptive child who’s, you know, causing problems in the class, whereas we see that there are wider issues. There’s a reason why they are behaving in that way.” (ELSA quoted in Mann, 2014)

“ELSA has made a huge difference, I think for some of these children because they’ve missed so much with Covid… social skills, friendships, not just academic. It’s been an emotional, holistic loss.”  (ELSA quoted in report published by Staffordshire EP Service)

ELSAs taking part in the WELL project, run by CPS Cumberland also gave the following feedback.

“I have had one child who had no confidence and after working through our session was able to get up on stage and perform in a dance in front of thousands of people.”

“The skills I learnt doing my ELSA training underpin every other intervention I run.”

“Significant improvements in attendance of one student 44%-86% when self esteem was primary factor in low attendance, following 10 weeks of ELSA intervention.”

Skills for life

The presence of a skilled ELSA in a school can have a profound and lasting impact on the mental health and overall wellbeing of all children, including those with special educational needs. 

By providing targeted support, fostering emotional literacy, and building resilience, ELSAs are not just addressing immediate needs, but equipping children with essential skills to navigate their emotional landscape successfully throughout the rest of their lives.

If you train to become an ELSA you will be welcomed into an inspirational network of thousands of professionals, joining a supportive community of TAs and educational psychologists committed to sharing ideas and improving the mental health of young people.

Find out more

Find out more about training to become an ELSA as part of the Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship

Already implementing ELSA or thinking about starting an ELSA programme? Read our guide to maximising their effectiveness.

Comprehensive training course for new or aspiring Assistant SENCOs

We are delighted to announce the launch of a new apprenticeship programme, designed to equip new or aspiring Assistant SENCOs with the essential knowledge and skills to support effective provision for pupils with special educational needs.

As the first apprenticeship specifically created for Assistant SENCOs, participants will explore national policies and legislation, learn how to align the school’s SEND vision with broader improvement plans and gain the skills to implement effective projects, delivering meaningful and sustainable change for pupils with SEND.

The 15-month programme, delivered through a blend of asynchronous study, live online workshops and project work, will enable Assistant SENCOs to support their SENCO in making data-driven decisions, including monitoring and evaluating interventions for pupils with SEND. They will also learn to collaborate effectively with their SENCO, teachers, support staff, parents, and external agencies to document progress and ensure the individual needs of pupils are effectively met.

Participants will enhance their team management skills, including coaching and mentoring, conflict resolution, and effective strategies for communication, collaboration, and problem-solving.  

SEND experts from Real Training have co-designed the programme, with our Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ sister company, Educational and Sporting Futures (ESF). Schools can use the Apprenticeship Levy to fund the training and upon completion, participants will receive a Level 5 Operations Manager Apprenticeship.

Find out more and apply

To find out more, including eligibility requirements, please visit our course page.

The first cohort begins on 11 June 2025 and we’re accepting applications via our online registration form.

Growing portfolio of SEND focused apprenticeships

The Assistant SENCO programme is the latest in our suite of SEND-focused apprenticeships. The Real Training team also works with Educational and Sporting Futures on:

• Level 3 Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship with SEND focus
• Level 5 Specialist Teaching Assistant Apprenticeship (with a choice of SEND, Literacy or Social, Emotional Wellbeing specialism)
• Level 7 Advanced SEND Leader Programme

We’d all like to think we are good listeners but how often do we listen to reply rather than listening with genuine empathy?

This resource breaks down the skill of active listening and explains some of the key things that good listeners tend to do (and what they avoid!).

Includes: Active listening worksheet for teens as well as four activity ideas for PSHE lessons. Take a look at our accompanying blog.

As an SEN or Inclusion professional based internationally, you’ve likely heard about our popular iSENCO course and also the new UK qualification; the NPQ SENCO.

How do you know which course to choose? It’s worth reflecting on the immediate needs within your setting, your personal goals and the different course objectives.

You may not be aware, for example, that the iSENCO (International Award in SEN Coordination) has been designed specifically for current and aspiring SEND leaders based in international settings. Tutoring is provided by SENCOs or other senior leaders responsible for inclusion in international schools and there will be chances to share ideas and best practice with international colleagues. Successful completion leads to a Middlesex University Post Graduate Certificate (one third of a MEd). 

