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champions emerged from our exploration into how we could further champion pupil voice within the school. Recognising a similar trend across the country, with an increasing understanding and acknowledgment of neurodiversity, we wanted our students to take the lead in celebrating diversity. Recruitment Ensuring the entire process was fully accessible from start to finish was crucial. This meant expanding our application process to match the diverse nature of our students. Applications came in various forms – traditional letters, video submissions, beautiful artwork, live speeches, and even a pupil choreographing a dance about her experience I n the same vein as Adam Kay’s ability to construct an entire literary career from anecdotes in the NHS, any SENDCo worth their salt is potentially sitting on a goldmine of beautiful analogies and stories contextualising the challenges and brilliance of being neurodiverse. As a disabled person myself, I observe keenly how decisions affecting disabled individuals are often made without affording them the opportunity for input or feedback. At our school we aim to ensure that the voices representing neurodiverse students are not only heard but amplified, becoming an integral part of the culture of inclusion. The concept of building a group of neurodiversity of being neurodiverse. This approach ensured that every child felt confident in presenting their applications in a way that complemented their abilities the most. Celebrations One of the initial tasks assigned to the neurodiversity champions was to help plan our Neurodiversity Week celebrations in March. Over the past few years, these celebrations have grown more significant, and having champions ensured they became the core voice in organising the events. Working with neurodiverse pupils brought absolute joy, with out-of-the- box ideas emerging. While some ideas, like fundraising for a school hot tub or borrowing Richard Branson’s rocket, were beyond our reach, they highlighted the unique thinking of neurodiverse individuals. Despite challenges, we held onto the idea of how tiring being neurodiverse can be. Thus, the theme of the week became Let’s Keep Talking, emphasising the importance of everyday inclusion and the lasting impact of awareness events. When the week came around, I was genuinely blown away by the amount of time, effort and care the children contributed to the proceedings. As teachers, we are fairly used to facilitating events that are pupil-led by dragging ourselves through Poundland late on a Sunday afternoon to procure the materials needed. But in this case, I genuinely seemed surplus to requirement. 60 | www.teachwire.net On Tuesdays, WE DANCE Our neurodiversity champions have built a culture of inclusion through disco and cake, explains Emily Rushton