Concentration

Provision and/or strategies: approaches, adjustments and specific interventions expected to be made by settings according to the ages and stages of the CYP

Universal

• Consider that attention can be influenced by a range of factors, including understanding of content, working memory, sensory and emotional needs, motivation, sleep, diet, and hearing or vision.
• Support CYP to understand these factors and develop age-appropriate strategies to manage them, with parental involvement where appropriate.
• Support CYP to recognise what helps and hinders their attention and develop strategies accordingly.  More information can be found in the Cognition and Learning section.
• Plan activities that are engaging and developmentally appropriate.
• Use flexible pacing to support sustained engagement and prioritise quality of engagement over quantity of work, ensuring tasks are purposeful and appropriate to need.
• Teach and model strategies to develop attention and focus as a skill (e.g. how to sustain attention, return to task, and manage distractions).  More information can be found in the Cognition and Learning section.
• Teach metacognitive strategies explicitly and regularly (e.g. planning, self-checking, monitoring attention).  More information can be found in the Cognition and Learning section.
• Model and rehearse self-monitoring strategies (e.g. "Am I on task?" prompts) during lessons.
• Teach organisational skills explicitly (e.g. using planners, breaking down tasks, managing materials).
• Structure learning using visual prompts (e.g. timers, visual timetables, first-then boards) and clear routines to support attention.
• Sequence activities into manageable steps to reduce cognitive load.
• Use structured, scaffolded interactions to support the development of shared attention, gradually increasing independence and sustained engagement.
• Reduce distractions through effective organisation of the environment.
• Embed movement and sensory supports as part of regular practice.
• Use short, timed work intervals with planned movement breaks to reduce fatigue and sustain focus.
• Plan regular opportunities to pause, check in, and re-engage, adapting as needed.

Targeted

• Provide memory aids (e.g. vocabulary mats, worked examples) to free up attention for task completion.
• Teach explicit strategies for task initiation and completion (e.g. "start-do-check" routines).
• Use low-distraction zones or workstation areas for CYP requiring higher levels of attentional support.
• Strengthen attention through structured adult-CYP interactions and guided practice.
• Provide explicit teaching of attention, processing and task-management strategies (e.g. how to begin, sustain and complete tasks).
• More information can be found in the Cognition and Learning section (Executive Functioning, Engagement or Focus).