Below are a few helpful pointers to help you decide which course is right for you – bear in mind that you may even wish to study both at some point.

NPQ SENCO at a glance

The NPQ SENCO is the current qualification that all SENCOs based in England need to complete within three years of taking the post. It covers all you need to know about the operational, practical and legal aspects of being a SENCO – specifically in a UK school environment. 

Pros:

• Qualifies you to work as a SENCO in state schools in England, should you wish to return. However, it’s worth pointing out that Wales and Scotland operate under different systems and the qualification is not a Government-mandated requirement for working in independent schools.
  
• A widely recognised qualification. Although we’re not currently in a position to offer international delegates the option of completing the NPQ SENCO, if you choose to study elsewhere, you can still bring in 30 credits towards any of our postgraduate programmes, as recognition of prior learning.
  

Things to consider:

• Some course content is focused purely on understanding legislation in England which is unlikely to apply to your international setting.
  
• More of an emphasis on SEND management/operational leadership rather than strategic leadership and refining leadership skills.
  
• Requires some ‘live’ online delivery – potentially at some very unsociable hours(!) for SENCOs based in different parts of the globe.
  
• Requires 18 months of study, plus a 3-month window for completing the final case-study assignment meaning a greater time commitment, compared to the 12-month iSENCO.
  
• Places can be limited because of the in-person requirement. It is also planned that start dates will only be in September.

• Places can be limited. English SENCOs are prioritised and it is planned that start dates will only be in September.

iSENCO – International Award in SEN Coordination

The iSENCO is primarily designed for SENCOs and aspiring SEND leaders but it’s highly relevant to anyone who holds a key inclusion role in an international setting. This rigorous programme offers a rich learning experience with a blend of practical tasks, theory, reflection and project-based assignments. There is an emphasis on developing leadership skills to set you up for success. 

Every year it attracts a diverse range of professionals who lead on SEND and inclusion (including SENCOs, Inclusion Managers and Inclusion Heads), as well as teachers and experienced teaching assistants who want to deepen their expertise or eventually move up to a leadership position.

Pros:

• Specifically designed for international schools, with expert tutors (many of whom are current or former SENCOs or inclusion leaders in world-renowned international institutions).
  
• Course material tailored to SEND and inclusion in an international context. For example, you will learn how to;
  
• • Differentiate between pupils who may have English as an additional language and/or SEND
  • Lead with confidence within an international context
  • Collaborate effectively with colleagues and manage and develop staff within a multicultural context
  • Work with parents and local teachers who may hold different cultural attitudes towards SEND
  • Manage SEND provision where teaching assistant expertise may be less extensive than in the UK and support from external professionals harder to come by
  • Review and understand cultural identities, including challenges often felt by Third Culture Kids

   
• Comprehensive leadership training for SEND and Inclusion roles. Develop the skills to influence the strategic vision for inclusive education, as well as reflecting on your own strengths and weaknesses using a leadership behavioural assessment tool.

• Evaluate SEND provision in a different setting. Delegates particularly enjoy the opportunity to complete a project where they visit a different setting and reflect on their approach to SEND and Inclusion. Our online network helps you connect with fellow SENCOs to secure a placement.
  
• Designed for self-paced online study. Going online means more flexibility – entirely removing the hassle of arranging cover during school hours.

• Build a peer network. As part of your study, you will be encouraged to join one of our communities of learning to share your reflections and contribute to discussion groups.
  
• Carry out projects that make an impact. During the course, you will critically review SEND policy, data management, and provision within your setting, identifying and making improvements. You will also either design and carry out a project to support the assessment or provision of services for pupils with SEND, or write a case study on an intervention conducted with an individual learner. Previous projects have included everything from the use of Lego therapy to Nessy Reading and Spelling interventions.
  
• Standalone course or credits towards a masters. Can be taken as a standalone level 7 Postgraduate Certificate, equivalent to 60 credits. Or take the credits and use them as part of any of our postgraduate programmes, including our Masters in SEND and Inclusion, Masters in Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools and Colleges, Masters in Inclusive Educational Leadership or Masters in Educational Assessment.

