12/07/2025
End of Term: Itās Fun! (Except When Itās Not)
Weāre coming into those last few weeks of term ā the ones where āfunā is on the timetable (if the timetable even exists anymore). Trips, productions, sports days, leaversā assemblies, residentials, proms, own clothes days, exams, results, farewells ā itās all happening.
Many schools are or will be doing it. Many pupils are loving it. But not all.
Because for some neurodivergent pupils, this time of year is incredibly hard. The very things that are supposed to be fun ā that we tell them are fun (āArenāt we all having fun!!ā) ā feel overwhelming, unpredictable, exhausting, and justā¦ too much.
The routineās gone. Familiar lessons are replaced by ātreatsā that arenāt treats for everyone. There are new clothes, new rules, new sounds, new spaces, new people, and big emotions swirling around change and endings. Thereās pressure to enjoy things they may not enjoy. And sometimes, a quiet question: Why arenāt you having fun?
Honestly? I find it hard myself. Iām already wondering how Iām going to manage 29 degrees on Friday for sports day. Iām auburn, with rubbish skin, and no ā sun cream doesnāt stop me from overheating, getting headaches, or feeling sick. I like structure. I like to know what Iām supposed to be doing. So I get it. I really do.
So how do we support those pupils for whom āthe fun stuffā is anything but?
Here are a few things we can do:
ā¢ Keep some predictability. Even just a morning rundown of the day ahead can help. Visual schedules, verbal previews, and consistent routines (where possible) go a long way.
ā¢ Allow opt-outs. Not everyone wants to be on stage, in a crowd, or in fancy dress. Give pupils permission to say, āNo thanksā without shame or pressure. A quiet job behind the scenes, a calmer alternative, or just time out can be a lifeline. We have pupils visiting us in the LS department who we may not have seen for a while. They may need a quieter start to the day, an activity they can become absorbed in, a chat with ātheir personā or a play with Nelly, our department dog.
ā¢ Use social stories and visuals. Talk pupils through changes in advance ā what to expect, what theyāll see, hear, wear, eat. Reduce the unknown. Iāve done this with even our oldest of pupils to help them through a trip out or what will happen in the formal dinner that they are choosing to go to.
ā¢ Create calm zones. We have a quiet room with nothing in it. Itās like a cocoon where pupils can listen to music, wrap themselves in a blanket or just be alone but knowing there are people around should they want to have company. My room is off this small room and Iāll check in with our pupil/s -if thatās what theyād like.
ā¢ Be flexible. If a pupil comes in wearing uniform on own clothes day, or doesnāt want to join in the conga, thatās okay. Meet them where they are. We have some pupils who spend the parts of the day they find trickiest with us. We let our teachers know so the stress of āHas anyone seen this pupil?ā is reduced for everyone.
ā¢ Talk about it. Let them know itās okay to feel weird, tired, left out, emotional, or anxious. Endings can be hard. Change is hard. Even excitement can be dysregulating. I find the end of term difficult. Iām tired and begin to lose puff as the finish line of the end of term approaches. Iām supporting my own children who also run out of puff, supporting pupils at school all the while coping with the changes at school and the plans for the new term in Autumn.
ā¢ Support emotional regulation. Build in breaks. Let them move, rest, stim, or sit with a trusted adult. Their nervous system might be working overtime.
Itās the end of the year, yes ā but letās not end with overwhelm. We make space for those who find all this āfunā really, really hard.
Photo: Small brown dog doing his best impression of āBoat dog.ā
