KS4 · Ages 14–16 · Wellbeing

Neurodiversity & the SEND System

How conditions present, what the SEND terms mean, and adjustments that carry into work.

Please note: This workbook gives general information only. It is not a diagnosis, a clinical assessment, or a substitute for advice from a GP, paediatrician, educational psychologist, or SENCO. If you have concerns about a specific child or young person, speak to a relevant professional.

1Beyond awareness: how conditions actually present

Neurodivergent conditions vary a lot between individuals — two autistic people can present very differently from each other. This section goes a level deeper than a simple definition.

Autism

Differences in social communication (which can include reading tone, body language, or unwritten social rules), sensory processing (over- or under-sensitivity to noise, light, texture, or smell), and a preference for routine or predictability. Many autistic people also have intense, deeply researched interests.

ADHD

Not just 'being distracted.' ADHD involves differences in executive function — the brain's system for planning, starting tasks, managing time, and regulating impulses. This can show up as hyperactivity, or as an inattentive presentation that's quieter and easier to miss, especially in girls.

Dyslexia

A difference in phonological processing — how the brain breaks down and links sounds to written letters. This affects reading fluency and spelling, but has no bearing on intelligence or verbal reasoning ability.

Dyspraxia (DCD)

Affects motor planning and coordination — handwriting, sports, and sequencing multi-step physical tasks can all be harder, even when a person understands exactly what they need to do.

PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance)

Considered part of the autism spectrum by many clinicians. Characterised by an anxiety-driven need to avoid everyday demands and expectations, even ones the person wants to do — often misread as defiance rather than anxiety.

2The UK SEND system — what the terms actually mean

SEN Support: Extra help a school provides using its own resources, without needing a formal legal plan. Most pupils with additional needs are supported this way.
EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan): A legal document for children and young people (up to age 25) with more complex needs, setting out the support a local authority must provide across education, health, and social care.
SENCO: The Special Educational Needs Coordinator — the staff member in a school responsible for overseeing SEND provision.

Current UK figures (cite before reusing). As of the January 2026 school census, more than 1.8 million pupils in England receive provision through SEN Support or an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). 538,547 pupils hold an EHCP (6.0% of all pupils), and 1.32 million pupils receive SEN Support (14.8% of all pupils). Autism remains the most common primary need among pupils with an EHCP, at 33.5%.

Source: Department for Education, Special Educational Needs in England, Explore Education Statistics, January 2026 release. Re-check figures against the current release before reuse — this dataset updates annually.

3From school to work: accommodations that actually help

As some of you start thinking about work experience or a vocational pathway, it's worth knowing that reasonable adjustments aren't just a school concept — they carry into workplaces too, under the Equality Act 2010.

Written instructions alongside verbal ones, for anyone who processes text better than speech (or vice versa).
Noise-reducing headphones permitted in a shared workspace.
Flexible or broken-up task structure rather than one long uninterrupted task.
Clear, predictable routines with advance notice of any changes.

✏️ Scenario activity

You're on a week's work experience at an animal care centre. A colleague you're paired with becomes visibly anxious when the day's plan changes at short notice. What could you or a supervisor do to make the change easier for them? Write two practical suggestions.

4Glossary

Term	What it means
SEN Support	School-arranged support without a formal legal plan.
EHCP	A legal plan for children/young people (0–25) with complex needs.
SENCO	The staff member responsible for coordinating SEND provision in a school.
PDA	Pathological Demand Avoidance — anxiety-driven avoidance of everyday demands.
Executive function	The brain's system for planning, starting tasks, and managing time and impulses.
Reasonable adjustment	A change an employer or school must consider to remove a disadvantage linked to a disability.

✓Check your understanding