Celebrating Neurodiversity with MHST

A Special Assembly During Diversity Week

This week, we were delighted to welcome the Mental Health Support Team (MHST) to Southill Primary School for a special assembly during our Diversity Week celebrations. The team led an engaging and informative session focused on celebrating our neurological differences and understanding how our brains can work in different ways.

What We Learned

During the assembly, our pupils discovered:

• How our brains can be wonderfully different from person to person
• That these differences contribute to the rich diversity in our school community
• Practical ways we can help and support each other by understanding these differences
• How celebrating our differences makes our school community stronger

Why This Matters

At Southill Primary, we believe that understanding and celebrating diversity is essential for creating an inclusive environment where all our pupils can thrive. Just as we work to ensure our school resources reflect diversity in terms of race, ethnicity and other characteristics, we also value neurodiversity as an important aspect of our inclusive approach.

By providing our pupils with both "mirrors" (experiences that reflect their own lives) and "windows" (insights into others' experiences), we help them develop empathy and understanding. These learning opportunities send powerful messages to our pupils, parents and carers about who is valued at our school, and whose stories and experiences matter. 

Moving Forward

The assembly has sparked wonderful conversations among our pupils about how we can:

• Recognize and appreciate different ways of thinking and learning
• Create supportive classroom environments for everyone
• Use inclusive language when talking about differences
• Be allies to each other when challenges arise

Thank You

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Mental Health Support Team for their expertise and enthusiasm. Their assembly has reinforced our commitment to celebrating all forms of diversity and ensuring every child at Southill Primary feels valued and understood.

We look forward to continuing our diversity celebrations throughout the year and building on the important messages shared during this special assembly.