National NHS and government leaders visit Lewisham school championing inclusive education
NHS leaders recently visited the Trinity Church of England School in Lewisham to see how health and education are working together to create more inclusive, supportive environments for neurodivergent children.
Tom Cahill, NHS England National Director for Learning Disability and Autism and other leaders from NHS England and the Department for Education, came to see the work of the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme in action.
PINS is a national programme that brings together health, education and families to support neurodivergent children earlier—before they reach crisis point. The aim is to:
- Create healthier, more inclusive school environments
- Reduce stress and anxiety among pupils and families
- Improve emotional wellbeing through early support
- Avoid long waits for diagnosis by responding to needs earlier
- Strengthen parent and carer involvement in decision-making
As participants of the PINS programme, the Trinity School showcased their approach to working with children with diverse needs, including their sensory room, sensory gardens and wellbeing space. They also discussed the benefit of collaborative work with health partners. Leaders shared how the programme is helping to shift away from a ‘diagnosis-first’ approach to one that puts the needs children at the centre.
During the visit, leaders, including NHS South East London’s senior responsible officer for the Learning Disability and Autism programme, Neil Kennett-Brown also met with parents, teachers and children benefitting from the programme.
This work is helping to reduce reliance on formal referrals and instead build confident, capable support within the school community, benefiting both children and local health systems.
Neil said: “We’re delighted to be chosen as an area to be visited, and able to showcase the great work going on to improve the inclusion work with neurodiversity.”
Fifty primary schools across Greenwich and Lewisham are now taking part in the PINS programme. As part of the programme, these schools receive targeted support from multi-agency teams including speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, paediatricians, inclusion specialists, and local charities.
Early feedback from schools and families on the programme has included:
- Improved emotional wellbeing and engagement among neurodivergent pupils
- Stronger collaboration between health, education and local authority teams
- Increased confidence among school staff in supporting children with diverse needs
- Reduced reliance on formal diagnostic routes
- Positive parent feedback about being heard and supported
During the visit, Dr Jessica Ong, NHS South East London’s Clinical lead for Autism, AHDH and SEND, also shared her work on supporting emotionally based school non-attendance (EBSNA), which is gaining national interest for its early intervention model. This work helps children return to learning in a way that supports their mental health and avoids escalation into clinical services.
Following a successful first year, the NHS South East London Learning Disability and Autism Programme has secured funding to expand PINS in 2025/26. The programme will be rolled out to 30 more schools, while continuing to support and embed learning in the 48 already involved.
This work reflects a growing commitment across health and education to move from reactive services to early, community-based, needs-led support—helping children thrive and reducing pressure on NHS services.