An essential handbook of tips and expert advice for supporting pupils pre-diagnosis.
Reviewed by Kat Cauchi
When I saw the cover of this book, it immediately grabbed my attention. Not because it is a pretty cover (even though it is) but because of the book’s subheading, “Practical ideas and expert advice to use pre-diagnosis.” To me, the focus on support pre-diagnosis is so very welcome.
We see so many pupils in schools on increasingly long waiting lists to get a SEND diagnosis and the support that comes along with it. The system is letting too many pupils down and we can’t just sit around twiddling our thumbs in the meantime. Not that any teacher would just wait; it’s more that a lot of the advice, training and strategies shared with teachers focus on post-diagnosis, so this book to me fills a needed gap to better inform and advise teachers in helping their pupils, pre-diagnosis.
How the book works
Following the introductory information, the book is broken down into chapters divided by area of need, for example, chapter 1 is ‘Speech, language and communication skills’.
Within these chapters, there is a consistent format of:
- Case study – each of these are from someone with a lived experience of neurodivergence or SEND, reflecting on their primary school experiences
- Overview of needs – what the need is and what specific SEND may impact children in developing these skills
- What you might notice – the stressor here is not on diagnosis of a specific SEND (that’s not the purpose) but rather on identifying factors of an area of need so a teacher can see where support should focus
- Strategies – practical steps to support children within a specific area of need
- Resources – recommended supporting tools for the area of need
- Activities – ideas for both at home and school that can support an area of need
- Further reading and support – other books/websites/resources that may be helpful
With this format a teacher could easily read cover to cover but is far more likely dip into a specific chapter to build their understanding and confidence in supporting a specific area of need – making this an ideal book to keep close at hand to keep coming back to as they work with different pupils across different cohorts.
Book highlights
There are so many great things about this book but I wanted to highlight three that I really liked:
- the case studies
- QR codes for video activity demonstrations
- ‘What you might notice’.
The case studies
I loved how the case studies in the book were not examples of Durrant’s activities or strategies in schools but rather stories from children and adults in SEND or neurodivergence talking about their own personal experiences of primary school, sharing what they found helpful in supporting them and what wasn’t helpful. Each case study is relevant to the area of need. For example, in the ‘Speech, language and communication skills’ chapter, we have a case study from Ellise Hayward, who is non-speaking due to her cerebral palsy, sharing how she was supported to communicate at primary school.
QR codes for video activity demonstrations
I really thought that that including these QR codes was such an innovative idea. Seeing a video demonstration is so helpful to see how to complete an activity in practice and clarify any parts you may be unsure of from the text descriptions in the book. It’s a great audio and visual aid that is a massive win for accessibility.
To give an example, in the ‘Numeracy skills’ chapter, one of the intervention activities is ‘What number am I? Yes/No’. If you scan the accompanying QR code for this activity, you are taken to a YouTube video from Georgina. In the video, she explains a bit more about the activity and how to use it most effectively, as well as giving an example using a specific number of some of the questions you might encourage pupils to ask about it to guess the number.
‘What you might notice’
What I love about these sections is that they aren’t just a list of what might be the ‘more obvious’ signs a child is struggling with an area of need. For example, in Literacy skills, reading fluency and handwriting, Durrant also mentions other concerns of note, such as fatigue during literacy tasks, how the frustration of struggling with reading and writing could impact a child’s behaviour and how they might find it hard to answer ‘wordy’ questions across different subjects – giving you a deeper overview and perhaps prompting you to realise a child is struggling with something you hadn’t quite put your finger on. Maybe you have seen some behavioural issues, for example, and now you’ve noticed actually it’s always in literacy lessons or when you do things like word problems in maths or research in history.
Why you should read it
As I mentioned in the introduction to this review, the SEND system as we know it isn’t working. We’re seeing so many pupils undiagnosed and needing support. This book isn’t about diagnosing pupils – that’s not a teacher’s role – it’s about identifying what support the child needs and how to give it, pre-diagnosis. Something truly essential in primary school classrooms right now.
From the case studies to the strategies and activities Durrant’s book has the potential to make a hugely positive impact in every primary school classroom for children with SEND. Empowering primary school staff with understanding and practical takeaways to make the difference.
