Nursery World - EYFS Best Practice in Schools: Providing the best environment for children with SEND

How can primary schools create emotionally and socially safe environments for the rising number of children with autism and social communication needs? Nicole Weinstein speaks to experts and teachers to find out what steps they are taking

As growing numbers of children enter mainstream Reception classes with autism or suspected autism, forward-thinking schools are coming up with imaginative ways to support their increasingly neurodivergent cohorts. Break-out rooms, sensory-rich safe spaces, fidget toys at carpet time, visual aids and structured bouts of physical activity are just some of the measures being put in place by teachers who are adapting their practice to cater for the rise in childrenwith neurodivergent processing differences.

But with over 180,000 autistic pupils in mainstream education in England, according to the National Autistic Society, many schools, despite their efforts to be inclusive, are reaching crisis point.

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