Things to consider:

• A more strategic, premium course that comes with slightly greater financial commitment.
  
• More in-depth, comprehensive training that may not suit everyone – but if you want to make more of a transformative impact, it will set you up to do so. Find out more about the course here.

• Three starting points each year; January, May and September.
  
  

Which schools have iSENCO delegates come from?

We’ve supported delegates training across more than 44 countries and from international and community based settings. Just a few include;

What do previous delegates say about the iSENCO?

“The course has empowered me to implement targeted interventions that have already shown remarkable results. The assignment comparing SEND policies and settings between two schools turned out to be particularly impactful. By examining different approaches, I identified key areas for improvement and implemented strategies that fostered a more inclusive environment.

Would highly recommend to other SENCOs based abroad.”

Amna Shahid – Pakistan

Incredibly transformative! This course has enabled me to become an effective SENCO empowering those who I lead. I have completely rethought how information is shared with parents, had the opportunity to implement an impactful intervention and learned more about myself as a leader.

Pearl Demosthenous – UAE

“I strongly encourage anyone considering broadening their understanding of inclusion within an international context to take this course. It attracts inclusion teachers from all over the world, making it a valuable and diverse learning experience. This course holds significant recognition in the Middle East region, particularly in Dubai. This accreditation can greatly bolster individuals seeking a SENCO role in this area.

Pavla Pilbauerova – UAE

“Very beneficial for my professional progression and personal growth! Would very much recommend.” 

Jessica Follett – Hong Kong

“Definitely worth your time, attention and money”

Petrus Vreugdenburg – UAE

“I have really enjoyed the course…[..] the access it gives to people to be able to communicate worldwide is really useful. It is an important topic that requires an understanding of what others are doing, what works for them and any resources useful to other schools.”

Sophie Kilding – UAE

“A great course; well organised and content-rich compared to other courses my SENCO contacts have been on.”

Jane Barthelay – France

“It is amazing – I find myself being consulted by my school leadership team for SEN policies, student-related issues, admissions and provisions even though I’m not the SENCO. Parents, teachers and students all co-operate in their own way to make their role and mine and success. I feel like I have earned their trust and this is very important for me. I am so proud of my iSENCO!”

Ranjana Ranganathan Ramanathan – Qatar

“This course is great value for money for overseas teachers and well structured.” 

Elizabeth Mayou – Luxembourg

These mental health resources are designed to introduce children to the concept of their personal emotional battery and encourage them to reflect on what drains and recharges it. The aim is to help build resilience and a set of personal strategies to help them plan ahead and manage day-to-day stressors.

Download Resource

Download Resource

After beginning her career as a Graphic Designer, Amna transitioned to supporting students with diverse learning needs at a British school in Dubai and is now the Inclusion Lead at an IB school in Pakistan and SENCO for students in Middle Years and Diploma programmes.

Committed to professional development, Amna says she “embraces the belief that education is a lifelong process,” something she passionately believes is “particularly crucial in the field of inclusive and special education.”

How has the course helped make an impact at school?

Initially unable to pursue an on-campus MEd, I chose Real Training for its online flexibility and tailored module selection. This allowed me to focus on areas like iSENCO, aligning perfectly with my interest in inclusive education.

What made you choose the Real Training course over other options?

The iSENCO course has directly improved the learning outcomes of students in my setting by enabling more effective and inclusive educational practices. 

I have successfully enhanced and refined SEND policies leading to noticeable academic and social performance improvements and a forthcoming data management system is poised to better track and support individual student needs. The course has also empowered me to implement targeted interventions that have already shown remarkable results.

The assignment comparing SEND policies and settings between two schools turned out to be particularly impactful. By examining different approaches, I identified key areas for improvement and implemented strategies that fostered a more inclusive environment. This task encouraged a critical evaluation of existing policies and inspired innovative thinking in tailoring our approaches to meet diverse learner needs effectively.

I’ve also improved the strategic use and budgeting of SEN resources and I’ve enhanced the professional development of Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) through targeted training and coaching. 

How has the course helped you develop professionally?

