A bumper crop this week, since you’ve not heard from me all summer. Most of it is about the start of the school year: the move into Year 7, starting college, and the early signs of EBSA.

Year 7 Classrooms That Work [ON-DEMAND CPD]

Plenty of autistic students do well in primary, then seem to lose ground within a term of starting secondary. They haven’t forgotten how to learn. The conditions around them have changed. Twelve changes you can try the same week, in a 38 minute session with companion notes, slides and a CPD certificate. It’s 75% off until Friday 5 September, so £5 + VAT for an individual licence and £25 + VAT for a whole school. The discount applies automatically, no code needed.

Helping Your ND Child Thrive in Year 7 [DOWNLOAD]

The free companion to the session above, written for the parents and carers doing the helping. What to ask the new school, how to set up a named adult and a one page profile, what to expect in those first few weeks including the after school collapse that catches so many families off guard, and a section on looking after yourself.

Starting College When School Was Hard [DOWNLOAD]

Written straight to the young person, because one of the good things about college is how much more say they get over their own lives. Practising the journey, working out your one person, asking for support in your own words without needing a diagnosis, and planning for your energy rather than just your lessons. Notes for the supporting adult at the end.

I’m doing an increasing amount of work with colleges, including INSET at the start of this term. If your college would like to talk about training or a webinar, I’d be delighted to hear from you: pooky@pookyknightsmith.com.

Unlock the Potential of Autistic Students [SLIDES AND NOTES]

Slides and notes from a session I delivered for the NEU. Sensory processing differences account for nearly half the variance in academic performance for autistic students, so some of the most useful changes cost nothing at all: calmer spaces, clearer communication, more predictability. The notes include the underpinning research if you need to make the case in your setting.

The Earliest Signs of EBSA [DOWNLOAD]

Emotional barriers to school attendance rarely arrive out of nowhere. This covers the early signs at home, like Sunday evening dread and stomach aches that ease at weekends, and the ones in school that are easy to miss, like lingering near exits and seeming switched off rather than obviously distressed. Early EBSA is far easier to address than entrenched EBSA.

Neurodivergent Friendship: 7 Quick Wins [VIDEO]

When a child’s friendships don’t look like the ones on the display board, it’s tempting to assume they haven’t got any, so we arrange the playdates and teach the social skills and often make things harder. Seven quick wins about noticing the quiet, parallel, interest led connections that are already there, and knowing when to step back. Slides and notes sit alongside if you’d rather read than watch.

Trauma-Informed Approaches in Schools [BOOK]

Gemma and Jessica have written this for newly qualified Senior Mental Health Leads and it’s an invaluable contribution to the sector. A special one for me too: I’ve worked with both of them for years and introduced them to one another. It’s out on 21 September, and I’ve shared a few pictures on Instagram to give you a feel for the reflections and case studies. Use POOKY20 at the JKP checkout for 20% off.

Showing Up is the Strategy [INSTAGRAM]

Some children give you nothing back, and after a while you start to wonder whether they’d even notice if you stopped. The flatness isn’t rejection: a child who has been let down before won’t trust a kind word however much you mean it, they’ll trust a pattern. Four things that help when nothing is coming back, including protecting your own reserves.

An Anxiety Toolkit [WEBINAR] Tuesday 22 September, 6pm to 7.30pm £20, and free if you’re a paid Patreon supporter. When anxiety flares, a child’s thinking brain goes offline, and you can’t reason them out of it. Ten practical tools to reach for in the moment, from breathing and grounding to coping statements and worry planning, each one small enough to use in an ordinary classroom or kitchen. For anyone supporting an anxious child, with a recording sent to everyone who books.

If you’d like to get in touch, you can email me at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com.

I hope the start of term is kind to you.

Pooky x

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

New on-demand training this month: Autistic Eating Difficulties

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

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Access Year 7 Classrooms That Work

This new on-demand session is about removing the barriers between a capable student and their learning, not lowering expectations. Across four short sections you get twelve practical changes staff can try the same week: the words that work, a calmer sensory environment, more predictable routines and visible time, and tasks students can actually start.

If your INSET day isn’t fully planned yet, this is a good thing to fold in. It’s short, it’s practical and staff can take something back to their classrooms the same week.

What it covers: Why a capable student can slip in Year 7 without anyone noticing, instructions autistic students can act on straight away, regulation-first responding, auditing the sensory load, and helping a student start when intending to start isn’t enough

Who it’s for: Secondary teachers, TAs, SENCOs and transition leads

Length: 38 minutes, with companion notes, the slides and a CPD certificate

Individual licence: £20 + VAT

School licence: £100 + VAT, for staff meetings, twilight training and INSET across a single school

Access Year 7 Classrooms That Work

Patreon supporters: the individual licence is yours free. Your code is on Patreon here: your free code

If your school or MAT would like a larger licence across multiple sites, email me at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com and I’ll sort a quote.

Warm wishes,
Pooky

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

New on-demand training this month: Autistic Eating Difficulties

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

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I’ve recorded a session on what might be going on for a child who struggles with food, from sensory food selectivity to ARFID and PICA, and the calm, low-pressure responses that help. Access it here.

It’s 43 minutes, with companion notes, session slides and a CPD certificate. It’s for parents and carers as much as for teachers, TAs, SENCOs and anyone supporting an autistic child around food.

Individual licence £20 + VAT, school licence £100 + VAT. Free to paid Patreon supporters (code here).

All my on-demand CPD is here, with more sessions added as they’re ready.

I really hope you find this helpful. Please do forward it on to anyone who might find it useful.

