Having ADHD at school can be one of your biggest hurdles. And moving to a new or bigger school can make this even more difficult, because there are more demands and responsibilities – but there are also more opportunities and new friends.
As someone with ADHD, you might find it hard to get organised at school – and if you’re moving to another school, the routines will almost certainly be different. The result might be some or all of the following:
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You get lost and arrive late for lessons
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You get distracted between lessons
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You arrive for lessons feeling too lively, talkative or over-active
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You forget to write down what homework to do, or you forget to do it, or you do it but forget to take it back to school and hand it in
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You don’t take the right books and equipment to school, or home for homework
A move to a new school might mean you have to change your medications routine. If you need to take medication in school hours, get your parent or carer to check with the school about whether you need to leave your medication in the school office, or if you are allowed to keep it with you. If you’re worried about this, speak with your parent or carer and/or your teacher.
Things that might mean you avoid or forget your medicine:
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New routines
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Class teachers may not remind you to take your medicine
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Pressure from friends to do other things at break times
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Lack of time
If you think any of this is a problem, think about ways to remember to take your medicine wherever you are. You could keep a reminder in your phone calendar or a note in your school planner or inside your locker. Think about what would work for you, but don’t forget your medication – it’s there to help you.
Secondary school is more demanding, and you may find that your ADHD causes you to do things like:
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Leaving work unfinished, or finishing in a rush
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Poor handwriting, especially at the end of longer pieces of work
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Not listening to instructions
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Failing to note down homework
To help, ask your teacher to help create a work plan for you, with targets you can work on. These can include:
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Putting your hand up to answer questions
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Waiting until it’s your turn to speak
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Asking your teacher to check your homework diary or school planner at the end of each lesson
Moving to secondary school probably means getting used to regular homework, and you may need time to adjust to this.
There are ways you can avoid some of the challenges you might face in moving to a new or bigger school. Some ideas that might help:
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Write down your homework instructions properly
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Check that you can read what you noted down earlier
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Ask your teacher if you can record homework instructions on a smart phone or similar device
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Try to find a quiet, calm space to complete your homework, without any distractions like TV or radio
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Use a computer to type up schoolwork rather than hand writing
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Get into a routine of ‘homework first/play second’
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Let your teacher know if homework is taking you longer than expected
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Go to after-school homework sessions if available: people with ADHD often need three times longer to complete homework at home rather than at school