Supporting Executive Function at School

Overview

Some children can clearly do the work and still can't get going. They understand the task and want to do well, yet the page stays blank, or an instruction has gone seconds after they heard it. From the outside it looks like laziness or not listening. More often it's executive function, the brain's project manager, and for lots of neurodivergent children it runs patchily however capable they are. This session takes the parts that matter most in a classroom one at a time, and looks at the small, universal changes that help, the kind you can use in your very next lesson.

Join Dr Pooky Knightsmith for this 60-minute session, which combines 35 minutes of practical, evidence-informed content with 25 minutes of live Q&A.

What we'll cover

• Why "won't" is almost always "can't, not yet", and what that changes about how you respond
• How to spot the child who can't get started, and simple ways to help them begin
• Taking the load off working memory, so instructions stick
• Supporting planning, time and organisation without doing it all for them
• Small changes that help the whole class

Who this is for

Teachers, teaching assistants, SENCOs and school leaders supporting a capable child who struggles to start, organise or finish, with or without a diagnosis. No prior knowledge is needed, and at 4pm it fits neatly into an after school staff meeting slot.

Details

• Date: Thursday 22 October 2026, 4pm BST (UK Time)
• 35 minutes of taught content, followed by 25 minutes of live Q&A
• Duration: approximately 60 minutes
• Platform: Live online via Zoom
• Cost: £20 (free to paid Patreon supporters)
• Everyone who registers receives the recording, companion notes, session slides and a certificate of CPD

Patreon supporters: Paid members at any level get free access to all my live webinars. Your discount code is here.

Group bookings: For school or group bookings, email pooky@pookyknightsmith.com with names and email addresses and I will raise an invoice.

School licence: If you would like to share the recorded session with your school community, a licence is available for £100 and yours to use for as long as you like. Larger licences for local authorities and multi-academy trusts are also available. Email pooky@pookyknightsmith.com to arrange.

About Dr Pooky Knightsmith

Pooky is an autistic speaker, writer, and educator with a PhD in Psychological Medicine. She is also a parent of neurodivergent children, bringing both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. Known for her straight-talking style and practical strategies, Pooky specialises in making complex ideas immediately usable.

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