ADHD Strategies

Supporting pupils with ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a recognised neurodevelopmental difference that affects executive functions — attention, impulse control, working memory and emotional regulation. A neurodiversity-affirming approach treats ADHD as a different cognitive style rather than a deficit: the aim is to remove barriers and build on strengths such as creativity, energy, hyperfocus and original thinking, not to “correct” the pupil.

ADHD will usually meet the definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010, so schools should expect to make reasonable adjustments. Where a pupil’s ADHD affects their progress despite high-quality teaching, they may have a special educational need under the SEND Code of Practice (2015), met through the graduated approach. ADHD also commonly co-occurs with autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, SEMH needs and speech, language and communication needs, so look at the whole child rather than a single label.

Support should be needs-led, not diagnosis-led. Waiting times for ADHD assessment are long, and a pupil does not need a formal diagnosis to receive the adjustments below. Put support in place as soon as a need is identified.

Start with the graduated approach

The SEND Code of Practice sets out a four-part cycle — Assess, Plan, Do, Review — that should shape ADHD support:

• Assess: build a clear picture of where and when difficulties arise, using the pupil’s own view, the family’s knowledge and observations across the school day.
• Plan: agree a small number of specific, achievable adjustments and outcomes with the pupil and parents — co-production is a principle of the Code, not an optional extra.
• Do: implement the adjustments consistently across every lesson and every adult the pupil meets.
• Review: check what is working, refine it, and record the impact ready for the next cycle.

Most of what follows is ordinarily available provision — good inclusive practice that should be in place for any pupil who needs it, before and alongside any specialist involvement.

Executive function and organisation

Planning, sequencing and follow-through are the areas pupils with ADHD most often find demanding. Reduce the load rather than relying on the pupil to “try harder”:

• Break tasks into small, clearly defined steps
• Provide checklists and visual task breakdowns
• Use timers to support time awareness, framed as a help rather than a pressure
• Teach planning and organisation explicitly, and model them
• Offer writing frames, templates and worked examples
• Use colour-coding and a consistent place for equipment
• Build in regular check-in points during longer tasks
• Allow organisational apps, planners or other tools

Attention, focus and movement

Sustained attention fluctuates, and movement often helps rather than hinders concentration. Support focus without removing the chance to move:

• Reduce visual and auditory distractions near the working area
• Offer a quiet workstation or study carrel as an option, not a sanction
• Allow flexible seating, fidget tools or a wobble cushion
• Build in movement breaks roughly every 15–20 minutes
• Gain the pupil’s attention by name before giving instructions
• Keep instructions short, and pair verbal cues with visual ones
• Check understanding rather than assuming instructions have landed

Impulsivity and self-regulation

Impulsivity reflects a developing skill, not defiance. Teach and scaffold regulation rather than punishing it:

• Teach and rehearse self-regulation and waiting strategies explicitly
• Use agreed visual or non-verbal cues to prompt self-monitoring and to redirect
• Give immediate, specific, low-key feedback
• Offer limited, clear choices to support decision-making
• Allow processing time before expecting a response
• Keep routines and boundaries predictable, and recognise effort, not just outcomes

Working memory

Many pupils with ADHD have reduced working memory, so information given once is easily lost. Reduce the demand:

• Provide written or visual reminders, and limit how much is given at once
• Break multi-step instructions into single steps
• Repeat and rephrase key points, and allow note-taking or recording
• Share copies of slides or notes so capacity goes on learning, not copying
• Teach memory aids such as mnemonics

An ADHD-friendly environment

Small environmental changes reduce barriers for the whole class:

• Seat away from windows and high-traffic areas, with a consistent layout
• Keep displays near the working wall uncluttered
• Use clear routines and visual schedules, and prepare pupils for transitions
• Provide a calm or sensory-break space that can be used without stigma

Build on strengths

A strengths-based classroom gives pupils with ADHD ways to succeed:

• Create opportunities for creativity, problem-solving and kinaesthetic learning
• Channel high energy into active tasks, roles and responsibilities
• Value quick thinking, enthusiasm and original ideas
• Notice and name what the pupil does well, often

Working with families and health services

Parents and carers usually understand their child’s ADHD better than anyone, so treat them as partners and keep communication two-way. Where a pupil is on an assessment pathway, the school’s role under NICE guideline NG87 can include sharing structured observations and supporting reviews. If a pupil takes medication, follow your school’s medicines policy for storage and administration, and feed back observations on focus, appetite or mood to the family and prescriber — schools support clinical decisions, they do not make them. Record adjustments and their impact so the picture travels with the pupil between classes, key stages and settings.

Policy context and further guidance

The SEND Code of Practice (2015) remains the statutory framework in England, underpinned by the Children and Families Act 2014 and the Equality Act 2010. The government’s 2025 Schools White Paper proposes reforms to the SEND system — including a stronger emphasis on inclusive, ordinarily available provision and, for some pupils, individual support plans — but these are proposals: the 2015 Code and current duties still apply. This page is reviewed when guidance changes.

• NICE NG87 — ADHD: diagnosis and management
• SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years (DfE)
• The ADHD Foundation