Schools Are Being Asked to Identify Needs Earlier, Could SOI Help?
The SEND White Paper sets out an ambitious vision for improving support for children and young people. But could schools go further by identifying the learning abilities behind the difficulties? This article explores how Structure of Intellect (SOI) assessments could complement existing practice by providing a practical, measurable framework for targeted intervention.
Could Early Thinking Skill Support Reduce Risk and Youth Offending?
Some children and young people are bright, creative and full of ideas, but still repeatedly end up in trouble. This blog explores whether early identification of thinking skill gaps could help reduce risk, exclusion, vulnerability and youth offending.
SEN Is Not Just a School Issue: When Children Are Failed in Education, Other Services Pick Up the Pieces
SEN is not just a school issue. When children are not properly understood or supported in education, the impact can follow them into adulthood. This blog explores how unmet SEN can link to school refusal, exclusion, poor mental health, NEET risk, unemployment, addiction, homelessness and family crisis.
When Your Child Flips — And You Feel Yourself Going Too
When a child “flips,” it’s often seen as behaviour—but what happens when the parent feels it too? This blog explores how overwhelm affects both child and parent, and why understanding—not judgement—is key.
SEND Reform: What It Still Gets Wrong (Even After Finally Recognising Executive Functioning)
SEND reform is finally starting to recognise executive functioning, but that does not mean children will automatically get the right support. This blog looks at what could still go wrong if schools focus on expectations instead of understanding, scaffolding, and the environment around the child.
Why Some Children Can’t “Just Ignore Distractions” in the Classroom
In a busy classroom, focus isn’t just about trying harder. For some children, the real challenge is filtering out distractions. This blog explains attentional inhibition, why some children can’t “just ignore it,” and how understanding this can change the way we support them.
The Four-Tier System: When Support Comes Too Late
The four-tier system is being discussed as a form of early intervention in SEND support. But many children don’t struggle early. Some cope through primary school and only begin to struggle later, often in secondary school when demands increase sharply. A system that requires children to move slowly through tiers risks delaying help until real damage has already been done. This blog explores why waiting for repeated failure is not early intervention — and why parents need to understand what may be coming.
For Nearly 3 Years, SENCOs Can Hold Their Role Without Training – No Wonder ADHD Kids Are Failed
SENCos can hold their role for nearly three years without mandatory training. This article examines how that gap contributes to ADHD children being misunderstood, mislabelled, excluded, and ultimately failed by an education system that hasn’t evolved to meet neurodivergent needs.