• What Makes an Online Tutor a Good Fit for a Child with ADHD?

    Finding the right online tutor for a child with ADHD is about far more than finding someone who knows their English or maths curriculum.

    Of course, subject knowledge matters. Experience matters too. But, in my experience, the most important question is whether the tutor understands how that particular child learns.

    ADHD does not look the same in every person. I know this personally. I was not diagnosed with ADHD until I was 31. Because I loved learning and generally did well academically at school, nobody really questioned whether ADHD might be part of the picture. Looking back, however, I can see that I could become intensely absorbed when something captured my imagination, whilst repetitive or uninteresting tasks were much harder to sustain. I also struggled with working memory and multi-step instructions.

    That experience has shaped the way I teach.

    There is no such thing as a standard ADHD learner. My own experience has taught me that my ADHD is not somebody else’s ADHD, and their ADHD is not mine. What works beautifully for one child may be completely wrong for another.

    So, what should parents look for when choosing an online tutor for a child with ADHD?

    A tutor who makes learning interesting

    For me, this is one of the biggest things.

    Many ADHD learners have what we might describe as an interest-driven nervous system. When something is genuinely fascinating, attention can suddenly become incredibly powerful. When something feels repetitive, disconnected from real life or simply boring, maintaining that attention can be much harder.

    This is something I recognise from my own life. As a child, I could put enormous effort into something that had grabbed me, but sustaining effort on something that did not interest me was another matter entirely.

    That is why I don’t believe an ADHD-friendly lesson should simply be a worksheet followed by another worksheet.

    I want lessons to have energy.

    We might play a game, tackle a challenge, discuss an unusual topic, use a visual resource, solve a practical problem or suddenly take the lesson in a completely different direction because the child has become fascinated by something.

    Variation and novelty can make a huge difference.

    This does not mean that learning lacks structure. Quite the opposite. A good tutor can provide a strong framework whilst changing what happens inside it.

    A tutor who starts with the child, not the worksheet

    One of the great advantages of one-to-one online tuition is that there is no need to teach every child in exactly the same way.

    I can look at the child sitting in front of me and think: What is going to make this work for them?

    For one learner, that might mean movement and interactive activities. For another, it could mean visual resources. For someone else, it might mean breaking a difficult task into smaller pieces or using a practical example.

    My current approach is very much strengths-based. Rather than viewing ADHD simply through the difficulties it can create, I want to understand a child’s interests, strengths, personality and ambitions too. This is consistent with the wider approach I use across my SEND tuition, where lessons are adapted to the individual learner rather than expecting the learner to fit a fixed model.

    And sometimes those interests can completely transform a lesson.

    When maths meets motorsport

    One of my current online students is absolutely passionate about motorsports.

    He doesn’t just enjoy watching motorsport. He has a genuine ambition to establish a business connected with the industry.

    So why would I teach him maths using completely unrelated examples if I don’t have to?

    Instead, we have explored mathematics through the things he actually cares about.

    We’ve looked at costings connected with motorsport, discussed business ideas and used real-world situations to make mathematical concepts more meaningful. We’ve also designed logos and talked about what a potential business website might need.

    Suddenly, maths is no longer just maths.

    It is part of his future.

    This is precisely why I believe interests are so powerful for ADHD learners. We are not removing the educational objective. We are changing the route we take to get there.

    A lesson about percentages might become a discussion about profit margins. A problem-solving activity might involve working out costs. English could involve writing website content or thinking about how a business should communicate with customers.

    The curriculum is still there. We have simply given it a reason to matter.

    A tutor who understands the importance of clear steps

    Interest alone is not enough.

    Children with ADHD can understand a concept perfectly well and still become overwhelmed when a task contains too many steps.

    This is something I recognise from my own experiences. Multi-step instructions have historically been an area of difficulty for me, and it is one of the reasons I am very conscious about how I present information to children.

    If a mathematical problem requires five stages, I don’t necessarily expect a child to hold all five stages in their working memory.

    Instead, we might write them down.

    Step 1: What information do we have?

    Step 2: What do we need to find?

    Step 3: Which operation do we need?

    Step 4: Complete the calculation.

    Step 5: Check the answer.

    Colour-coding can be incredibly useful here too.

    Perhaps the important numbers are highlighted in yellow, the operation is blue and the final answer is green. For a child who finds a page visually overwhelming, suddenly there is a pathway through it.

    A large problem becomes a collection of smaller, manageable jobs.

    This is very much in keeping with the ADHD-friendly strategies I use: visual structure, checklists, step-by-step instructions and breaking larger tasks into smaller chunks.

    Client gallery powered by Picflow

    A tutor who has plenty of resources – but knows when to use them

    In a classroom, one of the wonderful things we have is a wealth of resources.

    We don’t have to teach every child with the same book, the same worksheet or the same activity.

    If I know that a child loves dinosaurs, I can find dinosaur-related material. If they love sport, we can use sport. If they are fascinated by space, animals, cars or cooking, those interests can become bridges into learning.

