For the second year running, PACC has been working with primary schools across Shropshire as part of the PINS project (Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools). The project began with twenty schools last year and has now grown to include fifteen more.
PINS is funded by the Department for Education through NHS England. The aim is simple: to bring health professionals, education specialists and parent carers together to help schools become more confident and inclusive in supporting neurodivergent children.
What PINS is helping schools to do
- Strengthen their whole‑school SEND provision
- Put early support in place before needs escalate
- Build staff confidence and skills
- Improve communication and relationships with parent carers
- Create calmer, more supportive learning environments for all children
The focus is on understanding children’s needs and making sure the school environment works for them, rather than expecting children to “fit in” without support.
How schools have been supported
Each school started by completing a SEND audit to identify what’s working well and what could be improved. They then received five days of tailored support in their priority areas, plus access to training on topics such as:
- Sensory needs and physical environments
- Neurodevelopmental learning styles
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Behaviour as communication
- Parent carer engagement
- Autism and anxiety
- Food sensitivities
- DLD (Developmental Language Disorder)
- Barriers to learning
The role of parent carers
Parent carers have been at the heart of the project. Each school hosted three in‑person meetings with PACC, giving parents the chance to share their experiences and talk about what works — and what doesn’t. These conversations have directly shaped school training and development.
PACC also runs closed Facebook groups for each school so parent carers can access information, advice and peer support.
Year 2: Co‑production with parents
The original twenty schools are now focusing on co‑production — working with parent carers to make meaningful changes. Each school has chosen a project to work on together, such as:
- Inclusive uniform policies
- Improving school reports and pupil profiles
- Better communication with parent carers
- Supporting transitions
- Understanding anxiety and masking
- Strengthening parent involvement in learning
Schools attended a co‑production workshop with PACC and then had one‑to‑one sessions to plan their projects. This term, PACC is visiting each school to meet with SENDCOs and parent carers as a working group. Schools have responded very positively, and many plan to continue this approach long‑term.
What happens next
Although PINS funding ends in March, the impact has been clear: stronger relationships between schools and families, better understanding of children’s needs, and more positive experiences for pupils.
Because of this success, PACC has secured funding to deliver co‑production training to all secondary schools in Shropshire, followed by individual support for secondary SENDCOs.