Why We Created the Neurodivergent Student Checklist

As educators and mental health practitioners, we’ve seen firsthand how easily a child’s potential can be overshadowed when their environment doesn’t meet their needs. We know that for neurodivergent students, even small adjustments to sensory settings, classroom routines, or communication styles can make the difference between simply “coping” and truly thriving.

We created the Neurodivergent Student Checklist to:

• Give teachers, parents, and therapists a practical, structured tool for understanding what each child needs to have their neurodivergent needs met, so that they can access the curriculum alongside their peers, feel safe, calm, and ready to learn

• Bridge the gap between a child’s internal experience and the external supports they receive

• Start meaningful conversations that lead to concrete, personalised changes in the classroom

• Help schools and support teams move beyond generic strategies and towards truly individualised, neuroaffirming practice

This isn’t just another form — it’s a way to see the student as a whole person, understand their strengths, and remove unnecessary barriers so they can engage fully in their education and community.

Created by teachers for teachers…

As educators, we get it. It’s a wild party out there in the world of teaching right now.

We’ve got you. This checklist covers six different domains and will really help you connect with, support, and understand, the young ND folk in your classroom.

1. Sensory Environment

2. Social & Emotional Wellbeing

3. Physical Activities

4. Structure & Access

5. Personal Safety & Comfort