    This is particularly valuable with ADHD because interest can be the doorway into attention.

    I have seen this with a girl I work with who absolutely loves nature. Rather than trying to make every reading comprehension about an arbitrary subject, we have used wildlife and nature-based comprehensions to develop her reading.

    And it works beautifully because she already wants to know the answer.

    She is not simply reading because an adult has told her to read. She is reading because she wants to discover something about an animal or the natural world.

    That distinction matters.

    A tutor who is patient and kind

    Perhaps this sounds obvious, but I think it is one of the most important qualities of all.

    Children with ADHD can spend an enormous amount of time being told to concentrate, stop fidgeting, listen properly, remember things and try harder.

    Eventually, repeated correction can begin to affect confidence.

    I remember how important it was when teachers recognised the things I did well. The teachers I remember most warmly were not necessarily those who were the strictest. They were the ones who noticed my enthusiasm, creativity and determination.

    A good tutor needs patience.

    They need to be able to say, Let’s try that another way.

    They need to be comfortable repeating an explanation without making a child feel silly.

    They need to celebrate the small victories.

    And, perhaps most importantly, they need to help a child understand that finding something difficult does not mean they are incapable.

    The best online tutor sees the whole child

    Ultimately, I don’t think there is one perfect formula for tutoring a child with ADHD.

    Some children love structure. Others need more flexibility. Some want to talk constantly. Others need quiet. Some thrive on games and movement, whilst others become completely absorbed by a particular subject.

    The tutor’s job is to notice.

    My own ADHD has taught me that neurodivergence is wonderfully varied. It has also taught me that children should not have to squeeze themselves into a particular model of what a learner is supposed to look like.

    For me, the best online tuition combines kindness, structure, creativity, variation and genuine interest in the child.

    It is about making learning entertaining without losing the educational purpose.

    It is about taking a difficult multi-step problem and turning it into manageable steps.

    It is about using colour, visuals and practical examples when they help.

    It is about finding the subject that makes a child’s eyes light up and then asking, How can we use this to teach?

    And sometimes, that means turning maths into motorsport.

    Sometimes it means turning reading into wildlife exploration.

    Sometimes it means designing a business logo, discussing a webpage or working out how much something would cost.

    When we start with the child, rather than simply starting with the curriculum, learning can become something very different.

    It can become something they actually want to do.

    A personalised approach to ADHD tuition

    Here at Kite Tutoring, the online division of Bedford Tutor, I have supported learners across the UK and around the world for many years. My own experience of ADHD, combined with more than fourteen years of educational experience, has shaped a flexible, strengths-based approach to tuition. I work with children who have ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism and other learning differences, adapting lessons around their individual needs, interests and goals.

    Whether that means developing reading through a child’s love of wildlife, making maths relevant through a passion for motorsport, or simply finding a clearer way through a multi-step problem, I believe children learn best when they feel understood.

    To find out more, please see below:

    Bel 😊

    Wondering How We Can Help?

    Whether you’re exploring tuition options, looking for specialist support or simply have a question, we’d love to hear from you. Tell us a little about your child and what you’re looking for, and we’ll be in touch as soon as possible.

    Current Availability

    ✅ Super Summer Learning (August): Good availability throughout the holiday

    ✅ Weekday daytime tuition (from September): Good availability for international students, home-educated learners and families with flexible schedules

    🗓️ After-school, Saturday & Sunday morning tuition (from September): Waiting list currently in operation

    Please include Area Code if Outside UK

    Related Posts

  • Helping Autistic Children Find Their Own Route into Learning

    There is no single way to learn.

    This sounds like a simple statement, but it is something I have become increasingly aware of throughout my years of working with children. Every learner arrives with their own personality, interests, strengths, experiences, preferences and individual ways of approaching learning. For autistic children, as with all children, finding approaches that feel accessible and meaningful to the individual can make a real difference.

    I have also gained a personal perspective on autism through my own life. My partner is autistic, and alongside my professional experience of working with autistic children, this has given me an even greater appreciation of how varied individual experiences of autism can be.

    Although I am not autistic myself, I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. ADHD and autism are distinct neurodevelopmental conditions, although there can be some areas of overlap in how they may relate to learning, executive functioning, attention, sensory experiences and emotional regulation. My own experience of being neurodivergent has helped me recognise that people can experience learning and their surroundings in very different ways.

    At the same time, I am very conscious that my experience of ADHD is my own. It does not tell me what it is like to be autistic, and I would never want to suggest that it does. Autistic people are the experts in their own experiences.

    What it has encouraged me to do is remain curious, listen carefully and avoid making assumptions about what a child can or cannot do based simply on a diagnosis.

    Every Autistic Child Is an Individual

    One phrase I return to regularly is:

    “When you have met one autistic person, you have met one autistic person.”

    For me, this captures something important.

    Autistic people are individuals, with their own personalities, preferences, interests, strengths, communication styles, sensory experiences and ways of interacting with the world. Autism can be experienced very differently from one person to another.

