Building Success at School in 2025

At the start of the new school year it’s not unusual to have a mixture of feelings: excitement, hope,
apprehension or worry. Planning for success is important whether learning is in mainstream school
or individualised

1. A One Page Profile provides a school, teachers, coaches, after care staff, relief teachers and other important people with personalised information about your child/teen. This is useful for all children/teens but more so for neurodivergent young people.
2. This can provide unique information so that they can quickly know the best ways to support your child/teen to flourish,  know why they may be stressed, and understand why certain behaviours occur.
3. As a child/teen develops, the profile may need to be updated and shared to keep others informed. 
4. If your child/teen has an IEP (Individualised Education Plan), the information from the One Page Profile should be included there or come from there. The One Page Profile provides a quicker overview and can be accessed quicker than an IEP but may lack details that the IEP has. 
5. Check if the One-Page profile is loaded on their student profile and has a note or symbol on the daily register e.g. an * next to their name so that teachers, especially relief teachers can access this. See the following link for more information: https://www.govt.nz/browse/education/learning-support/help-for-children-with-learning-support-needs/ 
6. If your neurodivergent child/teen does not have an IEP, contact your school to start the process, especially if attending school and performing academically causes high levels of stress. This is important as it can help to access services and support if needed. 
7. Maintain a good working relationship with the school and staff, but still advocate for your child’s needs. In New Zealand schools have a responsibility to provide learning opportunities for all children. Here’ some information that could be useful to schools if they’re not aware:
8. Sensory Challenges in School | Autism Voices https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c02UFOiIwNk&t=34s 
9. Inclusive Education: Guide to Autism and Learning
10. https://inclusive.tki.org.nz/guides/autism-and-learning/  
11. There’s a template here to fill in and modify for your young person. If possible, complete this together with your child/teen so that they’re aware. There are also three examples to consider. More examples and templates can be found if you google ‘one page profile examples’.