“Marcus is now in school full-time, learning alongside his peers and developing the skills to manage his emotions more independently.” Nevada, Assistant Head Teacher
When Marcus first joined us in Year 6 (May 2022), school was a very difficult place for him. He struggled with separation anxiety from his mum, and starting each day was a huge challenge. Marcus was highly anxious and often became dysregulated, which sometimes led to destructive behaviour or physical aggression. His mum would bring him to school every day and often needed to stay nearby in case he needed her support. For much of that first year, Marcus was on a reduced timetable and found it hard to access the classroom at all.
At the same time, we could see his potential. His CAT4 assessments showed a strong mean score, and although his reading age was initially lower than expected, it quickly improved with the right support. What Marcus needed was an approach that combined emotional security with specialist teaching and therapy, so he could build trust and gradually grow in confidence.
Building Security
A key focus for Marcus was making sure he felt safe. Staff used the Zones of Regulation to give him a consistent way of recognising and expressing his emotions. He had daily check-ins with a trusted adult and plenty of communication between home and school, so his parents felt reassured and part of the process. Lessons were carefully adapted, with scaffolded information and topics chosen to avoid potential trauma triggers.
Clinical Support
Marcus also received regular clinical support that made a real difference. He worked one-to-one with both a speech and language therapist and an occupational therapist, as well as joining small group SaLT sessions. This helped him improve his communication skills, confidence in social situations, and his ability to manage sensory challenges. His OT sessions focused on building strength in his hands and developing fine and gross motor skills, reducing the strain he felt when writing and giving him practical strategies to cope with daily tasks.
Alongside this, Marcus was supported with touch-typing lessons, access to a laptop in lessons that demanded lots of writing, and a scribe when needed. These adjustments reduced frustration and gave him different ways to share his ideas.
Steady Progress
Over time, Marcus began to settle. He started to stay in class for longer, managing his feelings with less direct support. The incidents of physical aggression and destruction of property reduced significantly and are now rare, usually only appearing around trauma-trigger events and end of year transitions.
Thriving in Year 10
Marcus is now in Year 10 and attends school full-time, arriving independently each day by taxi. He remains in lessons for the whole day and is developing strategies to communicate his triggers and feelings before they escalate. Most importantly, he needs far less support to use his Zones of Regulation—he is increasingly able to regulate by himself and stay engaged in his learning.
He is also now working towards his GCSEs in Science, Maths and English, showing just how far he has come in both his academic journey and personal growth.
Outcome
Marcus’s journey shows how much can be achieved when education, therapy, and pastoral care work hand-in-hand. With the right support, he has grown from a highly anxious child on a reduced timetable into a confident teenager who takes part fully in school life and is proud of the progress he has made.
