Anxiety can present a major barrier to learning, especially for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Whether you’re a parent, carer, tutor, or teacher, it’s likely you’ve encountered anxiety in some form, whether through avoidance, shutdowns, heightened emotional responses, or low engagement.
Understanding how to recognise anxiety and respond with the right tools and support can make all the difference. At Lincoln Inclusive Tutoring, we work every day with learners for whom anxiety is not just a passing emotion but an ongoing challenge that requires a thoughtful, person-centred approach.
Understanding Anxiety in SEND Learners
Anxiety is a normal human emotion experienced by all of us. In fact, according to the NHS, approximately 8 in 100 children and young people in the UK experience an anxiety disorder at some point. When we consider learners with additional needs, these numbers rise significantly.
For SEND learners, anxiety is often compounded by challenges with communication, emotional regulation, sensory processing, social interaction, and previous negative experiences in education. Anxiety can manifest in different ways, such as:
• Refusing to attend school or engage in tuition
• Difficulty starting or completing tasks
• Becoming upset or withdrawn in response to new or unfamiliar situations
• Outbursts or aggressive behaviours
• Perfectionism and fear of making mistakes
• Physical symptoms such as stomach aches, headaches, or fatigue
A Snapshot from Lincolnshire
In Lincolnshire, the number of pupils identified with SEND continues to rise. According to recent data from Lincolnshire County Council, over 28% of pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) have Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs listed as a primary or secondary area of need. Of these learners, anxiety is frequently cited as one of the most significant barriers to engagement and achievement.
Even in the absence of a formal diagnosis or additional need, anxiety can affect any learner, causing delays in learning, dips in confidence, and even long-term disengagement from education. This is why at Lincoln Inclusive Tutoring, we take a whole-child approach, recognising that emotional wellbeing is essential to learning.
What Can Help? Strategies That Work
1. Establish Predictability and Routine
SEND learners often thrive when they understand what to expect. We use visual schedules, Now and Next boards, and consistent routines to help reduce uncertainty and support transition between activities.
2. Incorporate Zones of Regulation
This well-established framework helps learners identify and label their emotional states using four colour-coded zones (Blue, Green, Yellow, Red). Once learners can recognise how they’re feeling, we introduce co-regulation and self-regulation strategies to support their return to a calm and focused state.
3. Communicate Clearly and Calmly
Short, direct instructions, visual prompts, and repetition support learners who may find processing verbal information difficult when anxious. A calm tone and body language are also essential, especially when learners become dysregulated.
4. Celebrate Effort, Not Just Outcomes
We place a strong emphasis on praising effort, engagement, and progress, no matter how small. This helps build confidence and reduce the fear of failure that often contributes to anxiety.
5. Personalise Learning Around Interests
Where possible, we build sessions around the learner’s interests. Whether it’s dinosaurs, gaming, art, or nature, we integrate familiar and enjoyable themes to make learning feel less daunting and more meaningful.
6. Relationship First, Learning Second
Above all else, the relationship between tutor and learner is at the heart of what we do. Learners need to feel emotionally safe and understood before any meaningful academic progress can be made.
Final Thoughts
Anxiety in SEND learners is not a sign of weakness or defiance - it’s often a signal that their environment, expectations, or past experiences have not yet been aligned with their needs. Supporting these learners doesn’t require fixing them, but instead adapting our approaches to reduce anxiety and foster emotional resilience.
At Lincoln Inclusive Tutoring, we’re committed to creating learning experiences that are responsive, inclusive, and emotionally attuned. Whether it’s working one-to-one in a home environment, providing EOTAS provision, or helping prepare a student for transition into a new setting, our focus remains the same - build a safe relationship first, then build success.
If you’re a parent seeking support, a tutor looking to join our mission, or a school interested in collaborative solutions, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact us today and discover how we’re changing the way learning feels for SEND learners - one calm, confident session at a time.
Next Month's Blog - Stay tuned for more updates and next month's blog which will be 'More Than a Label: One Student’s Journey from School Struggles to Self-Belief.” This inspiring blog will share the real-life story of a young person who, after facing years of challenges in mainstream education, found strength in embracing who he is beyond the diagnosis of autism. Through accessing tailored support, finding joy in his passions, and building confidence outside the traditional classroom, he’s now thriving in ways once thought impossible.
