Dedridge Primary School achieves ADHD Friendly School status.
Dedridge Primary School in Livingston has been awarded the prestigious ADHD Friendly School Award by the ADHD Foundation for their work with children with ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions. The staff at Dedridge Primary School have really considered the needs of their children with ADHD and have created an environment which is both supportive and inclusive.
The school has considered all the main barriers to learning for children with ADHD and has sought to address them in their everyday practice. In particular, the whole staff team have accessed training around Understanding and Supporting ADHD.
Supporting the movement needs of young people with ADHD was a key feature of the submission for the award. Daily movement opportunities and Movement packs are provided to each teacher containing a range of resources for every classroom to encourage movement based learning. This is structured into the timetable of each day and combined with opportunities for self-calm and reflection.
However, a key feature of the school's submission for the award was the establishment of an Inclusion Group of pupil champions in the school. Children with a range of learning differences are encouraged to talk about their experience in school and to inform and educate their peers, through planned assemblies, on the diversity of different minds within the school.
The school has also done an incredible job of celebrating neurodiversity through their displays, which showcase and promote the positives of ADHD and other conditions.
Parents and carers of children with ADHD and other neurodivergent conditions have also been well supported within the ADHD Support Group established by the school.
Mrs Krievs (Support for Learning Teacher) said "As a school we have observed the improvement in engagement and focus of all pupils, when adopting the movement breaks and strategies we have embedded into our practice. Our inclusion group have led changes within the school and are developing practices and supports for all neurodiversity".
"I like that we are helping people with neurodiversity because I have ADHD and it makes people like me feel like we matter" (Rebecca Nicholls, pupil and Inclusion Ambassador from Dedridge Primary).
Colin Foley, the Training Director of the ADHD Foundation said, "We are very excited to see the range of opportunities that Dedridge School offers. The voices of children with ADHD are listened to and valued. This is both a nurturing and stimulating environment and we thank everyone involved."
The ADHD Foundation, based in Liverpool, works in partnership with individuals, families, doctors, teachers and other agencies to improving emotional well-being, educational attainment, behaviour and life chances through better understanding and self-management of ADHD, Autism and related learning difficulties.