Warm wishes,

Pooky

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

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I hope you’ve found my resources useful this year. I’m grateful for everything you do for the children and young people in your care, whether that’s through your work, at home, or both. It feels special to play a small part, and I hope to carry on doing that next year.

Over the summer, alongside relocating, I’ll be planning ahead, recording more on-demand sessions and writing new resources, partly to give myself a slightly easier load come September. This year was a busy one.

Two things I’d love from you, if you’ve got a minute. First, tell me what you’d like me to cover next year. Second, if there’s a resource or session that helped this year and you’d like more on that theme, or of that type, please say so. Just email me at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com and I’ll read every one.

I hope you find your own way to rest, whatever that looks like. I’ll be on the back of a tandem for a good chunk of it, hopefully in a kayak too, which is the new joy I’m adding to my outdoor life. And reading, always reading, so send me recommendations of anything you couldn’t put down.

These emails can start to feel impersonal, and it’s easy to forget there’s a real person at the other end. There is. I care about every one of you and the work you’ve put in this year for our children. Have a wonderful summer. I’ll still share the odd thing on Patreon, and I’ll be back properly in September.

With love,
Pooky x

P.S. I’m thinking of putting together some assemblies for next year… good idea or no?

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

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Eating Difficulties in Neurodivergent Learners [SLIDES AND NOTES] The slides and companion notes from a session helping non-specialist staff understand what they’re actually seeing when a neurodivergent child’s eating looks difficult: when food refusal is sensory rather than psychological, when “fussy eating” is really ARFID, and when eating is communication rather than defiance. It covers when to worry, when not to and what actually helps, which is often calming down and taking the pressure off rather than intervening more.

Equipping Neurodivergent Students for Secondary School Life [DOWNLOAD] Three resources for the move from Year 6 to Year 7, which is often a steeper leap than it looks for neurodivergent children. A full guide for staff covering the six areas where they most need support, a practical skills checklist of around thirty teachable skills and a friendly guide written directly to parents and carers.

Why Subtitles Help Neurodivergent Brains [VIDEO] Subtitles aren’t just for hearing impairment. For ADHD brains filtering speech from background noise, autistic minds tracking rapid dialogue and visual information at once, or anyone with executive function differences, visual text gives a second, more reliable route to the same information, so less energy goes on decoding words and more is left for following the meaning.

When Praise Hurts [EXPLAINER] For some children, praise feels like pressure: a sticker becomes something they could lose, a name on the board becomes another spotlight to manage. This carousel is about noticing children differently, quietly and beside them rather than in front, describing what you saw rather than how good it was, so the child who can’t bear public praise still knows they were seen.

Behaviour as Communication [RECORDED SESSION] When a child’s behaviour is difficult, the instinct is to stop it. But behaviour is communication, not defiance: a sign a need is going unmet or a nervous system is overwhelmed. This 49-minute recorded session helps you stay regulated when a child can’t, read what’s driving the moment and use a simple framework to bring the temperature down in the first sixty seconds, with as much weight given to repair afterwards as to getting every moment right. Individual licence £20 + VAT, school licence £100 + VAT.

If you’d like to get in touch, you can email me at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com. I’m delivering INSET on September 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd but could run a session on the 4^th if that’s your allotted day…

Look after yourselves and go gently this week. Nearly there!

Pooky x

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Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

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The Neurodivergent Experience [SLIDES AND NOTES] My slides and notes from a session I come back to repeatedly, because the need for it never goes away. It covers communication differences, sensory processing, predictability, masking and the real strengths neurodivergent people have. [If you’d like me to deliver this or something like it for your team or event, email me to discuss: pooky@pookyknightsmith.com]

Nothing Time: What, Why, How? [DOWNLOAD] If you’ve ever felt guilty about the hour after school that just disappears into nothing, this one’s for you. Nothing Time is the demand-free recovery a lot of neurodivergent children (and adults!) need after a day of masking and holding it together. The resource covers what it looks like, scripts for talking to school and to relatives who don’t quite get it, and how to tell when to worry and when to trust the process.

Understanding Neuroception [VIDEO] Neuroception is Stephen Porges’ term for the way our nervous systems scan for safety or threat below conscious awareness. Children read our calm, or our tension, long before they hear our words, which is why your own regulation matters more than any behaviour strategy. This video covers practical ways to become a genuine safety signal, without pretending to be calm when you’re not.

Not Lazy, Wired Differently [INSTAGRAM] Calling yourself lazy is about the least accurate thing you could say. This carousel explains how many neurodivergent brains run on urgency, novelty, interest and challenge, and why the dull, low-stakes job won’t get off the ground while something harder feels effortless. Same person, same day, different chemistry. Good for anyone who’s ever done the thing in a last-minute panic and taken it as proof they could have done it all along.

Neurodivergent Burnout: Spotting It Early and Supporting Recovery [RECORDED SESSION] When a neurodivergent child burns out, skills that were there last week vanish and the child you know can feel hard to reach. This 44-minute recorded CPD session gets underneath why it happens, how to spot the early signs before a full crash, and what helps recovery last. Individual licence £20 + VAT, school licence £100 + VAT, and it comes with companion notes, slides and a CPD certificate.

THANK YOU for reading - please forward this email to anyone who you think might find it helpful and feel free to use and share my resources.

If you’d like to support me to contine to share free resources, please consider joining me on patreon for £3 a month or invite me to deliver a webinar, INSET training or conference keynote.

Thanks, as always, for all that you do.

Until next time,

Pooky x

P.S. If you’ve been forwarded this email and would like to sign up for future editions, you can subscribe here.

