Lincolnshire is taking part in a national programme called Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS), which is designed to improve outcomes for neurodiverse pupils with special educational needs and disability (SEND).
Neurodiversity describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways, and there is no one "right" way of thinking, learning, and behaving. It is often used in the context of autism spectrum disorder, as well as other neurological or developmental conditions such as ADHD or learning disabilities.
The main objective of the PINS programme is to strengthen the knowledge and skills within mainstream schools to help them better support neurodiverse pupils. This will mean better support for pupils without a diagnosis and less reliance on specialist resources.
In Lincolnshire, the programme shall be led by the autism and learning difficulties service’s Working Together Team in partnership with Lincolnshire Parent Carer Forum, whose role is to support, and strengthen where needed, parent and carer relationships in schools.
The team shall work with a maximum of 40 mainstream primary schools, both maintained and academies, with each school receiving the equivalent of five days of support by March 2025. Schools invited to take part in this programme shall be contacted directly.
A self-assessment tool will allow each school to identify their priority areas for support. Schools shall decide on the type, length and content of the assistance required using a nationally-agreed menu of support.
The team will regularly report back to national colleagues on progress and outcomes, helping them to assess the impact the programme is having.
The PINS programme will run from April 2024 to March 2025 and is funded by the Department for Education, supported by the Department for Health and Social Care and NHS England.
For any questions relating to this communication please email the Integrated Commissioning Programme Manager.