    One autistic child may communicate very confidently through speech but find certain sensory environments difficult. Another may communicate in a different way. One child may enjoy a predictable routine, while another may be comfortable with considerable flexibility.

    There is no single autistic experience and no single approach to learning that will suit every autistic learner.

    This is why I believe it is so important to get to know the child rather than making assumptions based on a label.

    Understanding the Child Behind the Learning

    One of the most important things I have learnt from working with children is that what works brilliantly for one learner may not work at all for another.

    Some autistic learners may find certain aspects of school particularly demanding, such as changes in routine, sensory distractions, communication demands, processing information or managing several instructions at once. Other children may find completely different aspects of learning challenging.

    These differences do not tell us what a child is capable of.

    A child can have the ability to complete a task and still find it difficult to demonstrate that ability in a particular situation. This can happen for many different reasons, including processing demands, working memory, executive functioning, attention, anxiety, communication differences or simply being asked to demonstrate knowledge in a way that does not suit the individual learner.

    This is not unique to autism. Similar experiences can occur across many different neurodevelopmental and learning differences.

    For me, the important question is therefore not simply:

    “What does this child find difficult?”

    It is also:

    “What helps this child show what they know?”

    Start with Strengths and Interests

    Interests can be a wonderful starting point for learning.

    A child who is fascinated by animals might be more motivated to practise descriptive writing by creating a fact file about a favourite species. A learner interested in space might explore reading comprehension through a passage about planets, or develop mathematical skills through problems involving distances and measurements.

    The academic objective has not disappeared.

    We have simply connected it to something meaningful to the learner.

    I have seen this repeatedly in my work with children. When a learner is genuinely interested in a subject, engagement can change enormously. Questions may come more naturally, conversation can develop and a child who previously seemed reluctant to write may become much more willing to put ideas onto paper.

    Interests do not have to be used in every lesson, and not every child wants their favourite interest incorporated into academic work. The important thing is to find out what genuinely motivates the individual child rather than assuming.

    Sometimes the route into learning only becomes clear once we take the time to discover what makes a child curious.

    Provide Structure Where It Helps

    Predictability can be helpful for some autistic learners, although again, individual preferences vary.

    Knowing what is going to happen next can make a lesson feel more manageable for a child who finds uncertainty difficult. A familiar structure might therefore include:

    Warm-up → main activity → short break → challenge → review

    But the exact format should be shaped around the individual learner.

    Some children may benefit from visual explanations or knowing how much work remains. Others may find it easier when instructions are broken into smaller steps rather than being given a long list of information at once.

    This is not about reducing expectations.

    It is about making expectations accessible.

    For a child who finds a large task difficult to approach, dividing it into smaller stages can make the same learning objective feel much more manageable.

    Instead of:

    “Write a story.”

    we might begin with:

    “Let’s choose our character.”

    Then:

    “Where are they?”

    Then:

    “What happens first?”

    The task remains the same. We have simply provided a clearer route towards it.

    Make Room for Different Ways of Communicating

    Learning does not always have to begin with writing.

    Some children may find it easier to explain an idea verbally before putting it onto paper. Others may prefer drawing, sorting, matching, discussing, using visual resources or working with physical materials.

    There is no single correct way for a child to demonstrate understanding.

    This is one reason I enjoy personalised tuition so much. There is time to notice what happens when we change the way something is presented.

    If one explanation does not work, we can try another.

    If a written activity feels difficult to access, perhaps we can talk about it first.

    If a concept remains abstract, perhaps we can make it visual.

    If a child communicates their understanding more effectively in another way, we can take that into account while still working towards the underlying learning objective.

    My own ADHD has taught me to value this flexibility enormously. I know from personal experience that there can be a difference between understanding something and being able to access it through a particular method.

    But I do not assume that an autistic child experiences the world in the same way I do.

    Quite the opposite.

    My own neurodivergence reminds me to stay curious rather than make assumptions.

    The aim is not to find one “autism-friendly” teaching technique that works for everyone.

    It is to remain flexible enough to keep looking for what works for the individual learner.

    Recognise Strengths Alongside Support Needs

    Conversations about additional needs can sometimes become heavily focused on difficulties.

    It is important that support needs are understood and properly supported, but they should not become the whole story of a child.

    Autistic children have their own interests, personalities, abilities and strengths. Some may develop an exceptionally detailed knowledge of subjects that fascinate them. Some may approach problems in creative or unexpected ways. Others may have strengths that are much quieter and only become apparent when they are given the right opportunity to demonstrate them.

    There can also be significant challenges associated with being autistic, and those challenges deserve understanding, appropriate support and respect.

    A strengths-based approach does not mean pretending that difficulties do not exist.

    It means recognising the whole child.

    A child’s support needs and their strengths can exist alongside one another.

    Confidence Matters Alongside Curriculum Content

    A child can understand something and still find it difficult to show that understanding in a particular setting.

    This is something I see across many different learning profiles, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia and other learning differences.

    A learner may know the answer but struggle to organise their thoughts. They may understand a mathematical concept but find it difficult to explain their reasoning. They may have wonderful ideas for a piece of writing but struggle to transfer those ideas onto the page.

    This is why I place such importance on creating a learning environment where children feel comfortable making mistakes.

    Mistakes are part of learning.

    Getting something wrong does not mean that a child has failed. It gives us information about what they understand already and what we might need to revisit.

    Over time, small experiences of success can help children develop greater confidence in themselves as learners.

    Learning Does Not Have to Look Exactly Like School

    Personalised tuition gives us the opportunity to think carefully about how learning is presented.

    For some children, movement may support concentration. For others, visual resources may be particularly useful. Some learners may benefit from shorter activities, while others may become deeply absorbed when a subject captures their interest.

    Discussion, games, challenges, creative activities and practical examples can all have a place in learning.

    These approaches are not exclusively for autistic children. They can benefit many different learners.

    The important thing is to consider what helps the individual child engage, understand and demonstrate their learning.

    Learning can be purposeful without feeling rigid.

    It can be structured without being restrictive.

    And it can remain academically ambitious while also being responsive to the needs of the learner.

    Finding Their Own Route

    Perhaps the most important thing I have learnt is that successful education is not about making every child learn in exactly the same way.

    It is about helping each child develop their skills while giving them appropriate opportunities to access learning in ways that work for them.

    For one autistic learner, that route might involve visual resources and clear routines.

    For another, it might involve talking about a favourite subject before connecting that interest to English or maths.

    For another, it might mean additional processing time, breaking tasks into smaller pieces or reducing unnecessary distractions.

    And for another child, it might look completely different again.

    That is the point.

    There is no single autistic learning style.

    There is no single teaching strategy that works for every autistic learner.

    And there is certainly no expectation that an autistic child should be made to appear less autistic in order to succeed academically.

    My ADHD does not make me an expert on autism, and I would never suggest that it does. What it has given me is personal experience of being neurodivergent, an understanding that people can experience learning differently, and a strong reminder to look for the individual rather than making assumptions based on a diagnosis.

    Combined with my professional experience supporting children and my personal experience of having an autistic partner, this has shaped the way I approach personalised tuition.

    The goal is not to change the child so that they fit the learning.

    The goal is to make the learning more accessible to the child while maintaining meaningful and appropriate expectations.

    When children feel understood, valued and capable, they can have greater opportunities to show what they know, develop their skills and enjoy learning.

    And sometimes, one of the most rewarding parts of that process is discovering a strength that had previously been overlooked.

    Supporting Autistic Learners as Individuals

    At Bedford Tutor and our online division, Kite Tutoring, we have supported autistic children alongside learners with ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia and other learning differences for many years.

    Our approach begins with the individual learner rather than assuming that a particular diagnosis tells us everything we need to know.

    Personalised in-person, hybrid and online lessons can be adapted around the child’s needs, interests, communication preferences and learning goals, while continuing to work towards meaningful academic progress.

    Whether your child is working towards school qualifications, following the British or American Curriculum abroad, being home educated or simply needs additional support with English or maths, we aim to create a learning environment where they can develop their skills and confidence.

    Sometimes a child does not need someone to push them harder.

    Sometimes they need someone to look carefully at the path in front of them and ask:

    “What could make this more accessible?”

    Because when we take the time to understand the individual learner, we give them more opportunities to show what they know, develop their skills and experience themselves as capable learners.

    And sometimes, that is where the most meaningful progress begins.

    Bel 😊

    Wondering How We Can Help?

    Whether you’re exploring tuition options, looking for specialist support or simply have a question, we’d love to hear from you. Tell us a little about your child and what you’re looking for, and we’ll be in touch as soon as possible.

    Current Availability

    ✅ Super Summer Learning (August): Good availability throughout the holiday

    ✅ Weekday daytime tuition (from September): Good availability for international students, home-educated learners and families with flexible schedules

    🗓️ After-school, Saturday & Sunday morning tuition (from September): Waiting list currently in operation

    Please include Area Code if Outside UK

    Related Posts

  • ADHD and Primary English: Helping Children Share Their Ideas with Confidence

    One of the things I love most about teaching English is discovering what is going on inside a child’s imagination.

    Sometimes the ideas are enormous.

    A child can tell you an incredibly detailed story about a dragon who lives underneath their school, explain exactly what happened to every character and describe the ending with complete confidence. Then you put a piece of paper in front of them and say, “Now write it down.”

    Suddenly, the story seems to disappear.

    For many children with ADHD, the difficulty isn’t necessarily coming up with ideas. In fact, some ADHD children have lots of ideas. The challenge can be organising those ideas, holding onto them in working memory and turning them into a structured piece of writing.

    As someone with ADHD myself, this is something I understand very personally.

    ADHD and English: When the ideas are bigger than the page

    ADHD is often associated with difficulties around attention, organisation, working memory and executive functioning. However, ADHD looks different in every person. As I have written previously, my own ADHD has never fitted neatly into the stereotypical picture. I could be highly organised and successful academically whilst still experiencing very real difficulties with listening, distraction and managing certain tasks.

