NSukiBasford’sStory
RedefiningYouthLeadershipandAdvocacy
Year12studentSukiBasfordistransformingtheconversationaround neurodiversitythroughpowerfuladvocacy,authorship,andcharitywork. Diagnosedwithautismatageten,Sukihasbeendrivenbyadesiretopush conversationsbeyondmereinformationtowardtruepeer-to-peerempathy,and publishedachildren’sbooktitledSpaceTravelswithLuna.Herbookteaches neurotypicalprimarystudentshowtounderstandandaccepttheir neurodivergentclassmates.
Suki’simpactextendsfarbeyondherschoolgates.Sheservesonthenational YouthBoardfortheAutisticGirlsNetwork,helpingcreateaccessibleresourcesfor neurodiverseteens,andwasrecentlyinvitedtopresentherstorytoITV’s neurodiversitygroup.Shealso100kilometersinMaytoraisemoneyforthePetsas Therapycharity,whotheschoolisconnectedwiththroughourveryowntherapy dogcharlie!Throughherbook,publicspeaking,andcommunityaction,Suki continuestochampionaworldwhereinclusionstartswithunderstanding.
ReadmoreaboutherstoryHEREontheRMSforGirlswebsite.
ThisyearwehavecontinuedtorunCoffeeandChat drop-insforparentswhichtakeplacefrom830am9.45amintheHive(Weybridgecoffeeshop)
Thistermourfocuswasontransition.Ournext CoffeeandchatwilltakeplaceonFriday9thOctober 2026whereDrMoss(EducationalPsychologist)will jointheSENCoteamaswefocusondyslexiain recognitionofDyslexiaAwarenessweek.
SocialCommunication& InteractionGroup
ThistermtheYear6studentshavejoinedourSeniorSchoolSocial Communication&InteractionGrouptosupporttheirtransition.Theyhave beenworkingingroupstodesignathemeparkthatsupportsthosewith additionalneeds.Thishashelpedthemtoshareandidentifythingsthey enjoyaswellaschallengestheyfaceandhowsimplemodificationscan maketheirworldmoreaccessibleandinclusive
SupportingtheTransitionBack toSchool
AtRMSwerecognisethatthetransitionbacktoschoolafteralongsummercan bringamixofexcitementandanxiety,especiallyiftheyaremovingschools Here aresomepracticalwaystosupportthemforasmoothstart.
GeneralTipsforAllStudents
EaseBackintoRoutines:Onetotwoweeksbeforetermstarts,gradually shiftbedtimes,wake-uptimes,andmealtimesbacktoaschoolschedule. Establishascreen-free"wind-down"hourbeforebedusingthistimetotalk, readorlistentocalmingmusictoprotecttheirsleepandconcentration.
OpenUpConversations:Encourageyourchildtosharewhattheyare lookingforwardtoandwhattheymightbeworriedabout.Validatetheir feelings,andtryswappingthestandard"How was your day?"for"What was a good thing about your day?"tohelpreframetheirmindset positively.
PrepareandVisualiseTogether:Involveyourchildinbuyingstationary suppliesandpackingtheirbagtogivethemasenseofcontrol.For youngerchildrenorthosewithadditionalneeds,lookatclassroomphotos ontheschoolwebsiteorwalktheschoolroutetogethertobuildfamiliarity.
RefreshSocialConnections:Arrangeacatch-upwithschoolfriendsthe weekbeforetermstarts.Seeingfamiliarfacesaheadoftimeprovides immenseemotionalcomfortondayone.
CreateCalmMornings:Astressfulmorningsetsafrantictonefortheday Prepareuniformandbagsthenightbeforetoavoidlast-minuterushing.At drop-off,staycalmandpresent;aconfident,reassuringgoodbyebuilds theirresilience.
LookOutforHiddenSigns:Childrendon'talwaysexpressanxietyinwords Watchforchangesinbehaviour,suchaswithdrawal,irritability,orphysical complaintslikestomachaches.Ifthesepersist,pleasereachouttotheir teacherorourpastoralteamearlysowecansupportthem.
RMSSeptember‘SoftStart’ThisyeartheSeniorSchoolareintroducinga ‘SoftStart’tosupportstudentsinyears8-13tohaveagentletransition backintoschoolthedaybeforetermstarts Theywillbedoingsomegroup activitiesaswellasfamiliarisingthemselveswiththeirnewtimetable.
SupportingtheTransitionBack toSchool
MovingUp:SpecificTipsfortheSecondary SchoolTransition
Steppinguptosecondaryschoolisanexcitingmilestone,butitdemandsa higherlevelofindependenceandorganisation.
FamiliarisewiththeNewEnvironment:Exploretheschoolwebsitetogether andprintoffamapofthelayout.Yourchildmayliketoattendoneofthe RMSsummercampsrunningthissummer.Thesearefantastic,low-pressure opportunitiestogettoknowthesite,staff,andfellowstudentsbefore September.
PracticetheJourney:Secondaryschooloftenmeansindependenttravelfor thefirsttime.Doafewtrialrunsoftheroutetogetheroverthesummer,then encouragethemtotryitsoloorwithafriend.
Agreeonaclearplanfortheveryfirstmorning:whattimeyouneedto leave,whowilltakethemtoschool,whowillpickthemupandwhereto meet.
BuildIndependence(Gently):Letyourchildtaketheleadonorganising theirequipment.Usetoolslikepost-itnotesandchecklists,dedicated storageboxesfordifferentsubjects,andastricteveninghabitofchecking GoogleClassroomandpackingtheirbag.Beguidedbywhatfeels manageableforthem-it’sokayiftheyneedabitmorescaffoldingatfirst.
ProtectDowntimeandOldComforts:Thefirstfewweeksofsecondary schoolarephysicallyandemotionallyexhausting.Keeptrustedhome routinessteady,allowthemtimetoseeprimaryschoolfriends,andresist theurgetoquizthemtooheavilyafterschool Theyneedtimetorelaxand adjustattheirownpace
LearningSupportWebsite Page
WearedelightedtoannouncethelaunchofourrefreshedLearningSupportpage ontheRMSwebsite.AtRMS,ourdedicatedProvisionofAssistedLearningand Support(PALS)teamworkscloselywithclassroomteacherstoensureeverygirlin bothPrepandSeniorSchoolreceivesthetailoredguidancesheneedstothrive.
Theupdateddigitalresourcesprovidea comprehensiveoverviewofourpersonalised pathways,highlightingearlyidentification,adaptive teaching,andspecialisedprovisionslikeELSA supportandsensoryrooms.Youwillalsofind valuableinformationonacademicinterventions, examaccessarrangements,andcollaborative parentinitiativeslikeour"Coffee&Chat"sessions
VisittheupdatedLearningSupport pageHERE
AFondFarewell
Attheendofthisacademicyearwearesadtosaygoodbyetotwovery valuedmembersofourPALSteam.
MrsMorriswillbeleavingCadoganafter4yearsas theHeadofInclusion;shehasbeenagreatsourceof ideasandinspirationforthePALSSENCoteamandwill begreatlymissedbyparentsandchildrenalike.
MrsWolfisretiringafterover20yearsteachingatRMS.Her particularareasofexpertiseareinliteracydifficultiesandEAL (EnglishasanAdditionalLanguage)teachingandshehashad anamazingimpactonthelivesofmanyseniorschoolgirls
