How can I help a pupil with autism and ADHD stay focused in class?

Do you have a pupil with autism and ADHD who drifts off, fidgets, shouts out or melts down when the class gets busy? Here’s why focus is so hard for AuDHD pupils, quick classroom changes you can make tomorrow, a 10-minute focus routine to try today, and how to work with parents.

Many teachers and TAs find this one of the hardest mixes to support. Strategies that help ADHD, like lots of movement and novelty, can upset an autistic pupil who needs calm and sameness. Strategies for autism, like a fixed routine, can feel boring to a pupil with ADHD.

The good news is that a few simple changes help both. The Brain Breaks and Am I On Task? cards in the Mooki ADHD deck, and the Visual Timetable card in the Mooki Autism deck, give you ready-made versions you can use in class.

Why is it so hard for a pupil with autism and ADHD to stay focused?

Some pupils have both autism and ADHD. This is sometimes called AuDHD. The two can pull in different directions:

• ADHD – makes it hard to start tasks, ignore distractions, sit still and hold instructions in mind
• autism – can mean sensory overload, a strong need to know what’s coming next, and difficulty with unclear spoken instructions
• together – a pupil may crave stimulation and also be overwhelmed by it, often in the same lesson

So a pupil who “won’t focus” is usually not choosing to switch off. They may be bored, overloaded, confused about what to do, or worried about what’s coming next. Working out which one is the first step.

Quick classroom changes for a pupil with autism and ADHD

You don’t need a separate lesson. Small tweaks make a big difference:

• Seat them thoughtfully – near you, away from doors, windows and busy displays, but not facing a wall where they feel shut out
• Show the plan – a visual timetable on the desk, with “now” and “next”, so they know what’s coming
• Give one instruction at a time – say it, show it, and leave it written on the board or a sticky note
• Chunk the task – give 3 short parts instead of one long page, with a tick box for each part
• Plan movement in – a job like handing out books, or a brain break every 10 to 15 minutes, before restlessness builds
• Cut the sensory load – allow ear defenders, a quieter spot or a fidget that doesn’t distract others
• Use their interests – a maths problem about trains or a story about dinosaurs can hold attention far longer

This fits the Education Endowment Foundation’s SEND guidance, which says great teaching for pupils with SEND starts with high-quality teaching for everyone. Its “five-a-day” approach includes explicit instruction, scaffolding and flexible grouping.

Our guide to accommodations for ADHD has more classroom ideas.

Try it today: in class – a 10-minute focus routine

Use this at the start of a work block. It works for one pupil, a small group or the whole class.

1. Show the plan (1 minute). Point to the visual timetable. Say, “Now: writing. Next: brain break.” Keep words short.
2. Model the first step (2 minutes). Do the first line or sum yourself, out loud, so the pupil can see exactly what “done” looks like.
3. Work in a short burst (4 minutes). Set a visual timer. The pupil works on part 1 only.
4. Check in (1 minute). Ask, “Am I on task?” The pupil gives a thumbs up, sideways or down. Praise what they did: “You wrote two sentences. Great focus.”
5. Brain break (2 minutes). A quick movement break, like wall push-ups, a walk to the water fountain, or squeezing a stress ball. Then back to “now”.

Repeat the cycle for the next part of the task. Over a few weeks, slowly stretch the work burst from 4 minutes to 6 or 8.

How to help a pupil with autism and ADHD stay focused when things change

Changes are often the hardest part of the day. Moving from carpet to tables, a supply teacher or a wet play can undo a good morning. To help:

• give a warning before a change, like “2 more minutes, then tidy up”
• use the same words and signal each time
• tell them about changes to the timetable as early as you can
• give a clear first job after the change, like “get your pencil, then sit down”

How TAs can help without taking over

A TA can make a huge difference. But sitting next to one pupil all day can stop them learning to manage on their own. The EEF’s guidance on teaching assistants says TAs should help pupils become more independent, not replace the teacher.

Try this:

• Step in, then step back – help them start, then move away and come back to check
• Prompt, don’t do – point to the next step on the checklist instead of saying the answer
• Praise independence – “You started all by yourself. That’s brilliant”

Working with parents

Parents of AuDHD children often see a very different child at home. Some children hold it together all day and then explode after school. Ask parents:

• what calms their child
• what their child loves talking about
• what a hard day looks like at home

Share one thing that’s working in class each week, not just the problems. A simple home-school diary helps.

When to involve the SENCo or outside help

Talk to your SENCo (special education teacher in the US) if the pupil:

• still struggles after a few weeks of these changes
• is often distressed, hiding or melting down
• is falling well behind
• doesn’t have a diagnosis, but you see signs of both autism and ADHD

In England, support follows the “assess, plan, do, review” cycle in the SEND code of practice. In the US, the pupil may need a 504 plan or IEP. See our 504 accommodations for ADHD for examples. Parents can use our ADD ADHD checklist or read what autism is.

The bottom line

A pupil with autism and ADHD isn’t choosing not to focus. Show the plan, chunk the work, build in movement and lower the noise, and you’ll often see a big change. You know your pupils best. For ready-made routines, the Mooki ADHD deck has 56 ten-minute cards, including Brain Breaks and Am I On Task?.