    Writing at school was one of those areas where I could sometimes see the problem quite clearly.

    I have always loved writing. I was naturally drawn towards words and stories, and I still write frequently today. I particularly love writing poems because poetry allows me to take an emotion and share it quickly through words.

    Yet being naturally drawn to writing didn’t mean that I always found school writing easy.

    I often didn’t follow plans or instructions effectively, and this could cost me marks. I might understand the subject, have plenty of ideas and genuinely enjoy the task, but somewhere between the instruction, the planning and the finished piece, something would go missing.

    Looking back now, I can see how much easier some of those tasks might have been if I had been shown ways of getting my ideas out of my head before worrying about producing the “perfect” written answer.

    Try telling the story before writing it

    One of my favourite approaches with ADHD learners is wonderfully simple:

    Let them talk.

    Many ADHD children absolutely love verbalising their ideas. Talking can be a brilliant way of getting thoughts out of the brain and making them more concrete.

    If a child is asked to write a story about a mysterious door, for example, I might start by asking:

    “What is behind the door?”

    They might tell me about a secret laboratory, a talking cat, a spaceship and a forgotten treasure map.

    Excellent!

    We have a story.

    At this point, I don’t want to interrupt that flow by immediately asking them to write a paragraph.

    Instead, we can talk through what happens first, next and finally.

    That verbal rehearsal can help bring ideas into working memory before we try to capture them on paper. It also allows me to hear what the child actually understands. Sometimes the spoken story is considerably more sophisticated than the written one.

    That tells me something important.

    The child may not have a language problem at all. They may simply need help transferring their ideas into written form.

    Drawing can unlock ideas too

    Talking isn’t the only way to get ideas out.

    Drawing can be incredibly powerful.

    Some children find it much easier to draw what they are imagining before they attempt to describe it. This can be particularly useful for story writing.

    A child might draw:

    • the setting
    • the main character
    • the problem
    • something important that happens
    • the ending

    We can then use the picture as a springboard for sentences.

    I have seen children who initially say, “I don’t know what to write,” suddenly become incredibly animated once they are allowed to draw.

    And that’s the important bit.

    We aren’t avoiding writing.

    We are finding a route into writing.

    Visual mind maps can make writing feel manageable

    Another strategy I regularly use is the humble mind map.

    For an ADHD learner, a blank page can sometimes feel enormous. There are too many possible places to start.

    A visual mind map gives those thoughts somewhere to land.

    For example, if we are writing a story about a lost child, we might put THE LOST CHILD in the centre and branch out into:

    Where?
    A forest.

    Who?
    Mia and her dog.

    Problem?
    They cannot find the path home.

    What happens?
    They discover an abandoned cottage.

    Ending?
    They find their way home by following the stars.

    Suddenly, the child doesn’t have to remember the whole story.

    The ideas are visible.

    This is particularly helpful when organisation and sequencing are difficult.

    Visual mind map showing how a lost-child story can be organised into setting, characters, problem, events and ending, helping ADHD learners make writing more manageable.

    Story planning needs to be practical

    I also love using structured story planning resources. We particularly enjoy the story planning documents available through Twinkl because they can make planning feel much more engaging and manageable.

    One thing I frequently notice with ADHD learners is that planning and follow-through can be two very different things.

    A child might enthusiastically plan an incredible story and then struggle to actually use the plan when writing it.

    This is where smaller steps can help.

    Instead of saying, “Now write your story,” we might work through:

    1. Write the opening.
    2. Introduce the character.
    3. Explain the problem.
    4. Add an interesting event.
    5. Bring the story towards an ending.
    6. Read it back and improve one section.

    The aim isn’t to make writing rigid.

    It is to give the child’s ideas a little scaffolding so they don’t disappear halfway through the task.

    My own love of writing eventually became my career

    Writing has always been part of my life.

    In my twenties, I wrote two books (Storme and Spectrum Shift) which I self-published. That experience helped me realise just how much I loved creating stories and putting ideas into words, and it ultimately contributed to me discovering my passion for becoming an English tutor.

    I still write poems regularly.

    For me, poetry is a particularly lovely form of expression because sometimes an emotion is complicated, messy and difficult to explain. A few carefully chosen words can somehow capture it.

    I think this is one of the reasons I enjoy teaching English to children with ADHD so much.

    There is something wonderful about watching a child realise that their ideas matter.

    ADHD, dyslexia and other forms of neurodivergence

    ADHD also doesn’t always appear on its own.

    Children with ADHD may also have dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism or other forms of neurodivergence. These differences can overlap, although having ADHD does not automatically mean a child will have another diagnosis.

    This is important because difficulties with writing can have many different causes.

    A child may struggle with organising ideas because of executive functioning difficulties. Another may find spelling and written language particularly challenging because of dyslexia. Another may have excellent ideas but become overwhelmed by the process of getting everything onto the page.