Participating in leadership and SEN-related workshops has prioritised my personal and professional growth, enhancing my ability to lead and advocate for effective SEND provisions. Moreover, I’ve increased interactions and collaborations with parents and external partners, strengthening the support network for our students and fostering a cohesive community focused on inclusive education.

Overall, the iSENCO course has been invaluable in equipping me with the tools to enhance SEND provision in my professional setting, benefiting the learners we aim to support. I would highly recommend it to other SENCOs based abroad.  

What did you enjoy the most about the course?

I enjoyed the practical application of the concepts learned, particularly the assignments that allowed me to directly improve my school’s SEND policies and practices. The opportunity to engage deeply with specific issues, such as comparing SEND policies between schools and implementing a data management system, was especially rewarding. These tasks enhanced my professional skills and had a tangible impact on my educational setting, making them the most enjoyable and fulfilling aspects of the course.

What are the top three things you have implemented since or during your study? 

• Expanding on the success of my case study intervention I’ll be planning further personalised learning strategies to meet diverse student needs.
  
• Establishing a robust data system will enable more precise tracking of individual student progress and the effectiveness of different interventions. 
  
• Organising and possibly leading training sessions for staff on the latest SEND strategies and interventions can also improve the overall effectiveness of my school’s SEND provision.

Neurodiversity Week 2025 is just around the corner….

Neurodiversity Celebration Week was started by Siena Castellon, an autistic teenager who also has ADHD, dyslexia, and dyspraxia. This year (March 17th- 23rd) will be the seventh annual Neurodiversity Celebration Week since it began in 2018!

Siena started the awareness week with the aim of challenging stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences, promote inclusive environments and recognise the many talents of neurodivergent individuals.

To celebrate, we’ve produced some Neurodiversity Celebration Week colouring posters which are great for young people of a variety of ages and can be used as part of wall displays or mindfulness clubs.

8 Ideas for Celebrating Neurodiversity Week in Primary and Secondary Schools

1. Student entrepreneur fair or rainbow cupcake sale – host a lunchtime event and raise money for a charity championing neurodiversity.

2. Facts and myths board – divide a display board into a ‘facts’ and ‘myth’ section about ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, Tourette’s (or any other form of neurodivergence) and ask pupils to pin statements on either side to create a display.
   
3. Build your own character strengths profile – VIA Institute on Character is a non-profit organisation offering a free online tool that allows students to uncover their strengths. Students could use the report generated to make a poster illustrating their attributes and also think about what helps them to learn. Suitable for ages 8 – 17 https://www.viacharacter.org
   
4. Neurodivergent guest speakers – invite people in the local community to host a workshop or present an assembly.
   
5. Video messages of support – suggest to your neurodivergent pupil alumni that they might like to send in video or voice messages of support to current students. Current neurodivergent older students (or school staff) may also like to send in their messages for younger pupils.
   
6. Dress in rainbow colours, wear something sparkly or wear footwear of their choice to represent how we all think differently and all minds deserve to shine.
   
7. Book club – choose a class book to read that has a neurodivergent main character e.g. Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief.
   
8. Origami umbrellas – students can follow the video below to create their own. You could ask them to also write down one stereotype about neurodiversity to avoid making. Create a wall display with the results. Watch the video here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp9Zn89xG_Y

Don’t forget to take a look at the fantastic resources on the Neurodiversity Celebration Week website.

What are the most commonly used symbols for neurodiversity?

• The infinity symbol represents the infinite variations of neurocognitive functioning. The rainbow colours signify the diversity of the neurodivergent community.

• Umbrellas represent the fact that “neurodiversity” is an umbrella term for a wide range of neurological differences.

You may see a puzzle piece symbol being displayed – particularly to represent autism. However, many autistic people prefer this not to be used as it implies people are a problem to be fixed.

What are the most commonly used symbols for neurodivergent differences?

• Autism – a rainbow infinity symbol, ribbon or colour blue
• ADHD – a butterfly
• Dyslexia – the letters “p” “q” “b” and “d” together
• Dyspraxia, Tourette’s, DLD, dyscalculia and other conditions – don’t have officially recognised symbols, but the sunflower motif represents hidden disabilities and a rainbow infinity symbol is often used. Some people also use teal ribbons.