Does your child with ADHD keep being sent home from school because they can’t stay seated or keep wandering off? Here’s what the rules say about being sent home, the classroom support that often helps, a 10-minute “movement plan” to take to school, and what to do if it keeps happening.
You’re not alone. Getting a call to collect your child, again, is stressful and upsetting. You may be worried about your job, about your child falling behind, or about them feeling like the “naughty one”.
Children with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) aren’t choosing to wander off. Their brains find sitting still for a long time really hard. The Brain Breaks and Move to Learn cards in the Mooki ADHD deck show how movement can help them learn instead.
Can a school send my child home early?
In England, if a school sends a child home for behaviour, it should be recorded as a formal suspension (exclusion). The school must tell you in writing, and you have rights to challenge it. The government sets this out in its guidance on school suspensions and permanent exclusions.
“Informal” or “unofficial” exclusions, where you’re asked to collect your child early without it being recorded, are not allowed. Ambitious about Autism explains that being asked to collect a child before the end of the school day should be formally recorded as an exclusion.
Schools also have a duty under the Equality Act to make reasonable adjustments for disabled pupils. ADHD can count as a disability.
This is general information, not legal advice. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules.
Why does my child with ADHD keep being sent home?
Common reasons include:
- too much sitting – long lessons with little movement
- too much talking – long spoken instructions that are hard to follow
- boredom or difficulty – work that’s too easy, too hard or too long
- busy or noisy rooms – lots of distractions
- no plan for hard moments – staff don’t know what helps, so sending home becomes the default
Sending a child home doesn’t teach them a new skill. It can also teach them that leaving the room gets them out of hard work. A plan for support works better.
Support that helps a child with ADHD stay in class
Ask school about simple changes like these:
- Movement breaks – planned every 10 to 15 minutes, before restlessness builds
- Jobs that move – taking messages, handing out books or tidying
- Wobble cushions, standing desks or fidgets – to move without leaving their seat
- Short tasks with clear ends – 3 small parts instead of one long page
- Visual instructions – written or picture steps on the desk
- A safe exit – a “break” card they can use to go to an agreed calm spot
- A daily report card – a few simple goals, with praise and a note home
Our guide to accommodations for ADHD has more ideas. You could also share our guide for teachers on helping a pupil stay focused in class.
Try it today: a 10-minute movement plan
Make this with your child, then take it to school.
- Ask what’s hard (2 minutes). “When is it hardest to sit still at school?” Write down their answer, like “carpet time” or “maths”.
- Pick 3 moves (2 minutes). Choose three quick moves your child likes, like wall push-ups, a walk to the water fountain, or squeezing a stress ball.
- Make a break card (2 minutes). Draw or write “I need a break” on a small card your child can show the teacher.
- Practise (2 minutes). Role play: you’re the teacher, they show the card, then do one move for 1 minute and come back.
- Write it down (2 minutes). On one page, write: hardest times, 3 moves, the break card, and how long a break lasts. Share it with the class teacher and SENCo.
Want ready-made movement and focus plans?
The Brain Breaks, Move to Learn and Daily Report Card cards give you simple steps and printable sheets to share with school, so your child can move, refocus and stay in class. Each is one of 56 ten-minute activities in the Mooki ADHD deck.
Instant download · use on a phone or tablet, or print and fill in
What to ask the school for
Ask for a meeting with the class teacher and SENCo (special educational needs coordinator). You could ask:
- “Is my child on the SEN register, and what support is in place?”
- “How are the times I’ve been asked to collect him being recorded?”
- “Can we make a plan with movement breaks and a safe exit?”
- “Can we review it in 4 weeks?”
If support isn’t working, you can ask the council for an EHC needs assessment (education, health and care). The government’s guide to children with special educational needs explains how. Our guide to how schools spot pupils who need SEN support explains the assess, plan, do, review cycle.
Could it be something more?
If your child is struggling a lot at school, it may be worth checking for other needs too. Look out for:
- worry or tummy aches about going to school
- big reactions to noise, crowds or changes
- trouble with reading, writing or maths
- difficulty making friends
Some children with ADHD also have autism, anxiety or a learning difficulty. Our ADD ADHD checklist and guide to ADHD signs at 3, 4 and 5 may help.
When to get help: UK and US
In the UK: talk to the SENCo first, then your GP if your child hasn’t been assessed for ADHD. Your local SENDIASS (special educational needs and disabilities information, advice and support service) gives free, impartial advice. IPSEA and Contact also have free advice lines.
In the US: being sent home repeatedly can count as a removal from school. Ask for a meeting to discuss a 504 plan or IEP, and a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA).
The bottom line
Being sent home doesn’t fix the problem, and in England it should be formally recorded. Ask for a plan with movement, short tasks and a safe exit, and review it often. You know your child best. For ready-made plans, the Mooki ADHD deck has 56 ten-minute cards, including Brain Breaks and Move to Learn.
