I totally agree! As a teacher & psychologist working with children unable to attend school, I believe we need a flexible, holistic perspective that builds on the strengths of neurodiversity. Learners’ attentional skills are stronger when learning feels meaningful and relevant to them.

OECD Education at a Glance 2025 (international spending and class size data)
👉 www.oecd.org/en/publicati...
OECD Education GPS – Class size and student–teacher ratios by country
👉 gpseducation.oecd.org/IndicatorExp...

Before we fixate on spiralling SEND costs, it’s worth seeing the bigger picture. The UK spends far less per pupil than many countries, and our primary class sizes are larger. If we invested more in overall education and reduced class sizes, the pressure on SEND provision might not be so intense.

I think the DfE is relying a little too much on AI for their bright ideas! It all sounds great, unless you have actually worked in a school.

lindsaybraman.com/alexithymia-...

Full coproduction with parents also supports this inside-out approach. 40–65% of autistic learners experience alexithymia — difficulty identifying, naming or expressing emotions. Parents bring holistic insights so barriers can be more quickly identified and addressed.

Wow! Amazing pics.

Thank you for bringing attention to this critical issue. Research indicates that poverty can elevate children's cortisol levels, which in turn can impair their emotional regulation. We need to tackle this issue holistically.

While we’re waiting for RISE to help improve things, have you seen Barriers to Education’s new resources? barrierstoeducation.co.uk I’ve been really impressed by their evidence-based strategies and practical tools.

Have you seen Barriers to Education's resources? barrierstoeducation.co.uk I’ve been really impressed by their evidence-based, holistic approach.

Great advice. I couldn't manage an hour, but just ten minutes soaking up the rays in the garden stilled my noise brain.🌿☀️🌻

Good point! 👍

Yep, just realise the research just has my student number. I will put changing this on to my to do list! My name is Alison Vaughan and the research was for my Psychology MSc. Please feel free to share it with others.

www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk/news/nationa....

Thanks for reading my research. My findings replicate larger studies. Parents need to be heard as Autistic children struggle with social/emotional communication & often they can't share their true feelings in school. The key findings from the National Autistic Society's report highlight this.

I’m really happy to share my MSc research with you. My study looked at school attendance problems for Autistic children. As it’s 10000 words – I’ve also provided a summary!
Research Summary - drive.google.com/file/d/1mz9T...
Full Document - drive.google.com/file/d/1eGP5...

Thank you so much for raising this. I’m deeply shocked that our government has not spoken out against the horrific atrocities inflicted on innocent civilians.

Thanks for asking. We are taking it one step at a time. Thankfully the chemo seems to be working. Sending love and lots of positive vibes x

Thinking of you. My Dad is going through chemo too at the moment. Its a really tough journey. Sending love and positive vibes. x