Task Initiation Support Pack | ADHD SEND Executive Function Scaffolds | KS2-KS4 + Parent Handout

A complete toolkit for pupils who struggle to start. Four differentiated scaffolds across Universal, Targeted and Targeted Plus tiers, three strategy banks for teachers, and a parent handout for homework.

Task initiation is the single most common EF barrier in mainstream classrooms. It looks like defiance, laziness or disorganisation. It’s none of those. This pack gives you the reframe, the strategies, the scaffolds, and the home-school bridge to actually move the dial.
15 pages covering every angle: teacher CPD on why pupils can’t start, three strategy banks (Environmental, Verbal, Visual) with 16 specific strategies, four pupil-facing scaffolds matched to the graduated approach, a parent/carer handout for homework, and a scaffold decision matrix so teachers know exactly which tool for which pupil.
What’s included:
For the teacher:
• “Why pupils can’t start” CPD page with classroom reframe
• Strategy Bank 1: Environmental — 6 low-effort changes to the classroom and task set-up
• Strategy Bank 2: Verbal scaffolds — 6 scripted teacher moves at the moment of initiation
• Strategy Bank 3: Visual scaffolds — 4 pupil-facing scaffolds with effort ratings
• Scaffold decision matrix on page 14 matching behaviours to scaffolds
For the pupil (differentiated by tier):
• Scaffold A (Universal): First step card — single-prompt desk card, whole-class safe
• Scaffold B (Targeted): Getting unstuck flowchart — branching problem-solving before adult help
• Scaffold C (Targeted +): Task breakdown template — full decomposition for extended writing
• Scaffold D (Targeted +): Self-talk script card — for anxiety-driven avoidance
For the family:
• Printable one-page parent/carer handout with 6 practical homework tips in accessible language that mirrors classroom practice
Plus:
• Full worked example showing Scaffold C filled in for a real English task (Heaney’s “Blackberry-Picking”)
How it helps:
• Reframes task initiation difficulty as a cognitive load problem, not a motivation problem
• Gives teachers multiple options rather than one-size-fits-all
• Enables a consistent language between classroom and home
• Provides differentiated support across the graduated approach without overwhelming the pupil
• Works immediately: Strategy Bank 1 takes ten minutes to implement, scaffolds print in two
Best for: Class teachers at KS2 to KS4, SENCos, TAs supporting individual pupils, tutors, and any educator working with pupils with ADHD, ASC, anxiety profiles or general EF difficulties.
Formats: Print-ready PDF. Scaffolds print A4 or A5, first-step cards print four to a page at A6. Parent handout prints A4.

Tags
task initiation, ADHD support, SEND scaffolds, executive function, starting work, homework support, parent handout, KS2, KS3, KS4, secondary SEND, getting started, avoidance, classroom scaffolds, graduated approach