The Communication Passport: Coaching Tools for SEN

In the overlapping worlds of sport and education, performance and support must go hand-in-hand. This is especially true for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and neurodivergent learners, who often navigate complex internal landscapes while striving for external success.

I was fortunate to attend a morning of CPD with Dr Josie Perry, a leading performance psychologist whose work explores how neurodivergent individuals can thrive in high-performance sport. Her insights were both practical and profoundly human. What struck me most was how often small, intentional adaptations—when rooted in understanding—can make the difference between surviving and excelling. It was during this session that I first encountered her idea of The Communication Passport.

This simple yet powerful tool sparked something in me. Why don’t we use this more in schools? Why aren’t we equipping students, particularly those balancing SEN needs or elite performance, with the language and structure to explain what helps them thrive?

That’s where this resource began.

What Is the Communication Passport?

The Communication Passport is a strengths-based coaching tool, inspired by Dr Perry’s work in performance psychology. It is designed to foster meaningful collaboration between students and the staff who teach, coach, or support them—whether on the pitch, in the classroom, or in pastoral contexts. Rather than being another one-size-fits-all document, it is co-created with the student and grows with them. It prioritises autonomy, self-awareness, and mutual understanding. This isn’t about labelling students. It’s about liberating them—helping them articulate how they thrive and what support truly looks like.

How does it differ from a Pupil Passport?

You might be wondering how this differs from a traditional Pupil Passport often used by SENCOs. While both aim to support individual needs, the Communication Passport is fundamentally different in its approach and purpose. Traditional Pupil Passports are typically written about the student by adults, usually SENCOs or teachers, and often focus on outlining required adjustments or accommodations. They can become static documents, updated infrequently, and may lean towards highlighting deficits or difficulties. In contrast, the Communication Passport is co-created with the student through coaching-style conversations. It is dynamic, reflective, and growth-oriented, placing emphasis on strengths, preferences, motivations, and communication styles. Most importantly, it belongs to the student, it’s a living resource that helps them articulate what helps them thrive, not just what support they are entitled to. Whereas Pupil Passports may serve a compliance function, the Communication Passport is designed to build understanding, trust, and autonomy between students and staff, both in academic and performance settings.

Why It Matters

Dr Perry’s work highlights a crucial truth: success is deeply personal. Confidence, communication, and clarity are not just outcomes—they are enablers.

This applies just as powerfully in education. Students who know themselves, and are known by others, perform better. They are less likely to disengage, more likely to advocate for themselves, and far more equipped to navigate challenge.

The Communication Passport bridges the gap between what a student needs, and what adults assume.

What’s Inside the Passport?

The resource is divided into five flexible, student-led sections. An idea of what to include is below:

About Me

• My strengths and superpowers

• What motivates me

• How I respond to challenge

• What helps me stay calm or focused

• How I like to receive feedback

How I Communicate

• My preferred style (verbal, visual, written, etc.)

• Signs I’m struggling

• What to do when I shut down

• What helps when I feel overwhelmed

In the Classroom / On the Pitch

• What good support looks like

• What doesn’t help

• My current goals

• How I track or reflect on my own progress

Coaching Reflections

• Weekly or termly coaching prompts

• Student-led review questions: What went well? What could be better?

• Space for coach/student joint reflections

Adaptations That Help

• Sensory needs and preferences

• Routines that support success

• Examples of what’s worked in the past

Designed for Collaboration

This isn’t a form to be filled and forgotten. It’s a living, dynamic coaching tool that sits at the heart of collaborative conversations. It can be used:

• During 1:1 coaching or mentoring sessions

• In academic reviews or goal-setting meetings

• By pastoral staff to better understand needs

• By coaches to tailor training and communication styles

It belongs to the student, and that matters. When young people have a say in how they are supported, they are far more likely to engage with that support meaningfully.

Who Can Benefit?

The passport is especially powerful for:

• Neurodivergent learners (ADHD, autism, dyslexia, sensory processing differences)

• Student-athletes balancing intense training and academic pressure

• Students in transition (e.g. moving up to GCSEs, joining a new school, or recovering from injury or burnout)

• Any learner seeking to better understand and advocate for themselves

Core Principles

At the heart of the Communication Passport lies a set of guiding principles that shape not just the content, but the entire philosophy behind it. First and foremost is empowerment over dependency - the belief that students should be active participants in shaping their own support, not passive recipients of interventions. This tool is designed to develop self-awareness and voice, enabling students to understand and advocate for their needs with growing confidence.

Closely linked is the principle of coaching over fixing. Rather than positioning the student as a problem to be solved, the Communication Passport adopts a coaching stance: curious, supportive, and future-focused. It aims to unlock potential rather than patch over challenges. The third principle, collaboration over compliance, reframes the role of teachers, coaches, and support staff. It encourages partnership, not prescription, recognising that the most effective strategies emerge when adults and students work together as equals, not in a top-down dynamic.

Next is clarity over assumption. So often, misunderstandings stem not from unwillingness, but from uncertainty. The passport creates a shared language, helping staff understand how a student communicates, what support looks like for them, and what to do when things get tough, eliminating guesswork and fostering trust. Finally, it champions compassion over control. The passport is not a behaviour management tool or a compliance checklist. It’s a relational resource, rooted in empathy, respect, and the assumption that every young person is doing the best they can with the tools they have.

These aren’t just abstract values, they are embedded into the structure of the passport itself. Every section, every prompt, and every coaching conversation is intentionally designed to reflect and reinforce these principles.

Final Thoughts

We ask a lot of our students, especially those juggling SEN needs or athletic commitments. It’s time we gave them a voice in return. The Communication Passport is a small tool with transformative potential. It doesn’t just improve performance; it builds trust, autonomy, and psychological safety. And in any high-performing environment, be it a sports field or a classroom, that’s the real foundation for success.