Child with ADHD struggling in school? Help for UK parents

If you have a child with ADHD struggling in school, or a child you think may have ADHD, you are not alone, and it is not your fault. In the UK, schools have clear responsibilities to support children with special educational needs, and government guidance lists difficulty concentrating, for example because of ADHD, as one of those needs. This guide explains who to talk to, what support looks like, and how a specialist assessment can help school help your child.

What ADHD in school can look like

Many children with ADHD are bright and keen, but find the classroom hard. You might hear that your child:

• cannot settle, fidgets or gets out of their seat
• calls out or interrupts
• starts work but does not finish it
• loses equipment and forgets homework
• daydreams or seems not to be listening
• struggles with friendships at break time
• is often in trouble, or seems to be achieving less than they could

Some children, often the quieter ones, hold it together at school and fall apart at home. That does not mean nothing is wrong. The effort of keeping going all day is real. Children with ADHD are rarely behaving this way on purpose, and they do better with support than with punishment.

Start with the teacher and the SENCO

Talk to your child's class teacher or form tutor first. They will usually involve the school's special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO), who leads on support for children with additional needs. You can also contact the SENCO directly.

You do not need a diagnosis to ask for help. The NHS says children should keep getting support at home and at school while they wait for an ADHD assessment. Support should be based on what your child needs.

It helps to go to the first meeting prepared:

• bring two or three specific examples of what you see at home
• ask what the school is noticing, and when things go better or worse
• agree one or two changes to try, rather than a long list
• set a date to review how it is going
• keep a short note of what was agreed

ADHD support in schools in the UK: SEN support

Most extra help is given through SEN support (sometimes called SEND support), which the school provides itself. GOV.UK gives examples such as extra help from a teacher or teaching assistant, small-group work, a specialist learning programme, observation in class or at break time, and help taking part in class activities. Support plans should be reviewed regularly with the teacher or SENCO.

For many children with ADHD, good SEN support, applied consistently, is enough.

EHC plans in England, in plain terms

An education, health and care (EHC) plan is for children and young people up to 25 who need more support than a school can usually give through SEN support. It sets out their educational, health and social needs and the extra help to meet them.

• You, the school, or a professional such as a doctor can ask your local authority for an EHC needs assessment. Young people aged 16 to 25 can ask for themselves.
• The local authority must tell you within 16 weeks whether it will make a plan.
• You see a draft plan and have at least 15 days to comment.
• The final plan should be issued within 20 weeks of the request.
• If you disagree with a decision, you can challenge it, and appeal to the SEND Tribunal if it is not resolved.

Not every child with ADHD needs an EHC plan. A plan is for children whose needs go beyond what SEN support can meet, which is more likely when ADHD sits alongside other difficulties.

Changes to the SEND system

The government has set out proposals to reform SEND support in England, including a new Individual Support Plan for every child with SEND, while keeping EHC plans for children who need more. These are proposals. Until new law is in place, the current system and your rights stay as they are, and the Department for Education has said changes to EHC plan support will not begin before September 2030. Your local authority's Local Offer, and your local SEND information, advice and support service, can tell you what applies now.

Reasonable classroom adjustments that help

NICE and the Royal College of Psychiatrists both describe simple changes that reduce the impact of ADHD in class:

• sitting near the teacher and away from doors, windows and busy areas
• less noise and distraction, for example headphones during independent work
• short bursts of work with movement breaks, and an agreed "I need a break" card
• instructions written down as well as said out loud
• a clear desk, and a checklist for what to bring and hand in
• a teaching assistant used well, to help your child get started and stay on track
• a named adult to check in with at the start and end of the day
• quick, specific praise when things go well

For homework, the NHS suggests splitting tasks into 15 to 20 minute slots with a break between each one. For older children facing exams, our guide to ADHD in teenagers has more on organisation and revision.

How the assessment letter helps the school

A diagnosis does not change your child, but it can change how school understands them. NICE recommends that, with consent, the specialist helps the school understand what ADHD is, how it is likely to affect school life, the treatment plan and any special educational needs, including advice on adjustments.

At BZ Clinic, the doctor can usually give you a clear answer on the day, with recommendations for home and school, and your GP is sent the letter. You can share the recommendations with your child's school, so the SENCO has a clear, specialist view to plan from.

The assessment also looks for other things that can affect learning. The doctor screens for conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and autism, and signposts you if further assessment would help. NICE notes that conditions such as learning difficulties are separate from ADHD and may need different adjustments.

If you are a teacher or SENCO, our page for GPs and schools has more information for professionals.

Working with teachers

• Assume good intentions on both sides. Most teachers want to help and are looking after many children.
• Share what works at home, and ask what works in class.
• Agree a simple way to keep in touch, such as a short weekly note.
• Focus on one or two changes at a time, and review them.
• Keep copies of reports, emails and support plans.
• Let school know when things change, such as a new diagnosis, starting treatment or moving to a new school. NICE suggests the specialist contacts school at these points too, with your consent.

If you are still wondering whether ADHD is behind your child's difficulties, our ADHD questionnaire is a good first step. When you are ready, you can read about a private ADHD assessment for your child at BZ Clinic.

Questions parents ask