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

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Have a look at the full set here.

Each one is a recorded session of 40 to 50 minutes, with companion notes, the session slides and a certificate of CPD. An individual licence is £20 + VAT for personal viewing. A school licence is £100 + VAT and covers internal use across a single school, including staff meetings, parent sessions, twilight training and INSET.

The one I’d point you to first is Neurodivergent children and the move to secondary school. It looks at the move from primary to secondary through the child’s eyes, and at the practical things that help before and after September. It works for primary and secondary staff, and it can be shared with parents too. I delivered it live recently and it went down really well.

The rest of the library (so far…):

Neurodivergent burnout (44 mins). Why skills vanish when a child burns out, how to spot it early and what helps recovery last.

Understanding and supporting children who mask (47 mins). For the child who’s fine at school and falls apart at home and how home and school can work together.

Behaviour as communication (49 mins). Reading what behaviour is telling you and a framework for the first 60 seconds of a crisis.

When school feels impossible (EBSA) (51 mins). What’s really driving school attendance difficulties, why pushing harder makes things more stuck and what to do instead.

Demand avoidance at home (47 mins). Demand avoidance as anxiety rather than defiance, with small things parents can try the same day.

Demand avoidance at school (50 mins). Practical help for understanding and supporting demand avoidant children in the classroom, so you can respond in ways that lower the pressure rather than ratchet it up. Built for whole school staff, with no prior knowledge of PDA needed.

This is a new venture, put together because I get far more requests for CPD than I could ever deliver in person and because so many schools have aspirations for training their budgets just don’t stretch to. I wanted a way for more settings to access good training at a price that actually works. The sessions are deliberately short, around 45 to 50 minutes, so they fit a twilight or a staff meeting if time is short, but they’re built to be high impact. You can easily make more of them too: watch together and discuss in your teams, tailoring what you hear to your students in your context. One of these videos could easily form the basis of a half day INSET if you have the time to facilitate discussions and action planning. And every session comes with a certificate because I know you love them… (because you keep asking me for them!)

Early users have fed back really positively, but it’s early days and I’d love your honest thoughts: on the sessions themselves, length, format, on topics you’d find useful and on whether this is a helpful way for me to share this work. I’m adding more over the summer, so do email me at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com with any ideas. For MATs, local authorities or anyone needing a larger licence, please email me at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com for a bespoke quote. For newer settings just getting started or teams on a tiny budget, if you ask me nicely and do Puss In Boots eyes, I could be persuaded to send you a free licence.

Warm wishes, Pooky

P.S. If you’re considering a school licence and would like to watch a session first, email me at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com and tell me which one you’re interested in. I’ll send you an individual licence code so you can have a proper look before you decide.

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

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Neurodivergent children and the move to secondary school [ON-DEMAND CPD] A 45-minute recorded session looking at the move from primary to secondary and at the practical things that help before and after September. It works for primary and secondary staff, and it can be shared with parents too, so everyone supporting a child through the move is thinking along the same lines. I delivered this live recently and it went down really well, so hopefully you’ll find it helpful too. This one’s a paid on-demand session (£20 + VAT for an individual licence, £100 for a school licence), most of what follows is free.

Equipping Neurodivergent Students for Secondary School Life [DOWNLOAD] Three resources for the Year 6 to Year 7 move: a full guide for staff covering the six areas where neurodivergent students most need support, a practical skills checklist to plan your work with a particular student, and a guide written directly to parents and carers. The message running through all three is that these are skills that can be taught and practised, not things children are expected to arrive already knowing. The parent guide stands alone, so pass it on to any family who’d find it useful.

Relationships and Regulation [SLIDES AND NOTES] My slides and notes from a half-day cluster INSET on behaviour and regulation. Two ideas at the heart of it: the invisible backpack, where everything in a child’s day adds weight until what looks like bad behaviour is actually overwhelm, and the CALM framework for the first 60 seconds when behaviour kicks off (Create space, Adjust approach, Lower demands, Meet the need). If you’d like this session or something similar for your INSET or event, drop me a line at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com, or use my materials to run your own.

Burnout Prevention Guide for ND Teens and Adults [DOWNLOAD] A guide for neurodivergent adults who want to understand themselves well enough to slow down before burnout stops them. It starts with a one-page summary for anyone who can’t face the full thing right now, then covers why we miss our own warning signs, how to map your personal signals and recovery triggers, scripts for communicating your needs, and a section for the people supporting you. There’s a proper research section with full references for the geeks among us too (you are my people ;)

Belonging is not a place to escape to [VIDEO] A short video, under a minute, on what comes after safety. We’ve got good at giving neurodivergent children somewhere to escape to and stopped short of giving them somewhere they actually want to be. Safe is the floor, not the ceiling. Worth a few minutes in a staff meeting as we think about transitions between schools and classes for September, and the small, real things that help a child belong.

You Are Not the Problem [BOOK] Liz Lewis’s new book for late-diagnosed ADHD women, and it’s a very good one. It looks honestly at masking, rejection sensitive dysphoria, relationships and motherhood, and the impossible bind that asks women to excel everywhere while appearing effortless, with chapters on pregnancy and parenthood, work and friendships. I think a lot of you will feel deeply seen by it and come away understanding yourselves with a little more comfort and a little less shame. It’s published by JKP, so POOKY20 gets you 20% off at checkout (this is true of all titles).

The PDA apology trap: why sorry can backfire [INSTAGRAM] For a demand avoidant child, “say sorry” is a demand like any other, and demands are the very thing their nervous system is set up to resist. They may want to put things right and simply not be able to reach the words. This carousel is about going first, expecting nothing back, and why that isn’t letting them off: a child who trusts that rupture always gets repaired is far more able, later and in their own time, to think about their part. Accountability grows out of safety.

