Neuro-Normative Epistemic Injustice – Consequences for the UK Education Crisis and School Anxiety
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The UK education system is failing to meet needs, leading to an attendance and school anxiety crisis. However, the system faults those disproportionately and most visibly struggling – namely Neurodivergent and SEND learners – as outliers instead of warning signs. Only through acknowledgement of systemic internal mechanisms can the complexity and scope of the education crisis be addressed. In this commentary, we explore school anxiety through the underlying systemic mechanisms within neuro-normativity, epistemic injustice, and consequent affordances, or opportunities for action. Specifically, we argue that the rigid adherence to neuro-normative academic standards inherently fosters a loss of inclusivity and poor teacher knowledge and attitudes. Student camouflaging, or behavioural changes aimed at minimising overt Neurodivergent characteristics, may, thus, arise to navigate neuro-normativity, exacerbating school anxiety. Ultimately, this piece advocates for a paradigm shift away from pathologizing a context-driven problem as inherent to neurodivergence and instead calls for recognising ‘school anxiety’, and other educational consequences, as signals of a deeper systemic issue.
Many Neurodivergent children experience high levels of anxiety related to school. While this is becoming more recognised, school anxiety is still often seen as a problem within the child – something to be fixed – rather than something that may be caused by school itself. Even when research identifies school-based causes, it often overlooks the wider systems and policies that shape these environments. Without that context, there is a risk of suggesting surface-level or even unhelpful solutions. In this commentary, we challenge the common view of school anxiety. We suggest that school systems – their rules, routines, and expectations – are based on narrow ideas of what is ‘normal’. These ideas often exclude Neurodivergent students, whose needs and ways of thinking are rarely reflected in how schools are designed. We also explore how strict academic standards, curriculum demands, and exams can limit teachers’ ability to be inclusive. These pressures shape what is seen as ‘valid’ knowledge and behaviour, which can feed into bullying and social exclusion. As a result, many students feel they need to hide who they are in order to fit in. This ‘camouflaging’ can add to anxiety and make school even more distressing. We offer a new way of thinking about school anxiety – not as a flaw in the child, but as a sign that the system itself needs to change. By listening to those most affected, we can better understand the causes of distress and build a more inclusive education system.
