My 8-year-old daughter was recently diagnosed with ADHD. We are planning to move to the UK next year, and I am wondering about schools that offer support for children with ADHD. I have seen lists of schools with SEN (Special Educational Needs) provisions, but I would like to know, in practice, what I should really be looking for.
What kind of support should the school provide? Should she attend a special school, or would a regular school with support be sufficient? She currently studies at an international school in Brazil that doesn’t offer much support, as is the case with most schools here. Additionally, the educational system in the UK is very different from what she is used to, and this may be a concern in terms of her transition. I am concerned about finding the best possible support for her.
All schools in the UK have to have a SEND provision. (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) but the quality of that provision varies greatly, with schools. SEND teacher, and individual teachers making a lot of the decesions. SEND teachers don’t need a SEND qualification until they have been in post for three years so that can mean level of knowledge can vary a lot.
Where a child needs more specialist support there are special schools. Whether that is the right option for your child will need a specialist to advise.
That said - right now things are up in the air as the government is undertaking a review of its SEND provision so everything is likely to change in the very near future.We don’t know what SEND provision is going to look like or what is going to be available. It is a very concerning period.
The decision about which school type is a substantial question for every parent. If you think a specialist school is the right option then accessing that becomes another big question - usually either via an NHS reccomendation and EHCP or via a school reccomendation. As you are in Brazil at the moment I would reccomend speaking to the UK Embassy about any guidance on moving to the UK.
The decesion on the school system and accessing it is very complex. And is therefore a question we guide you to more specialist charities and organisations to go to answers for.
Every local area has to provide parents with advice on accessing SEND. You can search for local advice centres here. You’ll likely only be able to access that advice if you have an address in the UK.
Thank you for your clarifications! I really appreciate your input on this topic!. In Brazil, ADHD is not adequately addressed—it is considered a condition rather than a disability. As a result, children have very few rights, and the support they receive is often insufficient. Finding specialists within schools is difficult, and formal accommodations are almost non-existent, aside from perhaps extra time on exams.
My daughter has a “mild” case of ADHD. Her main difficulties are in reading and writing, though she also experiences some emotional challenges related to ADHD, which are not currently a major issue at school. I do worry, however, about whether she will receive the support she needs, as she has already fallen behind in some areas due to this gap. She has just started sessions with a psychopedagogue, which should help, but it is still early in the process.
Although we live in Brazil, we are both British citizens, so moving to the UK should not be a problem. My main concern is ensuring she receives adequate support for her recent diagnosis. I will however, continue to research further for more information. Thank you!
