Supporting SEND and neurodivergent students: a tutor’s guide

Key takeaways

• →Over 1.8 million pupils in England have special educational needs: 6.0% have an EHC plan and 14.8% get SEN support.
• →Start with great teaching for everyone: small steps, worked examples, scaffolds you gradually remove and regular checks for understanding.
• →A label tells you less than the child does. Ask the student and family what helps, then keep reviewing it.
• →Parents are the experts on their child. Agree goals together, share what works and never let a worry come as a surprise.

1. Start here: six strategies that help almost every student

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), which reviews what works in English schools, says the best starting point for pupils with SEND is high-quality teaching built on a small set of proven habits: explicit instruction, scaffolding, flexible grouping, memory and thinking strategies, and technology where it helps. One-to-one tutoring lets you use them every lesson.^[1]

Every lesson: Finish with one thing that went well and one next step, and put both in your lesson note so the family sees them too.

2. What SEND means

A child or young person has special educational needs if they have a learning difficulty or disability that calls for special educational provision. The SEND Code of Practice groups needs into four broad areas: communication and interaction; cognition and learning; social, emotional and mental health; and sensory and/or physical needs.^[2]

In January 2026, 538,547 pupils in England (6.0%) had an Education, Health and Care plan, a legal document setting out a child’s needs and the support they must get. Another 1,319,780 (14.8%) were on SEN support, help arranged by the school without a plan.^[3]

Autism is the most common main need for pupils with an EHC plan (33.5%). For pupils on SEN support, it is speech, language and communication needs (25.7%).^[3]

3. Need by need: what helps in a lesson

Every student is different, and many have more than one need. Use this table as a starting point, then ask the student and family what works for them.

4. Autistic students

Guidance for London schools from LGfL (London Grid for Learning) recommends visual timetables, showing the learning sequence at the start of each lesson, preparing learners for changes, simple and direct language without rhetorical questions, and time to process spoken instructions. It also suggests bringing in special interests and offering other ways to show learning, such as typing instead of handwriting.^[4]

The same guidance warns against mistaking social differences for rudeness, disrespect or lack of interest, and reminds teachers that even talkative learners may struggle to explain how they feel, especially when upset.^[4]

Words matter too. A survey of the UK autism community found that many autistic people preferred “autistic person”, while many professionals used “person with autism”, and that people across all groups disliked “high-functioning” and “low-functioning”. The researchers’ advice: if you’re not sure, ask.^[5]

Ask the student and family which words they prefer, and use them.

5. Students with ADHD

An NIHR-funded review of school approaches for ADHD that don’t involve medication pooled 54 controlled trials. Approaches such as reward systems, self-regulation training (teaching children to track and manage their own behaviour) and academic skills training improved attention, with a smaller positive effect on schoolwork. Most trials were from the US and quality varied, so treat it as a guide.^[6]

In a lesson, that looks like short, clear tasks with a visible timer, one instruction at a time, a tick-list the student marks off themselves, and specific praise as soon as they get something right. Build in movement: standing up to work on a whiteboard counts.

Try this: Split a 60-minute lesson into five or six short blocks, and let the student choose the order of two of them.

6. Dyslexia, language disorder and other learning differences

The British Dyslexia Association says about ten percent of the population are believed to be dyslexic, and that with the right support, the strengths and talents of dyslexic people can really shine.^[7]

Developmental language disorder (DLD) is common and often missed. A study that screened more than 7,000 children in their first year at school in England estimated that 7.58% had a language disorder with no known cause: about two children in every class of thirty.^[8]

Be wary of quick fixes. Coloured overlays are often suggested for dyslexia, but a systematic review found coloured filters may help some people with “visual stress”, a separate condition, and are unlikely to help the reading difficulties at the heart of dyslexia.^[9]

Good, structured teaching helps more: break reading and writing into small steps, teach key vocabulary first, read questions aloud when reading isn’t what’s being tested, and let students type or plan with a mind map.

7. Parents are partners, not an audience

The SEND Code of Practice puts the views of children, young people and their parents at the centre of decisions about their support, and asks schools to meet parents of pupils on SEN support at least three times a year.^[2]

The EEF advises building an ongoing picture of each pupil together with the family, through two-way conversations that draw on what parents know about their child.^[1]

Many parents of children with SEND have had to push hard for support. A tutor who listens, follows through and never surprises them is worth a great deal.

8. What tutors do, and don’t do

The EEF warns that a diagnosis tells you less than you might think: categories overlap, and two pupils with the same diagnosis can need very different things. It suggests saying a pupil “has SEND” rather than “is SEND”, and asking what this pupil needs to thrive.^[1]

Tutors don’t diagnose. If you notice signs of a possible need, describe what you see to the parent and to Brainhub, without labels, so the family can raise it with school. National guidance says keeping children safe is everyone’s responsibility: if you are ever worried about a child’s safety or wellbeing, follow Brainhub’s safeguarding policy the same day.^[10]

Describe what you see, not what you think it is.

9. Exams and access arrangements

Some students have access arrangements in exams, such as 25% extra time, a reader, a scribe, a word processor or supervised rest breaks. The exam boards’ rules, set by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), say these must reflect the student’s normal way of working, so the school decides and applies for them.^[11]

Ask the family which arrangements the student has, and practise with them: timed papers with the extra time, typing answers if they type in the exam, and questions read aloud if they have a reader. If you notice a need that isn’t covered, tell the parent so they can raise it with school.

10. How Brainhub can help

Brainhub works with families, schools and local authorities to support students with SEND, including those with EHC plans. Every student starts with a free 45-minute assessment, and we match them with a tutor whose personality and teaching style suit them. Schools and councils can find out more on our alternative provision page.

1. 1. What does the EEF say is the best starting point for pupils with SEND?

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2. 2. What did a systematic review conclude about coloured overlays and dyslexia?

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3. 3. If you notice signs of a possible need, what should you do?

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Your next steps

1. 01

   Before your next lesson with a SEND student, ask the family what helps and what to avoid.

2. 02

   Show the lesson plan at the start of every lesson.

3. 03

   Add one thing that went well to every lesson note.