    This is why I don’t believe in a single “ADHD writing strategy”.

    The starting point should always be the child.

    What happens when they talk?

    What happens when they draw?

    Can they explain the story verbally?

    Do they need a visual plan?

    Would a mind map help?

    Could they dictate their first ideas before writing them?

    Once we understand where the difficulty is happening, we can start finding strategies that genuinely help.

    English should help children find their voice

    Ultimately, primary English isn’t just about spelling tests, handwriting and writing stories that contain the correct number of paragraphs.

    It is about communication.

    It is about helping children take the fascinating thoughts inside their heads and share them with somebody else.

    For an ADHD child, that process may need to look slightly different.

    Perhaps the story starts with a conversation.

    Perhaps it begins with a drawing.

    Perhaps it grows through a colourful mind map before becoming a paragraph.

    Perhaps the child tells the whole story aloud first and then writes it down.

    None of these approaches mean that we are lowering expectations.

    We are simply giving the child a bridge between having the idea and being able to express it.

    And sometimes, that bridge is exactly what a child needs to discover that they really are a writer.

    Helping ADHD children become confident writers

    After years of working with children with ADHD, dyslexia and other learning differences, I have become increasingly convinced that confidence is one of the most important ingredients in successful learning.

    When a child repeatedly experiences writing as something they cannot do, they can quickly begin to avoid it.

    But when we show them that their ideas are valuable, give them practical ways to organise those ideas and celebrate the progress they make, their attitude can change.

    The child who once said, “I don’t know what to write,” may suddenly have a story to tell.

    And once they have a story to tell, we can help them find the words.

    Here at Bedford Tutor and our online division, Kite Tutoring, we have supported children with ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism and other learning differences for many years. My own experience of ADHD has helped me understand just how differently children can think, learn and express themselves, whilst my experience as an English tutor has shown me the value of finding creative routes into literacy.

    Whether a child needs help organising their ideas, developing their writing, building confidence or simply discovering that English can actually be enjoyable, I believe the most important thing is to start with the child sitting in front of you.

    Sometimes we just need to give their ideas a little more room to breathe.

    To find out more, please see below:

    Bel 😊

    Wondering How We Can Help?

    Whether you’re exploring tuition options, looking for specialist support or simply have a question, we’d love to hear from you. Tell us a little about your child and what you’re looking for, and we’ll be in touch as soon as possible.

    Current Availability

    ✅ Super Summer Learning (August): Good availability throughout the holiday

    ✅ Weekday daytime tuition (from September): Good availability for international students, home-educated learners and families with flexible schedules

    🗓️ After-school, Saturday & Sunday morning tuition (from September): Waiting list currently in operation

    Please include Area Code if Outside UK

    Related Posts

  • Six Years Since My ADHD Diagnosis: The Day Everything Finally Made Sense

    Today marks six years since I was diagnosed with Combined ADHD.

    It’s strange really, because in some ways it feels like yesterday, and in other ways it feels as though I’ve lived an entirely different lifetime since that appointment.

    The date has always carried extra meaning for me because it’s also my late grandmother’s birthday. She was one of those people who believed in me long before I fully believed in myself. I’d like to think she’d be proud—not because I have ADHD, of course, but because of what I’ve chosen to do with the understanding that diagnosis gave me.

    Looking back now, I don’t really see my diagnosis as the beginning of my ADHD journey.

    It was the beginning of my self-understanding.

    For 31 years, I thought I was the problem

    Before my diagnosis, I spent decades trying to work out why some things seemed so effortless for other people but felt exhausting for me.

    Why could I happily spend twelve hours hyperfocused on something I loved, yet struggle to answer an email?

    Why did my brain collect ideas like a magpie collecting shiny objects?

    Why did people describe me as enthusiastic, energetic and creative, yet also tell me I needed to slow down, listen more carefully and stop rushing?

    The answers had actually been following me around since childhood.

    When I requested my old school reports before my assessment, I expected to find the occasional comment.

    Instead, I found pages and pages of teachers describing the same child.

    “Infectiously enthusiastic.”

    “Needs to listen more carefully.”

    “Too keen to get on.”

    “Must slow down.”

    “Controlling her excitement.”

    “Work is not a race.”

    Reading those reports as a 31-year-old was emotional.

    Not because they criticised me.

    Because they saw me.

    Long before ADHD was even mentioned, they were describing exactly the same traits that would eventually contribute to my diagnosis.

    When my psychiatrist assessed me in July 2020, it wasn’t based on one conversation. It drew together my childhood reports, detailed questionnaires, information from my mum and my own lifelong experiences before confirming Combined ADHD.

    Suddenly, thirty-one years of confusion began to make sense.

    A collage of historical school report comments from primary and middle school, featuring handwritten teacher feedback across multiple subjects including English, Mathematics, Art, Technology, ICT, Physical Education, and general comments. Many passages are highlighted, revealing recurring themes such as enthusiasm for learning, creativity, listening more carefully to instructions, slowing down, thinking work through, and building confidence. The reports document the student's academic progress, strengths, and personal development over several school years.

