Reasonable Adjustments for ADHD
Schools have a statutory duty under Equality Act 2010 to take such steps as is reasonable to have to take to avoid substantial disadvantage to a disabled child caused by a provision, criterion or practice applied by or on behalf of a school. Most if not all children with ADHD will be deemed disabled under the Act. This is an anticipatory duty and the school is required to take positive steps to ensure that disabled pupils can fully participate in the education provided by the school. The Act permits more favourable treatment of disabled pupils. The requirement applies irrespective of whether a child has a Statement/EHC plan or not. What is “reasonable” varies according to the circumstances. The variables to be considered in assessing this include but are not limited to:
1. Existing provision being made under the SEN framework
2. School’s resources including financial and others
3. Financial cost of making the adjustment
4. The likely effectiveness of adjustment in overcoming the disadvantage
5. Practicability of the adjustment
6. Effect of the disability on the individual
7. Health and Safety requirements
8. Need to maintain academic, musical, sporting and other standards
9. Interests of other pupils and prospective pupils
Cognition and Learning
1. Classroom positioning (front to avoid distraction or back to avoid need to look around or close to peer role models)
2. Break larger tasks down in to chunks in class and for homework
3. Accepting less or no homework
4. Providing facility for homework to be done at school
5. Provide sample work to model what is required
6. Reduce length of assignments required
7. Provide list of steps to complete task
8. Provide sample work to model what is required
9. Reduce length of assignments required
10. Provide list of steps to complete task
11. Provide reader
12. Provide scribe
13. Provide prompter
14. Allow extra time for exams/testing
15. Allow rest breaks
16. Allow use of lined answer sections
17. Allow peers to share notes
18. Allow use of ear defenders to reduce distractions
19. Allow testing in separate distraction free room
20. Allow extra time in class and in exams
21. Use timers
22. Give single step instructions
23. Teach specific memory techniques
24. Provide memory aids
25. Provide white noise
26. Provide headphones
27. Provide individual specialist teaching
28. Providing specialist computer programmes
29. Provide privacy partition
30. Personalising work topics to increase pupils level of intrinsic interest
Physical and Sensory
31. Provide with fidgeter
32. Provide with a stress ball
33. Provide with wobble cushion
34. Provide with weighted lap or shoulder ‘hug’ or blanket
35. Allow regular movement breaks
36. Allow touch typing instead of writing (handwriting/fine motor skills difficulties *)
37. Provide with sloping board
38. Allow dictation *
39. Allow photos with phone/iPad of written work instead of copying from board *
40. Provide with copy of power point notes *
41. Relax uniform requirements
42. Allow high calorie snacks if appetite issues
43. Provide adult support to supporting eating and hydration if needed
44. Allow oral presentation of work
45. Provide pencil grip
46. Use busylegs or equivalent
47. Use weighted blankets and other aids
48. Administer top-up medication
49. Allow gum chewing for hyperactivity in place of fidgeter so hands available to work
50. Provide occupational therapy
51. Provide sensory diet
Social Emotional and Mental Health
52. Provide ADHD and equality training to staff
53. Plan to catch student doing the right thing and reinforce
54. Seek out opportunities for child to show strengths
55. Provide opportunities for pupil to have positions of responsibility
56. Provide opportunity for pupil to develop relationship with those with responsibility for discipline
57. Provide counselling
58. Arrange structured activities during break time
59. Provide adult support for predictable trigger situations
60. Provide social skills training
61. Provide problem solving training
62. Provide conflict resolution training
63. Administer top-up medication
64. Depart from standard rewards policy to specifically reinforce progress in areas of difficulty
65. Depart from standard sanctions policy apply different sanctions
66. Disregard some behaviours
67. Teach emotional literacy 1:1 and small groups
68. Have calm space
69. Have nominated key worker
70. Provide counselling
71. Give child opportunities to be responsible
72. Use individualised reward system
73. Provide quiet place for lunchtimes
74. Pair with role model buddy
75. Provide extra support for changes e.g. trips, plays, supply teachers
76. Agree secret communication for behaviour feedback
77. Agree /plan alternative to calling out
78. Extra warnings for transitions between activities
79. Additional adult support for transition times
80. Provide anger management therapy
81. Raise peer awareness of ADHD
82. Provide play therapy
83. Provide nurture groups
84. Provide structured behaviour management programme
85. Provide additional adult support during less structured time
Language and Communication
86. Actively teach social skill
87. Teach child active listening skills
88. Directly teach non-verbal cues
89. Provide speech and language therapy
Self-help and independence
90. Teacher/TA check homework diary or provide written HW slips or emails
91. Provide reminders regarding work completion or organisation
92. Arrange homework handing in buddy
93. Arrange study buddy with contact details
94. Provide email access to subject teachers
95. Do not penalise for executive function related difficulties e.g. organisation forgetting things
96. Provide organisational skills training
97. Provide pupils with reading material with important points already highlighted
98. copy parents into work/organisation/trip emails/team sheets
99. Provide spare set of books equipment
100.Provide visual timetable
101.Provide visual checklists