If you’d like to get in touch, you can email me at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com.

Take care of yourselves and thank you for being brilliant every day (even on the days you don’t feel it..)

Love, Pooky x

P.S. I’m toying with the idea of running a face-to-face book launch for my new book, 10 Steps to a Neurodivergent Friendly Classroom, which comes out in the autumn. I’ve never been to a book launch before, even though I’ve written a dozen books, but I thought it might be nice to host something in a school, maybe even a mini conference type thing. It’s just a seed of an idea at this stage, but what do you think? Would you come? Maybe you’d even be up for hosting? I’d love your honest opinions, ideas or encouragement at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com.

—

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Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

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The move to secondary is the point where a lot of what steadies a child can fall away at once: the familiar building, the trusted adult, the routines that made the day workable. We’ll look at the move through the child’s eyes, and at the practical things that help, at home and in school. You’ll come away with concrete things to try over the summer, whether you’re a parent, a teacher, a TA or a SENCO. Home and school are in the same room on purpose, because this works best when both understand each other and pull in the same direction.

Please pass this on to anyone who’d find it useful.

Date: Tuesday 23 June, 7pm to 8.30pm BST
Duration: 90 minutes, with 45 minutes taught by me and 45 minutes of extended live Q&A
Platform: Live on Zoom
Cost: £20, and free to paid Patreon supporters
Recording: Everyone who registers gets the recording afterwards

Book your place here

Paid Patreon supporters at any level come along for free. Your discount code is here.

For school or group bookings, email me at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com with names and email addresses and I’ll raise an invoice. If you’d like to share the recording with your school community, a £100 licence is available and yours to use for as long as you like, with larger licences for local authorities and trusts on request.

Warm wishes,
Pooky

P.S. If you were forwarded this email and would like to sign up for future newsletters and updates, you can do so here.

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

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Safe Enough to Thrive [SLIDES AND NOTES] When a child can’t do school, melts down in class, or shuts down completely, it’s hard to know where to start. The five domains of safety give you a practical way in: physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and sensory. Map a struggling child against the five and patterns emerge, showing you where small adjustments could make a real difference. The notes include concrete strategies for each domain, plus a section on being the calm, regulating adult that anxious young people need.

The Daily Stuff Cheat Sheet [DOWNLOAD] Getting up, getting dressed, brushing teeth, showering: the tasks everyone assumes are automatic, but which can involve a collision of executive function, sensory demands, and demand avoidance all before breakfast. This one is written directly for young people, roughly 12 to 16, in a tone that’s honest rather than instructional. It explains why each task is hard, offers concrete alternatives, and gives explicit permission for “good enough” on the days when everything feels impossible. It’s designed to be offered, not assigned, and the supporting notes help you share it without triggering the very demand avoidance it’s trying to support.

Co-regulating When You’re Dysregulated [RECORDED SESSION] We all know the theory: dysregulated adults can’t co-regulate dysregulated children. But knowing that doesn’t help much when you’re running on empty and a child in front of you is falling apart. Ian Hunkin led this 30-minute taught session, working through seven practical strategies alongside what’s actually going on for both you and the child at times of dysregulation. He has a wonderful way of making the neuroscience feel immediately practical. I hope you’ll be happy to hear that we intend to continue running free webinars together again next academic year.

Not Lazy, Wired Differently [INSTAGRAM] The unanswered email, the form that needs two lines and a signature, the washing up that’s been there long enough to evolve. From the outside it reads as not bothering. Inside, you’ve often spent the day doing things far harder than the dishes. This carousel explains how many neurodivergent brains run on urgency, novelty, interest, and challenge, and why a dull, low-stakes task can simply refuse to get off the ground. Doing the thing in a last-minute panic isn’t proof you could have done it all along. It’s proof the urgency finally arrived.

Also coming up

Neurodivergent Children and the Move to Secondary School Tuesday 23 June, 7pm to 8.30pm BST A 90-minute session for parents, carers, and professionals supporting a neurodivergent child through the move from primary to secondary. 45 minutes of practical, evidence-informed content plus 45 minutes of extended Q&A. £20, free to paid Patreon supporters.

THANK YOU for reading - please forward this email to anyone who you think might find it helpful and feel free to use and share my resources.

If you’d like to support me to contine to share free resources, please consider joining me on patreon for £3 a month or invite me to deliver a webinar, INSET training or conference keynote.

Thanks, as always, for all that you do.

Until next time,

Pooky x

P.S. If you’ve been forwarded this email and would like to sign up for future editions, you can subscribe here.

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

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It’s for parents, carers, teachers, teaching assistants and SENCOs and anyone else who’s interested, looking at the move through the child’s eyes and at the practical things that help, at home and in school.

Date: Tuesday 23 June, 7pm BST
Duration: 90 minutes (45 taught, 45 live Q&A)
Platform: Live on Zoom
Cost: £20, free to paid Patreon supporters
Recording: Everyone who registers gets it afterwards

Book your place here

For school or group bookings, email me at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com with names and email addresses and I’ll raise an invoice.

Warm wishes,
Pooky

P.S. If you were forwarded this and would like future updates, sign up here.

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

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It’s another of our 7 Quick Wins sessions. When a child goes quiet and unreachable, it’s hard to know whether to give space, step in, or wait it out. Ian will give you seven practical things to try straight away, whatever your role.

Please pass this on to anyone who’d find it useful.

