08 OCTOBER 2026
Creating an inclusive classroom environment isn't about reinventing the wheel, it is about consistently applying strategies that provide structure, accessibility, and predictability.
What you'll learn
✔️ Strategies for creating an inclusive learning environment where every pupil feels understood, valued, and able to achieve success
✔️ How to understand behaviour as communication and identify the underlying causes of distress, anxiety, or dysregulation
✔️ How to use visual timetables, routines, and preparation strategies to support emotional regulation and reduce anxiety around change
In this article, Sophie Philps, Deputy Head Teacher at our Chilworth House School, explores how adapting physical spaces and social structures can reduce stress, curb disruptive behaviours, and improve quality of life for neurodivergent pupils.
Encourage positive social interactions
Neurodivergent children often struggle with complex social rules, leading to frustration during unstructured times like play breaks. Explicitly teaching game rules, providing visual instruction cards, and using "signed contracts" for activities like football ensures adult consistency, eliminates ambiguity, and reduces social anxiety.
Use a person-centred approach
Our young people are more likely to thrive if an environment is created with their needs at the forefront. This means treating every young person as an individual and taking into consideration their differences and needs. Whether this is how we communicate, amendments to the physical environment, or differentiated work, this holistic approach will boost self-concept and encourage personalised opportunities for development and evoke happiness within attempting activities and tasks. Get to know your pupils; find out their likes and dislikes and be adaptable to meet their needs. This will create an environment where all your pupils can believe they can achieve success, whether that academically or in their social and emotional development.
Understanding behaviour as communication
Challenging behaviour is often a response to an underlying issue, such as sensory overload, anxiety, or unexpressed physical needs. Replacing disruptive actions requires identifying their underlying cause and implementing alternative tools, such as visual communication cards, so students can express needs without abandoning learning expectations.
Participating in meaningful activities
Engagement increases dramatically when learning connects to real-world tasks (like shopping or cooking) or taps into personal interests (such as Minecraft or animals). Connecting academic goals to practical, tangible outcomes gives pupils a clear sense of purpose and belonging.
Consistency and predictability
Consistency is key, and it helps our young people to feel safe. Whether this is creating predictable routines, or offering unconditional support, our young people will benefit hugely from having similar experiences frequently. Being consistent with our boundaries reduces the likelihood of our young people becoming confused or frustrating with changing goalposts and mixed messages. This can then provide the foundation to develop opportunities for learning and offer them a platform to achieve.
Using standardised, age-appropriate visual timetables placed at a child's eye level, and preparing students in advance for disruptions like field trips, prevents emotional dysregulation caused by unexpected changes.
"Consistency is key. "
Download our visual timetable template
Use visual tools to communicate the day, visual timetables and regular routines, so the young person can understand what is happening and what it coming next.
Support for family and peer relationships
School staff play a crucial role in strengthening relationships outside the classroom by sharing positive updates with families and providing practical resources for home routines. When conflicts arise, restorative techniques like "comic strip conversations" help students reflect on perspectives without feeling overwhelmed by shame.
Autonomy through managed choice
Involving our young people in deciding how they spend their time, the activities they undertake, and the support we offer, has great benefit to letting them develop and express their needs. This can range from a choice of activity, to who offers support they may require, and can help develop coping skills from tasks that might seem difficult and demanding. Choice also means they are more likely to engage and take ownership of a task or activity, and our support can help build resilience and inspire them to achieve things they may have never imagined.
Inclusive Classrooms
Here, Sophie Philp, our Deputy Head Teacher of Chilworth House School, presents a live webinar as part of our Virtual SEN Conference 2026, exploring more strategies and tips to create inclusive learning environments.
