Latest news with #TomHoward
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Suffolk man calls for mandatory teacher neurodivergent training
An autistic man wants all teachers to undertake training to help them better understand how to interact with neurodivergent students and Howard's petition, calling on the government to make the training mandatory, already has more than 10,000 supporters. The 29-year-old, from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, hoped it would help make education more accessible, improve inclusion and safety, and ensure the mental health of neurodivergent students does not suffer like his did."At university, things became overwhelming, the lack of understanding and reasonable adjustments pushed me to breaking point," he told the BBC. According to the national charity Children's Society UK, it was estimated that between 15 and 20% of young people in the UK were meant they had been diagnosed with either autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia or Tourette's Syndrome, NHS England by the National Autistic Society, meanwhile, showed just 14% of secondary school teachers have received more than half a day's training on education report also revealed that 70% of autistic young people said teachers don't understand enough about autism. Joey Nettleton Burrows, policy and public affairs manager at the organisation, said it was "critical" for teachers to understand autism to ensure autistic pupils feel supported in the classroom."A lack of understanding about autism can lead to students feeling unsupported, or that their needs aren't being met, which can have a negative impact on their attendance and attainment," he said. "Autistic children deserve the right help at school, and teachers should be supported to provide this. "All teachers and school staff should receive mandatory autism training to improve understanding and ensure that all autistic children get the education they need." Mr Howard said he feared struggles faced by neurodivergent students could contribute to "poor mental health and emotional distress" – something he wants to prevent from happening."I want teachers to have training so they can spot and understand the signs and symptoms and learn how to interact with people who are neurodivergent," he said."But it's not just about the interactions between teachers and students because there are more and more neurodivergent teachers and support staff in the workplace." 'Every student deserves to be understood' Mr Howard received a "late diagnosis" for his autism in July 2016 when he was 20 years old and studying at lack of quiet spaces for breaks, clear instructions, extended time for exams and coursework, flexible deadlines and the availability of assistive technology made studying difficult, he said. He also struggled with changing timetables, not being allowed to leave class when he felt overwhelmed, and not having one-to-one mentoring sessions with a trusted staff member."This lived experience is what now drives me to campaign for change because no one should have to reach crisis before they're supported," he said. "Every teacher deserves the tools to recognise and respond to neurodivergence—and every student deserves to be understood." 'Something will change' Mr Howard surveyed just over 80 teachers and lecturers as part of research for his campaign and said he was "quite surprised" when 90% told him neurodivergent training would be useful. Speaking about the petition, he said: "It is absolutely incredible, I have been overwhelmed by the public response, and I am looking forward to seeing what the government has to say."If I can get further cross-party backing and keep raising awareness, I think we will slowly chip away at it, and I am hopeful something will change."The government is required to respond to petitions on the UK Parliament website with more than 10,000 signatures. A Department for Education spokesperson said: "It will take time but, as part of our Plan for Change, we are thinking differently about what the Send [special educational needs and disabilities] system should look like, to restore the confidence of families up and down the country and deliver the improvement they are crying out for so every child can achieve and thrive."We are already making progress by investing £1bn into Send nationally and £740m to encourage councils to create more specialist places in mainstream schools, paving the way for significant, long-term reform." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Yahoo
Pictured: Durham graduate, 27, killed while trekking in Himalayas