Date: Tuesday 16 June, 4pm to 5pm BST
Duration: one hour
Platform: Live on Zoom (30 mins taught by Ian, 30 mins Q&A with Ian & Pooky)
Cost: Free
Recording: Everyone who registers gets the recording afterwards

Book your free place here

Also coming up:

Neurodivergent Children and the Move to Secondary School, Tuesday 23 June, 7pm. A 90-minute session for parents and professionals supporting a child through the primary to secondary move.

Warm wishes,

Pooky

P.S. If you were forwarded this email and would like to sign up for future newsletters and updates, you can do so here.

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

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—

This week’s resources cover the move from primary to secondary, brains that get stuck in loops, why shame hits harder when you’re neurodivergent and small language swaps that help with demand avoidance.

ND Transition: Year 6 to Year 7 [SLIDES AND NOTES] The slides and full companion notes from a session I ran for the NEU, for anyone supporting pupils heading from Year 6 into Year 7. So much of what helps at transition costs nothing; the barrier is usually awareness and intention, not budget. The notes go into depth, with the research, the practical strategies, and reflection questions for each section that work well in staff meetings or for individual reading. [for webinar or speaking enquiries, email pooky@pookyknightsmith.com to discuss].

When Your Brain Gets Stuck in Loops [DOWNLOAD] A guide for when a neurodivergent brain gets stuck: intrusive thoughts on repeat, compulsive checking, rituals that have to be done a certain way, or a special interest that tips from restorative to consuming. It’s written for two people at once, the one experiencing it and the one supporting them. Designed to dip in and out of.

Why Shame Hits Harder When You’re ND [VIDEO] A short reel for neurodivergent adults on why shame accumulates and spirals harder for us. It’s not that we’re more sensitive; it’s structural, because the things that trigger shame, a forgotten message, a missed commitment, a conversation that went sideways, happen more often when your brain works differently.

Neurodivergent Moments [BOOK] A pre-order recommendation, and a welcome change of pace: not a self-help book, just two neurodivergent comedians celebrating the funny, chaotic, gloriously human moments of living in a differently wired brain. Expect cluttered kitchen counters, awkward coworker moments, tears in the Austrian Alps, and a good deal of laughter in the company of people who get it. Out 18 June from JKP; use POOKY20 for 20% off.

PDA Language Swaps [INSTAGRAM] For a child with a demand avoidant profile, an ordinary instruction can feel like a threat, and the nervous system reacts before the words are even processed. This post shares small swaps that take you out of the equation as the source of the demand: “Time for bed” becomes “I’m heading upstairs.” The full guide, with swaps for mornings, transitions, mealtimes, homework, bedtime and big feelings, is free on my Patreon.

Understanding and Supporting Children Who Mask [RECORDED SESSION] A recorded CPD session for the child who holds it together all day at school, then falls apart the moment they get home. It gets underneath what masking is, why it builds, and how to take the pressure off in both places, so the adult at home and the adult in the classroom can stop talking past each other and support the same child. Comes with companion notes, slides and a CPD certificate. Individual licence £20 + VAT, school licence £100 + VAT, free to paid Patreon supporters using the code here.

Upcoming webinars

7 Quick Wins: Supporting the Child Who Shuts Down Tuesday 16 June, 4pm to 5pm BST Free. Seven practical strategies you can try straight away for when a child shuts down, with Ian Hunkin. Helpful ideas and understanding for professionals and parents.

Neurodivergent Children and the Move to Secondary School Tuesday 23 June, 7pm to 8:30pm BST £20, free to paid Patreon supporters. For parents, carers and school staff supporting a neurodivergent child through the move to secondary: 45 minutes of practical content followed by 45 minutes of live Q&A. Everyone who registers gets the recording.

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THANK YOU for reading - please forward this email to anyone who you think might find it helpful and feel free to use and share my resources.

If you’d like to support me to contine to share free resources, please consider joining me on patreon for £3 a month or invite me to deliver a webinar, INSET training or conference keynote.

Thanks, as always, for all that you do.

Until next time,

Pooky x

P.S. If you’ve been forwarded this email and would like to sign up for future editions, you can subscribe here.

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

PookyKnightsmith.com

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I’ve recorded a session on what masking is, why it builds, and how to take the pressure off at school and at home. Access it here.

It’s around 47 minutes, with companion notes, session slides and a CPD certificate.

Individual licence £20 + VAT, school licence £100 + VAT. Free to paid Patreon supporters (code here).

All my on-demand CPD is here, with more sessions added as they’re ready.

Also coming up

7 Quick Wins: Supporting the Child Who Shuts Down Tuesday 16 June, 4pm to 5pm BST. Free, with Ian Hunkin and me.

Neurodivergent Children and the Move to Secondary School Tuesday 23 June, 7pm to 8.30pm BST. £20, free to paid Patreon supporters.

I really hope you find these helpful. Please do forward them on to anyone who might be interested.

Warm wishes,

Pooky

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

PookyKnightsmith.com

Explore:
Resources | Speaking |On-Demand CPD | Newsletter | Instagram | LinkedIn | Webinars

Safe, Skilled, Successful [SLIDES AND NOTES] Slides and companion notes from a cluster INSET I ran for staff across several primary schools, covering the grey areas of behaviour: when it’s a choice and when it’s a can’t, how to hold adaptations and boundaries at the same time, and what to actually do in the first 60 seconds of an incident. Useful for teachers, TAs, SENCOs and leaders, and you’re welcome to take the materials and run with them. Or if you’d like to discuss me running a session, drop me a line at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com.

When Things Feel Unfair [DOWNLOAD] For anyone supporting an autistic child who simply can’t move on from something that felt wrong, not because they’re being difficult but because their brain has flagged a genuine logical error. Covers the difference between validation and agreement, an unfairness audit to catch accidental inconsistency, and scripts for closing the loop rather than demanding compliance.

7 Quick Wins: Fear of Getting Things Wrong [RECORDED SESSION] The recording, slides and notes from a recent webinar on the two students who fear getting things wrong: the perfectionist who rewrites everything fourteen times and never hands it in, and the one who won’t pick up a pencil at all. They look like opposite problems and they need the same thing. Seven strategies that work for both.

PDA Language Swaps [INSTAGRAM] For someone with a demand avoidant profile, ordinary instructions can feel like a threat, and what looks like defiance is usually a fight, flight or freeze response to feeling controlled. The principle behind the swaps is to remove yourself as the source of demand and share information instead, so “time for bed” becomes “I’m heading upstairs”. The full guide is free on my Patreon, with swaps for mornings, transitions, mealtimes, homework, bedtime, big feelings and shutdown.

Upcoming webinars

7 Quick Wins: Supporting the Child Who Shuts Down Tuesday 16 June, 4pm to 5pm BST Seven practical strategies for the moments a child shuts down, with Ian Hunkin. For teachers, TAs, SENCOs and leaders. Free.

Neurodivergent Children & the Move to Secondary School Tuesday 23 June, 7pm to 8:30pm BST Practical strategies for the primary to secondary move, for parents, carers and professionals. £20, free to paid Patreon supporters.

THANK YOU for reading - please forward this email to anyone who you think might find it helpful and feel free to use and share my resources.

If you’d like to support me to contine to share free resources, please consider joining me on patreon for £3 a month or invite me to deliver a webinar, INSET training or conference keynote.

Thanks, as always, for all that you do.

Until next time,

Pooky x

P.S. If you’ve been forwarded this email and would like to sign up for future editions, you can subscribe here.

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

PookyKnightsmith.com

Explore:
Resources | Speaking |Online Courses | Newsletter | Instagram | LinkedIn

EBSA-Informed Transition Planning [SLIDES AND NOTES] The move from Year 6 to Year 7 goes well for most children, but for some neurodivergent learners it’s the point where school starts to feel impossible. These slides use my five domains of safety to think through what transition asks of vulnerable pupils, and the proactive steps you can take across each domain before September. Covers what a usable sensory profile looks like, how to hand over the human and not just the file and how to bring student voice into the planning. [for webinar or speaking enquiries, email pooky@pookyknightsmith.com to discuss].

When Things Feel Unfair [DOWNLOAD] For anyone supporting an autistic child who can’t move on from something that felt wrong. When we say “water under the bridge”, we’re offering a social script that doesn’t give the closure they actually need. This one covers the difference between validation and agreement, an unfairness audit to spot accidental inconsistency before it becomes a problem, and scripts for closing the loop rather than demanding compliance. There’s an “at a glance” section at the start for when you’re reading at 6am and just need the essentials.

Why Your Special Interest Matters More When You’re Burnt Out [VIDEO] Most of us treat our special interests as the thing we do once everything else is finished. But research into monotropism suggests that when a neurodivergent brain is absorbed in something it loves, it’s restoring itself, not wasting time. This video explains why your special interest should be the last thing you cut when you’re struggling, not the first.

Five Things That Build Emotional Safety [INSTAGRAM] Emotional safety gets built moment by moment: in how we greet a child, how we react when they tell us something hard, and whether we come back to put things right. This carousel covers five things that make the difference, from staying predictable and unshockable to being quick to repair when things go wrong.

The AuDHD Teen Survival Guide [BOOK] A new book by Sonia Ali for teens who are both autistic and ADHD, and feeling pulled in opposite directions by it. It’s full of practical tips and strategies, with activities that help young people understand how AuDHD affects their thinking, attention, emotions, social communication, and sleep, plus reflection questions at the end of each chapter. I loved it, and my daughter Lyra immediately asked to steal it. It’s out on 18th June and available to pre-order now. Use code POOKY20 for 20% off.

Upcoming webinars

7 Quick Wins: Supporting the Child Who Shuts Down Tuesday 16th June, 4pm to 5pm Free. Another practical Quick Wins session, this time on how to support children who shut down, with seven strategies you can try straight away. For teachers, TAs, SENCOs and school leaders. Ian Hunkin will be leading with me supporting the Q&A.

Neurodivergent Children & the Move to Secondary School Tuesday 23rd June, 7pm to 8.30pm £20, free to paid Patreon supporters. A 90-minute session looking at the move to secondary through the child’s eyes, with 45 minutes of practical content and 45 minutes of extended Q&A. For parents, carers and professionals.

THANK YOU for reading - please forward this email to anyone who you think might find it helpful and feel free to use and share my resources.

If you’d like to support me to contine to share free resources, please consider joining me on patreon for £3 a month or invite me to deliver a webinar, INSET training or conference keynote.

Thanks, as always, for all that you do.

Until next time,

Pooky x

P.S. If you’ve been forwarded this email and would like to sign up for future editions, you can subscribe here.

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

PookyKnightsmith.com

Explore:
Resources | Speaking |Online Courses | Newsletter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Anxiety Unpacked [SLIDES AND NOTES] A new workshop built around a question I get asked constantly: when a young person is anxious, overwhelmed, or spiralling right in front of you, what actually helps? Includes the SAFE framework (Settle, Acknowledge, Feel alongside, Ease into what’s next), what doesn’t work, and how to teach self-regulation skills when young people are actually ready to learn them. Short, snappy, and immediately practical. Use the slides to cascade the ideas to your team, or email me at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com if you’d like me to run something similar for your staff.

