WELCOME! How is ADHD supported at Chorlton High School? Information for parents and carers 9th March 2022
Anna Dawson Assistant Curriculum Leader, Access and Achievement
WHAT WILL I COVER TODAY? • What ADHD is and how it impacts upon learning • What tools and strategies we use to support students with ADHD at Chorlton High School • Where to find more information and advice
The Access and Achievement team at Chorlton High School Sarah Wickstead- Assistant Headteacher Director of Access and Achievement Shelley Stapley Curriculum Leader of Access and Achievement/ SENDCo Responsibility for year 10 and 11 SEN students Anna Dawson Assistant Curriculum Leader of Access and Achievement Responsibility for year 7, 8 and 9 SEN students Kevin Pilling Access and Achievement Coordinator Responsibility for year 7, 8 and 9 SEN students Damian Van Alderwegen Responsibility for SpLD and Exam Access Arrangements
Neil Readdy Responsibility for Exam Access Arrangements, assistive technology and interventions Emma Holdship Responsibility for assessments and interventions
Andy Richards Responsibility for new SEN referrals Steph Hardiman Responsibility for THINC room
What Is ADHD? • It is a complex, spectrum behavioural disorder • It affects 2-6% of the school population being the most common ongoing psychiatric disorder of childhood • Approximately 2/3 of those with ADHD continue to have symptoms into adulthood • ADHD is a genetically inherited disorder (60-80% predisposition is genetic)-with parents and other siblings suffering similar symptoms • It is much more commonly diagnosed in males than females in a 5:1 ratio • It is diagnosed by CAMHS. A referral to CAMHS can be made by a GP or school.
At Chorlton High School: 26 student have a diagnosis of ADHD. 6 of these are girls. There are more pupils who show traits or are under assessment.
What Is ADHD? • ADHD is associated with the part of the brain controlling executive functioning, in the frontal and prefrontal lobes. • These areas control • Behaviour • Planning, • Reasoning • Response control • Inhibitions
What Is ADHD? A Working Definition Of ADHD (T E Brown, 2013) A complex syndrome of • Developmental impairments of executive functions (see the next slide) • The self-management of the brain • A system of mostly unconscious operations These impairments are situationally-specific, chronic and significantly interfere with functioning in many aspects of a person’s daily life.
What Is ADHD? Challenges with everyday tasks: Organisational difficulties – resulting in being poorly prepared/losing items/knowing how to start tasks Attentional issues – difficulties with maintaining concentration on tasks/hyper focus Sustaining effort – will lose interest easily, fail to complete tasks or producing inconsistent quality work Procrastination – will put things off/be overwhelmed by tasks which should be easy. Time management- poor awareness of time/living for the moment. Sleep issues- poor sleep habits often can’t get to sleep easily and then find difficulty getting up.
What Is ADHD? ADHD and Emotions Emotions play a critical role in: • Prioritising and getting started on tasks • Maintaining and switching interest or effort • Keeping thoughts in active memory • Engagement in or avoidance of tasks/situations
• Reactions to even small frustrations can overwhelm the mind leading to ‘emotional flooding’. • Whilst the mind is flooded with one emotion a person with ADHD will forget other relevant goals or emotions.
What What IsIs ADHD? ADHD? ADHD In Girls • Girls are more likely to have attentional type of ADHD – difficulty with attending and focusing rather than disruptive behaviour • As many as 50-75% of girls with ADHD are not identified • Girls who do get identified are diagnosed on average 5 years later than boys –missing 5 critical years of support • Studies have shown that teenage girls with ADHD are likely to be clinically depressed or have anxiety disorder than girls without ADHD
ADHD And What Else? ADHD frequently occurs with one or more other disorder such as: • Dyslexia • Irlen Syndrome • Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD) • Conduct Disorder (CD) • Depression • Tourette's Syndrome • Anxiety • Learning Disabilities, • Language/Hearing Difficulties • Autistic Spectrum Condition
What Is ADHD? Reframing The Characteristics Of ADHD Negative
Positive
Distractible
High level of environmental awareness
Short attention span, but with periods of Responds well when highly motivated intense focus Poor planner/disorganised/impulsive
Flexible/ready to change strategy quickly
Difficulty converting words into concepts Visual/concrete thinker Has difficulty following directions
Independent
Daydreamer
Imaginative
Acts without considering the consequences
Willing and able to take risks
How do we support students with ADHD? How is information shared with teachers at Chorlton High School?
Whole school training on ADHD: Minimum annually
Pupil Passports
Who is in my classTeaching Assistant document
How do we support students with ADHD? Pupil Passports
How do we support students with ADHD?
How do we support students with ADHD in the classroom? Communication:
Classroom environment: • Calm, quiet atmosphere • Arrange the seating plan to minimise distraction (doors/windows) consider individual work spaces • Build positive relationships • Regular praise and rewards • Use of fidget toys
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Explanations should be clear and concise
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Make sure you have the child’s attention before giving an instruction (eye contact/say their name)
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Use language of choice
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Red/Amber/Green cards to communicate dysregulation
Teaching and Learning: •
Tasks chunked and varied to support limited concentration
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Make tasks interactive where possible e.g. use of whiteboards, moving between different groups
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Regular retrieval of key knowledge
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Use of Task Plans/Printed slides or ‘Now and Next’
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Regular prompting and ‘check ins’
How do we support students with ADHD outside of the classroom? Organisation: •
Key information and homework all shared on Teams
• Information repeated and given in different formats (verbal, written)
Regulation:
• Academic mentoring from year group team
• Movement breaks throughout the day
• Form tutor support with exam timetables and revision timetables
• ‘Time out pass’ to reset • Mentor support from year group team • Clear and consistent rules and routines
How do we support students with ADHD? Currently being trialled….
How do we support students with ADHD?
What do our students say? “My biggest problem is concentration ... If I am trying to concentrate on what the teacher is saying I get distracted by anything: like somebody sharpening a pencil, a bird flying past the window or someone shouting outside the classroom. I suddenly remember that the teacher is talking but as soon as I listen again the teacher says ‘right get on with it’ and I don’t know what to do. This is like sitting in front of the television with somebody flicking the channels over every ten seconds.” Year 10 student
How do we support students with ADHD?
What do our students say? What helps you school? What do you find difficult about school? ‘I sometimes I don’t do homework. I just don’t remember I have it’ Year 10 student
‘Double lessons with no break in-between’ Year 8 student
‘I don’t mean to, but I just start talking when I shouldn’t’ Year 7 student ‘It’s hard to get back on task when I’ve been distracted’ Year 8 student
‘If people don’t understand that I’m doing things to help my concentration e.g. doodling and I get in trouble for it’ Year 11 student
‘I do need the teacher to keep reminding me when I’m not focussed’ Year 9 student ‘Sitting with the right people’ Year 8 student ‘It’s easier to concentrate when it’s quiet. But not too quiet’ Year 11 student
‘When I can go for a walk during long lessons’ Year 7 student ‘It’s better than at primary because we move to different classrooms here every hour’ Year 7 student A teacher that is firm but doesn’t shout’ Year 8 student
Where to find Support?
Thank you for your time Please post any questions in the chat function or email me on a.dawson@chorltonhigh.manchester.sch.uk and I will get back to you separately.