Weekly Reflections: Raising Awareness of Hidden Disabilities

Marking Neurodiversity Celebration Week, today's assembly was about raising awareness of hidden disabilities. What was unique about this assembly is that all of the content was entirely student driven. Students approached me a few months ago asking for help in how to raise awareness in our school about hidden disabilities.  After several meetings we landed on the idea of a school assembly. 

The students helped me decide on every aspect of the presentation, from the messaging to the music. Together we decided that the two goals of the assembly were for students and teachers to learn what is meant by the term 'hidden disability' and to gain a better understanding of what members of our school who have a hidden disability experience, whether it is in the classroom, in an exam, on a school trip or at a Year 7 sleepover. 

Hidden disabilities are an umbrella term that encompasses any disability that is not visible. A few examples we discussed:  a hearing or vision impairment, autism, medical conditions such as epilepsy, and life-threatening allergies. 

The students who helped to organise the assembly worked with me to gather quotes and experiences from their peers, and we shared these during the assembly and encouraged them to think about what it feels like to live with a disability that many people have no idea you have.  

I was so impressed with the students who helped to plan the assembly, but also with the respect and attention that all of the school gave to the presentation. The fact that our students feel comfortable suggesting ideas for assemblies, even ones that can feel challenging to talk about, and are so open and willing to help is what I love about working here. 

Mrs Melanie Whalley, Head of Careers