Executive functioning is the set of mental skills that help us plan, organise, remember and manage everyday tasks. For children and young people, these skills are essential for learning, independence and confidence both in school and at home.

What Are Executive Functioning Skills?

Executive functioning covers a wide range of skills, including:

• Organisation – keeping track of belongings, planning homework or projects

• Time management – understanding how long tasks take and meeting deadlines

• Working memory – holding information in mind while following instructions

• Flexibility – coping with changes and finding new ways to solve problems

• Self-control – managing impulses, emotions and attention

How We Support in School

Teachers and our Inclusion Leader can use practical strategies to strengthen these skills, such as:

• Providing visual timetables

• Breaking tasks into step-by-step instructions

• Using checklists and planners

• Chunking work into smaller, more manageable steps

• Building in movement breaks to help focus

How Families Can Help at Home

Parents and carers can support executive functioning development by:

• Creating consistent daily routines

• Using calendars, whiteboards or apps to plan the week

• Encouraging “to-do” lists and ticking them off together

• Offering praise and celebrating small successes

Useful Resources

• Young Minds – Helping with concentration and organisation

• ADDitude – Executive functioning strategies

• Kent SEND Information Hub

Need Further Support?

If you have concerns about your child’s executive functioning skills, please speak to their class teacher or our Inclusion Leader, Mrs Butcher. We can work together to provide personalised strategies to help your child succeed.