How the PINS Project is Bringing Assistive Technology into Kirklees Schools

The Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) project in Kirklees has been instrumental in supporting neurodivergent children through a range of initiatives — and assistive technology has been at the heart of it.

As part of this national programme, delivered by Kirklees Council, assistive technology remains a key strand aimed at making learning more accessible and inclusive for every child.

A Loan Bank of Equipment, Built for Schools

To help schools, a loan bank of assistive technology equipment was sourced through AT Superstore. This meant pupils could access learning in ways that worked for them — and teachers discovered how the right tools could save time and improve classroom inclusion without stretching already tight budgets.

Suleman Aswat, Commissioning Officer at Kirklees Council, explained:

"Schools are incredibly busy and often stretched on budgets, but through the PINS project, a loan bank of assistive technology equipment was sourced through AT Superstore. This enabled children to engage with learning in new ways, and staff gain more knowledge on assistive technology. This was exactly the kind of change we wanted the project to deliver. The success of the initial PINS project which involved 14 schools and ran from September 2024 to March 2025 has enabled more schools to be part of the second PINS project which commenced in September 2025."

Real Results in the Classroom

The feedback from schools has been encouraging. Two schools shared what they'd noticed in the classroom.

One school shared their experience with the Sensory Dome:

"The Sensory Dome has saved hours of adult time which would otherwise have been spent on chasing dysregulated pupils who would have been unable to settle or in giving support to regulate over much longer periods of time and in much more intrusive ways, instead the dome allows children to regulate more independently."

Another highlighted the difference made by reading pens during guided reading sessions:

"The Reading pens have been amazing in helping to provide some independence to some children during guided reading sessions as whilst some children really struggle to read the text, retain the information and then answer questions however these reading pens have helped to reduce some of that cognitive load and allow some children to practice guided reading questions with more ease than previously or more independently also with less adult support."

Making Inclusion Practical

For AT Superstore, the partnership was about making inclusion practical, not theoretical. By working alongside Kirklees Council, schools gained both resources and the confidence to try new approaches — demonstrating how small changes in practice and mindset can have a big impact.

Matt Dean, CEO of AT Superstore, added:

"We were proud to work with Kirklees Council on the PINS project. Through schools accessing assistive technology, assistance is provided to teachers and children in practical ways. It is about making learning easier, more inclusive, and giving every child a fair chance to succeed. The feedback we have received is exactly the difference we wanted to see and we are so pleased we have helped enable all children to be included at school.

Find Out More

If you're interested in learning more about the PINS2 project or exploring whether a similar loan bank model could work in your area, get in touch with us.

For further information on Assistive Technology in Children’s Services at Kirklees Council please feel free to contact: [email protected].