British Educational Research Association
Advancing inclusive education
Neurodiverse young people bring unique perspectives and ways of thinking to the classroom. They can offer different skills and strengths, as well as alternative ways to solve problems and tackle tasks. With an estimated 15 to 20% of the UK population being neurodivergent , it’s vital that we recognise, understand, respect, and celebrate this difference.
However, a lack of understanding and flexibility means neurodiverse pupils don’t always get the best experience in school. So we’ve joined forces with British Educational Research Association (BERA), on a new grant programme. We’ll fund research that aims to improve the school experience and academic attainment of neurodiverse young people. Research will include trialling and testing new approaches, with the aim of contributing to key ongoing debates. Areas of research being funded include:
* improvement of life skills (ages 2 to 18)
* pathways to employment or improvement of employability skills (ages 12 to 18)
* inclusive classroom practice (ages 4 to 18)
- In January 2023, there were around 1.6 million school pupils in England with identified Special Educational Needs – that’s 17% of all pupils.
- The most common type of needs are autistic spectrum disorder and speech, language, and communication needs.
- BERA has over 3,000 members and has directly funded over £150,000 of research in the last three years.
Up to 4 projects will be funded, each with an award of no greater than £50,000. During the project periods, pupils in the research settings will take part in interventions that aim to improve their education experience.
Each project will generate learning about how the experiences of neurodiverse young people can be improved. This will ultimately help educational providers improve the way they work with neurodiverse young people in the future.
“Supporting neurodiversity in mainstream schools is crucial for fostering inclusive education. BERA is delighted to have received this funding from the Kusuma Trust. It will allow us to support high quality research that generates a greater understanding of how best to nurture neurodiverse young people in mainstream education. It also helps us share that knowledge and expertise to help others beyond the actual research projects funded.”
More Success Stories
ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity
National Autistic Society – Autism at Work Summit
