West Sussex village school to help launch pupil's project to explain neurodiversity to everyone in a positive way

Dexter Allis has the full support of his school, Sompting Village Primary, and the West Sussex village will be the first to receive the project's books and resources.

Mum Jax Shaw, who lives in Farlington, said the child-led initiative Dexter’s Dream was inspired by a simple conversation with her son about what he wanted to be when he grows up.

Rather than saying a footballer, or another typical childhood ambition like YouTuber, he said he wanted to create an organisation that goes into schools to talk to children about ADHD 'because no one understands'.

Dexter said: "The hardest part isn’t me having ADHD. It’s when other people don’t get it. I don’t want kids like me to feel different in a bad way. I want them to feel different in a brilliant way. Our brains aren’t wrong. They just work differently, and that’s something to be proud of.”

Dexter’s Dream was launched to help schools celebrate neurodiversity in a positive and proactive way. The aim is not just to help children with ADHD understand themselves but to help other children understand neurodiversity, too.

Jax said: "Dexter has ADHD. We have always spoken about this openly, not as something to be hidden or corrected but as part of who he is. Neurodiversity is not a flaw. It is a difference that should be visible, valued, and celebrated.”

The longer-term ambition is to expand the project to reach schools across the UK, shifting culture to embed neurodiversity in everyday school life.

Dexter said his ADHD had given him first-hand experience of how misunderstanding can affect friendships and confidence. Schools often provide support when challenges arise but the aim of Dexter’s Dream is to build understanding before intervention is needed.

Jax said: "This isn’t about what schools are doing wrong. It’s about building something positive and proactive led by the children it affects. