Autistic masking is one of the biggest reasons autistic girls go unrecognised at school and beyond. In this post, Kate Coldrick explores how masking shapes the lives of autistic girls, why it delays recognition and support, and why the phrase #NoMaskForUs offers both a slogan and a way forward. When we think of the students … Continue reading No Mask for Us: Why Autistic Girls Go Unrecognised
learning
Making AQA GCSE English Language Question 3 Accessible for Autistic Learners
Kate Coldrick explains how autistic learners can approach AQA GCSE English Language Question 3 on structure with an inclusive, accessible strategy. From summer 2026, AQA are revising Paper 1, Question 3. Instead of the familiar open-ended “How has the writer structured the text to interest you as a reader?”, the question will now specify a … Continue reading Making AQA GCSE English Language Question 3 Accessible for Autistic Learners
New Neurodiversity Guides by Kate Coldrick – Now Available to Read and Download
Over the past few months, I’ve been developing a series of free parent guides on neurodiversity. These guides are designed to give families clear explanations, practical strategies, and confidence in supporting their children’s learning. Each one draws on my 25 years of experience as an educational consultant and literacy tutor, as well as lived experience … Continue reading New Neurodiversity Guides by Kate Coldrick – Now Available to Read and Download
Monotropism and Literacy: How Deep Focus Shapes Reading and Writing for Autistic Learners
Monotropism explains why autistic learners focus deeply on interests but struggle with transitions and overload. This article by Kate Coldrick explores how attention “tunnels” shape reading and writing, and offers practical literacy strategies to support flow, confidence, and motivation. When supporting autistic learners with literacy, we often notice a striking pattern: the same child who … Continue reading Monotropism and Literacy: How Deep Focus Shapes Reading and Writing for Autistic Learners
Calm or Camouflage? How Behaviour Policies Misread Belonging
Are “calm” classrooms really inclusive? Why behaviour routines can push neurodivergent students into masking and how schools can design for true belonging.
Rethinking Behaviour and Belonging: Why “What Works” in 2025 Needs to Mean More
In 2025, the government’s behaviour and attendance agenda promises calm, safe, and dignified schools - but for many neurodivergent pupils, “what works” in policy does not translate into belonging in practice. This article explores why behaviour cannot be reduced to compliance, how masking and refusal reveal hidden pressures, and why leadership, consistency, and high expectations … Continue reading Rethinking Behaviour and Belonging: Why “What Works” in 2025 Needs to Mean More
New Resource: Functional Skills English Level 1 Writing Workbook
Over the past few months, I’ve been working on a project that brings together much of what I’ve learned through tutoring and resource writing: the Functional Skills English Level 1 Writing Workbook (127 pages, 25 units). As with my other materials, my aim has been to create something practical, structured, and genuinely supportive for learners … Continue reading New Resource: Functional Skills English Level 1 Writing Workbook
Inclusive Education for Autistic Students: Evidence, Gaps, and Urgent Questions
Research-informed insights from Kate Coldrick on autism, inclusive education, and mental health in schools - bridging evidence, practice, and lived experience. Inclusion is something every school says it values, but what does it look like in practice for autistic students? A new review of 233 studies (Perrelet et al., 2025) pulls together two decades of … Continue reading Inclusive Education for Autistic Students: Evidence, Gaps, and Urgent Questions
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