    My diagnosis didn’t change who I was

    People sometimes imagine receiving an ADHD diagnosis changes everything overnight.

    It doesn’t.

    I didn’t wake up the next morning with a different brain.

    I was still the same person who became fascinated by new ideas.

    The same person who interrupted because my excitement arrived before my patience.

    The same person who could lose an afternoon researching one tiny question I’d accidentally asked myself.

    The diagnosis didn’t change me.

    It changed the way I understood myself.

    Instead of asking,

    “What’s wrong with me?”

    I started asking,

    “What works for me?”

    That tiny shift changed everything.

    The biggest surprise wasn’t the diagnosis…

    …it was realising how hard I’d been working just to appear “normal.”

    Like many women with ADHD, I’d developed coping strategies without even realising it.

    Systems.

    Lists.

    Routines.

    Calendars.

    Colour coding.

    Structure.

    From the outside, people often assumed I couldn’t possibly have ADHD because I ran a business, arrived on time and appeared organised.

    What they couldn’t see was the amount of energy it took to hold all those systems together.

    Looking back, I wasn’t organised because ADHD hadn’t affected me.

    I was organised because I had spent years building scaffolding around the parts of my brain that found organisation difficult.

    ADHD has shaped my work in ways I never expected

    One of the biggest gifts my diagnosis gave me was understanding why I connected so naturally with so many of the children I teach.

    Long before I knew I had ADHD myself, I was already drawn towards children who learned differently.

    The child who couldn’t sit still.

    The child who had brilliant ideas but couldn’t get them onto paper.

    The child who had been told they talked too much.

    The child whose confidence had quietly disappeared because school had become a place where they constantly felt they were getting things wrong.

    Now I understand why.

    I recognise so much of myself in them.

    Not every child with ADHD is the same—I often say, “My ADHD isn’t your ADHD.” We all experience it differently. But understanding my own brain has made me a better tutor, a better listener and, I hope, someone who helps children feel understood rather than judged.

    Six years later…

    People sometimes ask whether I still think about my diagnosis.

    The answer is yes.

    Not because I question it anymore.

    Quite the opposite.

    Every so often, I’ll stumble across another childhood memory, another school report or another family story and think,

    “Well… that makes sense now.”

    It’s almost amusing how many clues there were.

    The child who was constantly told to slow down.

    The teenager whose enthusiasm was often bigger than the room.

    The adult who built a business around curiosity, creativity and helping other people.

    The signs were there all along.

    I just didn’t know what I was looking at.

    A colourful infographic celebrating ADHD strengths with the bold title "ADHD Strengths" and the message "Different, not less." The poster highlights positive qualities including creativity and imagination, quick thinking, energy and enthusiasm, resilience, hyperfocus, empathy, spontaneity, problem solving, honesty, and having big dreams. Bright illustrations of a lightbulb, brain, rainbow, mountains, heart, globe, puzzle pieces, shield, magnifying glass, and stars accompany each section. A banner at the bottom reads, "ADHD isn't a limitation, it's a different kind of ability. I am capable. I am enough. I am me."

    If you’re still wondering…

    One thing I wish someone had told me six years ago is this:

    You don’t have to become a different person after an ADHD diagnosis.

    You don’t need to lose your enthusiasm.

    Or your creativity.

    Or your energy.

    Those things aren’t the problem.

    Learning how to regulate them is.

    Understanding yourself isn’t about changing who you are.

    It’s about giving yourself permission to stop fighting your own brain and start working with it instead.

    Looking back with gratitude

    To celebrate today, I bought myself a wonderfully colourful ADHD hoodie from Vinted.

    A small thing perhaps.

    But sometimes milestones deserve celebrating.

    Because six years ago I walked into an assessment hoping for answers.

    I walked out with something much bigger.

    Understanding.

    And from that understanding grew acceptance, confidence, ADHD Galaxy, Bedford Tutor, countless conversations with families who finally felt understood, and a career helping children realise that struggling doesn’t mean they’re broken.

    If sharing my story helps just one parent recognise their child, or one adult finally feel understood, then every word has been worth writing.

    Six years on…

    I wouldn’t change a thing.

    Here at Bedford Tutor…

    Here at Bedford Tutor, I support children with ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, autism and a wide range of learning differences, alongside home-educated learners across the UK and around the world. My own ADHD diagnosis has given me a deeper understanding of the challenges many families face, but it has also shown me just how powerful the right support can be. Every lesson is designed to build confidence, celebrate strengths and help children discover that they are capable of far more than they often believe.

    To find out more, please click on the relevant link below.

    Bel 😊

    Wondering How We Can Help?

    Whether you’re exploring tuition options, looking for specialist support or simply have a question, we’d love to hear from you. Tell us a little about your child and what you’re looking for, and we’ll be in touch as soon as possible.

