About the programme
The Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) was a national programme in 2024/2025. It aimed to support the education and health needs of neurodiverse children in schools through a partnership approach, with local authorities and parent carer forums working together.
Based on feedback from the successful Autism in Schools programme, PINS was designed to develop approaches that enabled neurodiverse children to receive support earlier in school. This helped to prevent distress and challenges that might otherwise have required more intensive intervention across health, education and care.
PINS was developed around the key principles of the Autism in Schools project:
- A whole-school approach
- Good-quality training for staff
- Parent-to-parent support groups
- Understanding students' experiences of school
How it worked
PINS brought health and education specialists and expert parent carers into mainstream primary settings to:
- Help shape whole-school SEND provision
- Provide early intervention at school level
- Develop school staff's knowledge and skills
- Strengthen partnerships between schools and parent carers
The PINS project tested a new model for improving outcomes for neurodiverse students in mainstream schools and strengthening partnerships between schools and parent carers. The project focused on developing knowledge and skills and improving school environments to better meet the needs of neurodiverse children. By creating supportive learning environments and better well-equipped schools, the programme aimed to improve outcomes for neurodiverse children.
To find out more about how PINS was implemented in Herefordshire, visit the Parent Carer Voice (PCV) Herefordshire's Resources page.
Find out more about neurodivergence and the support available in the neurodivergence section on the Local Offer.