PINS - a review of the first year
Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools, or PINS for short launched in Spring 2024, with thirteen schools in South Gloucestershire taking part.
The impact from the trial year was positive and meaningful, with a real emphasis on co-production - parents and professionals working together from the very start to find out what was needed to make the whole school inclusive, and then continuing to build on that. The schools that took part in the trial year are receiving ongoing support, staff have received neurodiversity training and professionals have been involved in helping to re-write inclusion policies and offer speech and language support among many other things.
SGPC support included helping schools set up parent carer groups and provide information sessions on topics such as EBSA and managing challenging behaviour.
“I am autistic myself and when I went to school I had to hide it, even now it took me a long time to feel able to tell my employer that I have autism and what my needs are. To see this project, the school and you (SGPC) working so hard on it and the government backing it. It actually makes me really emotional that my girls are going to grow up able to show their autism and be themselves.”
“We’ve gained so much from PINS and plan to grow with SGPC’s help.”
“The session on EBSA was useful. I didn’t know what was happening with my daughter”
“The PINS project’s training and sensory audit are really good”
“My interactions with school have been more positive since last PINS meeting”
What happens next?
Due to the national and local success of the trial year of the Partnership in Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) project, 10 new schools in South Glos will be taking part for another year. The aim is once again to shape whole school SEND provision, foster supportive learning environments and strengthen relationships between parents and schools.
Keep up to date with the project here