Participation for Neurodiversity in School (PINS) project

Hands cradling around colourful figures

What is the project about?

This new national project, called the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools, PINS for short, is a pilot focusing on helping schools better identify and address the needs of their neurodivergent pupils. It also aims to strengthen partnerships between parent carers and schools. 

Funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and supported by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England (NHSE), the project will involve 40 primary schools across all 7 boroughs in Nottinghamshire, ranging in size from fewer than 80 to up to 500 pupils. The project will start in September 2024 and run until March 2025.

What will the project do?

PINS will bring health and education practitioners and Nottinghamshire Parent Carer forum (NPCF) together in the project to:

  • help shape whole school SEND provision

  • provide early interventions at a school level

  • upskill school staff

  • support strengthening of partnerships between schools and parent carers

What are the benefits of the project?

PINS will focus on enhancing knowledge, skills, and environments to better meet the needs of neurodivergent children.

NPCF will run participation peer support groups in all 40 participating schools. These groups are open to all parents of children with SEND, not just those with a formal diagnosis. The goal is to provide a space for parents to share their experiences and build positive relationships with school leadership teams, creating a lasting legacy of parent carer engagement and collaboration, driving positive change within schools.

We look forward to meeting parent carers in the participating schools when our first visits begin in September 2024. Keep an eye out to see if your child’s school is part of the PINS programme!

List of 40 schools involved with the PINS project:

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