Project Resilience: Leading Neurodiversity

You’ll be taken through the journey you can expect over the online and live training.

This module deepens your understanding of neurodiversity—what it is, and what it is not. You'll explore how neurodiverse traits may manifest or be masked in the school environment, and gain insights into various types of neurodiversity, including debunking common myths.

We’ll address the unique challenges and barriers neurodiverse pupils face, while also highlighting their strengths and "superpowers." Special focus will be placed on common school challenges like Emotional Based School Avoidance (EBSA) and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), equipping you with the tools to navigate these effectively and inclusively.

With an experiential in the live workshop, designed to help your experience life from a neurodiverse child’s perspective.

This module explores the crucial connection between the nervous system and neurodiversity, introducing trauma-informed approaches to behaviour management.

Leaders will learn to view behaviour as a form of communication, understanding that neurodiverse pupils require diverse support mechanisms to regulate their responses. Through a deep dive into Polyvagal Theory and its three levels of engagement, you’ll discover practical strategies to calm the nervous system, both for yourself and your pupils.

The module also covers identifying and tracking triggers and reactions, and how to identify tailored sensory calming tools for each pupil, thus equipping you to better support them, and promote an empowered, regulated learning environment.

This module delves into the science of child brain development, helping leaders understand what children of different ages are truly capable of—and whether our expectations align with those developmental stages. You’ll explore how these capacities vary across neurotypes, with a focus on the added complexities faced by neurodiverse pupils.

We’ll unpack common misconceptions and challenges, such as executive function difficulties, emotional regulation struggles, sensory processing issues, and social interaction barriers. With this knowledge, you’ll be equipped to create more supportive environments that account for neurodiverse needs and set realistic, compassionate expectations for all children.

In this module, participants will explore the power of emotion coaching and how it can transform the educational environment—especially for neurodiverse pupils.

You'll learn the fundamentals of emotion coaching, its benefits in fostering empathy and curiosity, and how these can become superpowers for educators. We’ll also cover the critical role of self-empathy, recognising and meeting the basic emotional needs of every child, and why emotion coaching is essential for neurodiverse pupils.

The workshop includes practical, experiential sessions, guiding you through the implementation of emotion coaching into your school policies and practices. This ensures you leave equipped to create truly inclusive environments where every child can thrive.

Building on all you’ve learnt across the online learning, the pupil tracking and the first half of the immersive live workshop, you'll create a lasting change in your school’s approach to neurodiversity.

You'll explore the concept of orchid and dandelion children and how Maslow’s hierarchy of needs applies to neurodiverse pupils, empowering you to help them find safety, joy, and focus in their work.

You’ll also experience a paradigm shift by learning the PEACE process—a tool that fosters empathy and understanding, which can be integrated into school policies and culture.

Finally, you'll reflect on your behaviour policies, considering how they can be adapted to support neurodiverse pupils more effectively.