A Durham University graduate has been identified as the British tourist who died after falling in the Himalayas. Tom Howard, 27, died on Monday while on a mountain trek in India with his friend Robert Emerton, also 27. The pair were walking the 5.5-mile Triund Trek on Sunday when Mr Howard, a software engineer educated at fee-paying Cranleigh School in Surrey, suffered severe injuries in the fall. Mr Emerton, an auditor, walked for two-and-a-half hours to summon help from the nearby village of Thathri, on the outskirts of Dharamshala. A 10-man rescue team then found Mr Howard in 'a critical condition' before attempting to evacuate him to safety on a stretcher across 'challenging terrain', the state rescue service said. A spokesman said: 'He was secured to a stretcher and they began the challenging descent along with his co-trekker.' The rescuers did not reach Dharamshala until Monday afternoon, where Mr Howard was pronounced dead. A post-mortem examination conducted at a hospital in Dharamshala later revealed 'severe chest and abdomen injuries' and a lacerated liver, officials said. Dr Anuradha Sharma, the hospital's medical superintendent, said his fall 'must have been from a considerable height'. Kuldeep Singh, who was involved in the rescue operation, said earlier this week: 'His friend contacted some local villagers and they were able to guide us to the spot where he died. 'The rescuers walked for about 2.5 hours through the jungle to reach it. I think he was alive then. But by the time the second team got there to bring him down, he had died.' Mr Howard and Mr Emerton are thought to have met as undergraduates at St Mary's College, Durham, where they matriculated in 2015. Photos showed the pair enjoying formal dinners in black tie, while Mr Howard, a skilled sportsman, represented the university and his college at hockey. Before university, Mr Howard attended Cranleigh School, the public school where he was a prefect and earned four A-Levels. He then earned a second-class master's degree in natural sciences at Durham and joined London-based Quantexa, the financial security firm, after graduation. Mr Howard, originally from Weybridge, Surrey, was twice promoted and was a senior data engineer at the time of his death. It was reported that the state government had imposed a ban on high-altitude trekking during the winter of which the two tourists were unaware. A spokesman for the firm said: 'We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Tom Howard, who was a talented and valued colleague at Quantexa. 'Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.' A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: 'We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in India and are in contact with the local authorities.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
21-02-2025
- Telegraph
Pictured: Durham graduate, 27, killed while trekking in Himalayas
This is the Durham University graduate who died in the Himalayas after falling from a cliff on a mountain trek. Tom Howard, 27, died on Monday while travelling in India with his university friend Robert Emerton, also 27. The pair were walking the 5.5-mile Triund Trek on Sunday when Mr Howard, a software engineer educated at fee-paying Cranleigh School in Surrey, suffered severe injuries in the fall. Mr Emerton, an auditor, walked for two-and-a-half hours to summon help from the nearby village of Thathri, on the outskirts of Dharamshala. A 10-man rescue team then found Mr Howard in 'a critical condition' before attempting to evacuate him to safety on a stretcher across 'challenging terrain', the state rescue service said. A spokesman said: 'He was secured to a stretcher and they began the challenging descent along with his co-trekker.' The rescuers did not reach Dharamshala until Monday afternoon, where Mr Howard was pronounced dead. A post-mortem examination conducted at a hospital in Dharamshala later revealed 'severe chest and abdomen injuries' and a lacerated liver, officials said. Dr Anuradha Sharma, the hospital's medical superintendent, said his fall 'must have been from a considerable height'. Kuldeep Singh, who was involved in the rescue operation, said earlier this week: 'His friend contacted some local villagers and they were able to guide us to the spot where he died. 'The rescuers walked for about 2.5 hours through the jungle to reach it. I think he was alive then. But by the time the second team got there to bring him down, he had died.' Mr Howard and Mr Emerton are thought to have met as undergraduates at St Mary's College, Durham, where they matriculated in 2015. Photos showed the pair enjoying formal dinners in black tie, while Mr Howard, a skilled sportsman, represented the university and his college at hockey. Before university, Mr Howard attended Cranleigh School, the public school where he was a prefect and earned four A-Levels. He then earned a second-class master's degree in natural sciences at Durham and joined London-based Quantexa, the financial security firm, after graduation. Mr Howard, originally from Weybridge, Surrey, was twice promoted and was a senior data engineer at the time of his death. It was reported that the state government had imposed a ban on high-altitude trekking during the winter of which the two tourists were unaware. A spokesman for the firm said: 'We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Tom Howard, who was a talented and valued colleague at Quantexa. 'Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.' A spokesman for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: 'We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in India and are in contact with the local authorities.'