When School Feels Impossible [DOWNLOAD] Written primarily for parents and carers, but please pass it on if you work in a school with families in this situation. It covers what’s actually driving school avoidance, why pushing harder usually backfires, and what helps today rather than in six months.

6 Ways to Beat Exam Brain Freeze [VIDEO] Six practical strategies for students who know the material but freeze when faced with the paper. A short YouTube video you can share with young people directly, or with parents and teachers supporting them through exam season.

The Invisible Backpack [INSTAGRAM] A carousel about why some people end the day not just tired but depleted in a way that doesn’t match what they actually did. Useful if you’ve ever felt disproportionately wiped out by a regular Tuesday, or if you’re supporting someone who is. Includes what helps and what to do if you recognise this in someone else.

10 Steps to a Neurodivergent-Friendly Classroom [BOOK] My new book is available to pre-order. Ten clear, practical steps for building classrooms that are calmer, more predictable, and more responsive for neurodivergent pupils. Written for teachers, TAs, and school leaders who want immediately usable strategies rather than theory.

Upcoming webinars:

7 Quick Wins: Helping Neurodivergent Children Make and Keep Friends Wednesday 20 May, 4pm to 5pm BST Free. For teachers, TAs, SENCOs, pastoral staff, parents and carers. Co-led with Ian Hunkin.

Neurodivergent Burnout Wednesday 27 May, 7pm to 8:30pm BST £20, free to paid Patreon supporters. 45 minutes of taught content plus 45 minutes of extended live Q&A. For parents, carers, professionals (with some ideas that will translate for neurodivergent adults reflecting on their own experience).

7 Quick Wins: Supporting the Child Who Shuts Down Tuesday 16 June, 4pm to 5pm BST Free. For teachers, TAs, SENCOs and school leaders. Co-led with Ian Hunkin.

If you’d like to get in touch, you can email me at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com.

I hope you have a good week.

Pooky x

P.S. If you’ve been forwarded this email and would like to sign up for future editions, you can subscribe here.

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

PookyKnightsmith.com

Explore:
Resources | Speaking |Online Courses | Newsletter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Supporting Demand Avoidant Learners [SLIDES AND NOTES]
Slides and companion notes from a recent session of mine. The “demand piggy bank” analogy tends to resonate because it explains why the meltdown at 9:15 isn’t about the maths worksheet. It’s everything that came before. Useful for SENCOs, class teachers, and anyone trying to understand why their usual strategies stop working with these children.

Neurodivergent Burnout: A Practical Guide [DOWNLOAD]
A full guide written for neurodivergent adults (or teens), covering how to recognise burnout, the difference between burnout and depression (getting this wrong causes harm), the three phases of recovery, and prevention strategies that work with how your brain functions. No productivity hacks. No suggestion to try harder. Share it with someone who needs it, or keep it for a day when things feel harder than they should.

The Boom-Bust Trap in Burnout Recovery [VIDEO]
A short companion to the burnout guide. Feeling better doesn’t mean you’ve recovered. It means the alarm bells have gone quiet whilst your reserves are still critically low. Worth watching if you’re a neurodivergent adult in recovery, or if you’re supporting someone who is.

Stop Saying “Calm Down” [INSTAGRAM]
A carousel on co-regulation. A dysregulated child can’t find their own calm. They borrow yours. Which means your body is doing more work than your words. Useful for anyone who’s ever stood next to a spiralling child and felt out of their depth.

Upcoming webinars:

7 Quick Wins: Helping Neurodivergent Children Make and Keep Friends
Wednesday 20th May, 4pm to 5pm Free. For teachers, TAs, SENCOs, pastoral staff, and parents of neurodivergent children who find friendships hard.

Neurodivergent Burnout
Wednesday 27th May, 7pm to 8.30pm £20, free to paid Patreon supporters. 45 minutes of taught content followed by 45 minutes of live Q&A. For parents, carers, professionals, and ND adults reflecting on their own experience.

7 Quick Wins: Supporting the Child Who Shuts Down
Tuesday 16th June, 4pm to 5pm Free. Practical strategies for teachers, TAs, SENCOs, and school leaders. Parents/carers welcome too. Ian Hunkin will lead, I’ll join for the Q&A

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If you’d like early access to resources as soon as they’re released, you can join my Patreon community here.

If you’d like to get in touch including to organise a webinar or speaking event, you can email me at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com.

Thank you for all you’re doing, please be kind to yourselves this week.

Pooky x

P.S. If you’ve been forwarded this email and would like to sign up for future editions, you can subscribe here.

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

PookyKnightsmith.com

Explore:
Resources | Speaking |Online Courses | Newsletter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Neurodivergent-Friendly Schools [SLIDES AND NOTES] A neurodivergent-friendly school is a people-friendly school. These slides and notes walk through six foundations: clarity and consistency, sensory needs, executive function, communication, strengths, and welcoming neurodivergent adults. Includes practical strategies, reflection questions, and a planning tool. Useful for whole-staff training or trust-wide conferences. If you’d like me to deliver something like this for your school or trust, drop me a line at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com.

When They Shut Down [DOWNLOAD] Shutdown isn’t defiance, and it isn’t a choice. It’s a nervous system that’s hit capacity. This resource covers what helps in the moment, what makes things worse, and how to find a path back without triggering another shutdown. Print it, share it, stick it somewhere useful.

