How SEN Teams Can Navigate ADHD More Effectively

A guide for Special Educational Needs teams working with students who have ADHD.

Working in a Special Educational Needs (SEN) team often means wearing many hats: educator, advocate, problem-solver, and listener, to name a few. When a young person has ADHD, this support can become even more crucial. ADHD isn’t an illness, but it is a neurodevelopmental condition that can affect how children and young people learn, socialise, and cope with the structure of school life.

SEN teams have the opportunity to be real changemakers. With the right tools, training, and mindset, you can help ensure that children with ADHD are not just supported but truly understood.

Understanding ADHD: The Basics (and the Myths).

ADHD affects around 5% of children worldwide, though rates in the UK are somewhat lower, in part due to underdiagnosis. It is not caused by bad parenting, poor diet, or laziness. It’s a recognised neurodevelopmental condition that impacts the brain’s executive functions like attention, impulse control, and emotional regulation.

There are three key types of ADHD:

• Inattentive type: difficulty sustaining focus, forgetfulness, daydreaming

• Hyperactive-impulsive type: restlessness, talking excessively, impulsive behaviour

• Combined type: a mix of both sets of symptoms

Many pupils, especially girls, go undiagnosed because they present as ‘quietly inattentive’ rather than outwardly hyperactive. SEN teams are in a unique position to spot these quieter signs and ensure they aren’t missed.

Why ADHD Can Be So Impactful in the Classroom.

ADHD affects learning in ways that are often misunderstood. These pupils may be incredibly intelligent and creative, but they often struggle with the rigid demands of the classroom. Key challenges can include:

• Following multi-step instructions

• Staying focused during lessons

• Regulating emotions, especially during transitions or conflict

• Organising materials or time, which can affect homework and deadlines

• Impulsive behaviour that disrupts the classroom but isn't malicious

The result is that many children with ADHD internalise a narrative of failure. They’re often told to ‘try harder’ or ‘pay attention’ despite already exerting great effort. This can impact self-esteem, confidence, and mental wellbeing over time.

What SEN Teams Can Do: Strategies That Work.

While ADHD can present unique challenges, it’s also highly manageable, especially when staff understand what’s really going on beneath the behaviour. Here are some evidence-based approaches that make a genuine difference. 

Use Clear, Concise Instructions.

Students with ADHD often struggle to process complex verbal information. Use short, direct instructions and break tasks into manageable chunks. Visual aids and checklists can also be helpful. Research shows that visual and structured learning tools significantly help pupils with ADHD stay on task. 

Rethink Behaviour Management.

Traditional discipline methods like reprimands or punishment can backfire. Instead, opt for positive reinforcement, clear boundaries, and a focus on what the student can do. Things like consistent routines and visual timetables, offering immediate praise for effort, not just outcomes, and de-escalating emotional reactions with calm, predictable responses will all be useful tactics.

Support Emotional Regulation.

Many young people with ADHD experience emotional dysregulation, leading to meltdowns, frustration, or withdrawal. SEN teams can help to teach self-regulation strategies, for example movement breaks and breathing techniques. They can also offer a calm space for emotional resets and work with pastoral teams to identify stress triggers. This is important as emotional dysregulation is increasingly recognised as a core feature of ADHD, particularly in adolescents.

Make Space for Movement.

Children with ADHD often fidget or feel the urge to move. This isn’t defiance – it’s self-regulation. Whenever possible, it will be useful to build in movement breaks, use fidget tools or sensory supports, or to let students stand, stretch, or use alternative seating. 

Collaborate with Families and Professionals.

Parents and carers are often the experts in their child’s behaviour and needs. Keep communication open and non-judgemental. Where appropriate, liaise with CAMHS or private clinicians, educational psychologists, and speech and language therapists if necessary. 

Plan for Transitions.

From starting secondary school to moving between lessons, transitions can be a source of stress. Support can be given to students with ADHD by giving advanced warning of changes, using visual or verbal cues to signal the end of activities, and checking in regularly during periods of change. 

Spotting the Signs: When to Raise Concerns.

While SEN teams are not responsible for diagnosis, they are often the first to notice patterns. Because of this, they should consider raising concerns when:

• A pupil struggles consistently with focus, organisation, or emotional regulation

• Standard classroom strategies aren’t working

• There are frequent behavioural issues despite support and effort

• The pupil seems unusually anxious, withdrawn, or emotionally reactive

Encouraging a referral to the school’s SENCo or external ADHD assessment provider can be life changing. Early support can help prevent secondary mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, or school refusal.

Girls with ADHD are often missed because their symptoms are less ‘disruptive’. Instead of acting out, they may:

• Daydream or appear ‘spaced out’

• Talk excessively in class but avoid risky behaviour

• Internalise distress, leading to anxiety or low mood

Research shows that girls are more likely to be diagnosed later and are at higher risk of developing depression if their ADHD is unrecognised. SEN teams can help by advocating for these pupils and ensuring their challenges are taken seriously even if they don’t look like classic ADHD.

The Bigger Picture: Supporting the Whole Child.

At Beyond Clinics, we believe that ADHD isn’t just something to be ‘managed’. It’s something that, once understood, can open up new ways of learning, communicating, and thriving. When SEN teams are trained, empowered, and supported, the ripple effects are huge: fewer exclusions, more confident pupils, better academic outcomes, and healthier emotional development. In short: understanding ADHD helps everyone not just the pupil with the diagnosis.

ADHD can be challenging but it’s also completely manageable with the right knowledge and systems in place. SEN teams play a vital role in this journey, helping students unlock potential that might otherwise be buried under frustration, fatigue, and self-doubt.

At Beyond Clinics, we’re here to support educators as well as individuals. Whether you're looking for guidance on referrals or want to learn more about adult ADHD in education settings, we’re always happy to help. Speak to our team about professional resources or book an ADHD assessment for a student you’re supporting.