    Current Availability

    ✅ Super Summer Learning (August): Good availability throughout the holiday

    ✅ Weekday daytime tuition (from September): Good availability for international students, home-educated learners and families with flexible schedules

    🗓️ After-school, Saturday & Sunday morning tuition (from September): Waiting list currently in operation

    Please include Area Code if Outside UK

    Related Posts

  • My Favourite Maths Resources (And Why I Keep Coming Back to Them!)

    If someone asked me to choose just three maths resources to keep forever, I honestly don’t think I’d need very long to answer. Over the years, I’ve collected all sorts of games, manipulatives, worksheets and activities, but I always seem to come back to the same three resources.

    Not because they’re flashy.

    Not because they’re expensive.

    But because they work.

    As someone who has worked with hundreds of children over the years—particularly learners with ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia and autism—I have learnt that maths makes far more sense when children can actually see it, touch it and move it. Abstract numbers on a page can feel overwhelming for many learners, but the right resource can transform confusion into genuine understanding almost instantly.

    1. Numicon – My Absolute Favourite

    If you’ve ever had a lesson with me, you’ve probably met Numicon!

    Without a doubt, it is my favourite maths resource.

    There is just something incredibly satisfying about it. I love the colour-coding, I love the tactile feel of the pieces and, perhaps most importantly, I love how naturally children begin spotting patterns.

    Instead of seeing the number 8 as just another symbol on a page, they can physically hold eight. They can compare it with seven, build ten, explore number bonds and notice relationships without me having to explain every tiny step.

    I often find that children who have been told they’re “not good at maths” suddenly start smiling when Numicon comes out.

    It’s almost as though someone has switched the lights on.

    For many neurodivergent learners, that visual element is incredibly powerful. Rather than memorising facts which don’t seem to mean very much, they begin building genuine number sense.

    As someone who loves colour anyway, Numicon just makes my brain happy.

    2. Counters – Simple… But Brilliant

    If Numicon is my favourite specialist resource, counters are probably the most versatile.

    Honestly, you can teach almost anything with a handful of counters.

    Addition.

    Subtraction.

    Multiplication.

    Division.

    Fractions.

    Patterns.

    Probability.

    The list goes on.

    One of the things I love most is watching children move from counting every individual counter to recognising groups automatically. That transition is often where confidence starts growing.

    Children don’t always realise they’re developing mathematical reasoning because they’re so busy moving the counters around and experimenting for themselves.

    I’ve always believed children learn best when they’re actively involved.

    Sometimes I’ll deliberately say very little and simply ask, “What do you notice?”

    The answers children come up with are often far more interesting than the explanation I was about to give.

    Those moments are some of my favourites.

    3. Base Ten – Place Value Suddenly Makes Sense

    If there’s one concept that causes more confusion than almost anything else in primary maths, it’s place value.

    We tell children that the digit 3 can mean three… or thirty… or three hundred… and then wonder why they look slightly puzzled!

    This is exactly why I love Base Ten.

    Watching children physically exchange ten ones for one ten is one of those magical tutoring moments.

    Suddenly, our number system isn’t just a rule adults have invented.

    It actually makes sense.

    Regrouping during addition and subtraction becomes easier because children can physically see what’s happening instead of trying to imagine it.

    I especially enjoy using Base Ten with children who have dyscalculia because it slows everything down beautifully.

    There is no rush.

    No pressure.

    Just time to explore how numbers fit together.

    Why I Love Practical Maths So Much

    Looking back, I think I’ve always been someone who enjoys learning by doing.

    Perhaps that’s one reason I love using practical resources so much now.

    As someone with ADHD, I know my own brain remembers things far better when I can interact with them. Sitting passively and listening has never really been my strongest learning style, whereas exploring, building, noticing patterns and asking questions absolutely is. In many ways, I think that’s shaped the tutor I’ve become.

    I also think practical resources remove a huge amount of anxiety.

    Many children arrive believing maths is simply pages of calculations and getting things wrong.

    Then the counters appear.

    Or the Numicon.

    Or the Base Ten.

    Suddenly, maths feels much more like solving a puzzle than sitting a test.

    That’s when confidence starts to grow.

    And confidence changes everything.

    Final Thoughts

    People sometimes ask whether resources really make that much difference.

    For me, the answer is an emphatic yes.

    Of course, resources don’t teach children on their own, but the right resource, used at the right moment, can unlock understanding in a way that words sometimes can’t.

    If I had to choose just three maths resources for the rest of my tutoring career, I’d happily take Numicon, counters and Base Ten.

    Everything else would simply be a bonus.

    Here at Bedford Tutor, I have supported children in mathematics for many years, both across the UK and around the world. Whether I’m working with home-educated learners, supporting children with ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia or autism, or helping students rebuild their confidence after struggling with maths, I always aim to make learning practical, engaging and enjoyable. Resources like Numicon, counters and Base Ten are just some of the tools I use to help children truly understand mathematics rather than simply memorise it.

    To find out more, please click on the relevant link below.

    Bel 😊

    In-Person Tuition

    Related Posts