You’re making processing harder without realising [VIDEO] Processing time is the extra time autistic people often need to take in a question and form a response. The well-meaning habit that makes it harder: repeating or rephrasing. Every time you do it, the clock resets. 58 seconds that are worth watching before your next conversation with an autistic pupil or colleague.

ADHD and revision: why it looks different [INSTAGRAM] With exams about to start, this carousel is about why ADHD students often need movement, music, novelty, and short bursts to revise effectively. Their brains aren’t avoiding focus when they pace or switch rooms every twenty minutes. That’s how focus happens. Useful for teachers, parents, and students themselves.

6 ways to beat task initiation paralysis in exams [INSTAGRAM] When executive function goes offline under pressure, students can know exactly what to do but struggle to start. Six small strategies for getting unstuck, from starting anywhere to setting tiny mini-goals. Worth sharing with any student who freezes at the start of an exam.

Upcoming webinars:

Supporting Neurodivergent Staff Tuesday 5th May, 4.00pm to 5.30pm. FREE. Run by South Central Teaching School Hub, led by me. For school leaders, line managers, and anyone thinking about how to retain and support neurodivergent colleagues. Anyone in my network is welcome.

7 Quick Wins: Helping Neurodivergent Children Make and Keep Friends Wednesday 20th May, 4.00pm to 5.00pm. FREE. With Ian Hunkin. Practical strategies for teachers, TAs, SENCOs, pastoral staff, and parents.

Neurodivergent Burnout Wednesday 27th May, 7.00pm to 8.30pm. £20 (free to paid Patreon supporters). 45 minutes of taught content plus 45 minutes of Q&A. For parents, carers, professionals, and neurodivergent adults reflecting on their own experience. Recording shared with everyone who registers.

7 Quick Wins: Supporting the Child Who Shuts Down Tuesday 16th June, 4.00pm to 5.00pm. FREE. With Ian Hunkin. Practical strategies for teachers, TAs, SENCOs, and school leaders.

Sign-off:

If you’d like to get in touch, you can email me at pooky@pookyknightsmith.com.

If you’ve got value from this newsletter and would like to support my work, Patreon is the place. Paid members get free access to all my live webinars and a growing library of resources.

Take good care of yourself this week, and good luck to everyone heading into exams.

Pooky x

P.S. If you’ve been forwarded this email and would like to sign up for future editions, you can subscribe here.

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

PookyKnightsmith.com

Explore:
Resources | Speaking |Online Courses | Newsletter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Neurodivergent-Friendly Schools [SLIDES AND NOTES] A neurodivergent-friendly school is a people-friendly school. Clearer communication, calmer environments, predictable routines, genuine acceptance of different ways of being. These things help neurodivergent students thrive and they help everyone else too. Slides and notes from a trust-wide conference exploring six foundations: clarity and consistency, meeting sensory needs, supporting executive function, expanding communication, building on strengths, and welcoming neurodivergent adults. Includes a planning tool that maps to all six. [for webinar or speaking enquiries, email pooky@pookyknightsmith.com to discuss].

When They Shut Down [DOWNLOAD] Shutdown catches people off guard. One moment a child seems fine, the next they’ve gone completely still and won’t speak, move, or respond. The instinct is to fix it, which is exactly what makes it worse. This covers what actually helps, what to say and not say, and how to create a path back afterwards without triggering another shutdown. Print it, share it, stick it somewhere useful.

You’re Making Processing Harder Without Realising [VIDEO] 58 seconds on one well-meaning habit that resets the processing clock every time: repeating or rephrasing the question. What helps instead is waiting. Actually waiting. Longer than feels comfortable.

ADHD and Revision [INSTAGRAM] Students with ADHD often want to do well. The motivation is there. What’s missing isn’t effort, it’s an approach that fits how their brain works. This carousel covers why ADHD brains need stimulation to activate, why different subjects have different energy costs, and why pacing, music, movement, and short bursts aren’t avoiding focus, they’re how focus happens. Useful for teachers, parents, and students themselves heading into exam season.

Upcoming webinars:

Supporting Neurodivergent Staff Tuesday 5th May, 4pm to 5.30pm Free webinar delivered by me, run by South Central Teaching School on creating genuinely inclusive workplaces for neurodivergent staff. Open to anyone in my network.

7 Quick Wins: Helping Neurodivergent Children Make and Keep Friends Wednesday 20th May, 4pm to 5pm Free session for teachers, TAs, SENCOs, pastoral staff, and parents on supporting neurodivergent children’s friendships.

Neurodivergent Burnout Wednesday 27th May, 7pm to 8.30pm £20 (free to paid Patreon supporters). Practical strategies for anyone supporting a neurodivergent child or young person through burnout, with content also useful for neurodivergent adults.

7 Quick Wins: Supporting the Child Who Shuts Down Tuesday 16th June, 4pm to 5pm Free session for teachers, TAs, SENCOs, and school leaders on supporting children who shut down.

THANK YOU for reading - please forward this email to anyone who you think might find it helpful and feel free to use and share my resources.

If you’d like to support me to contine to share free resources, please consider joining me on patreon for £3 a month or invite me to deliver a webinar, INSET training or conference keynote.

Thanks, as always, for all that you do.

Until next time,

Pooky x

P.S. If you’ve been forwarded this email and would like to sign up for future editions, you can subscribe here.

Pooky Knightsmith, PhD, CPsychol, MA (Oxon)

Autistic Speaker | Author | Advisor | Assessor

pooky@pookyknightsmith.com

PookyKnightsmith.com

Explore:
Resources | Speaking |Online Courses | Newsletter | Instagram | LinkedIn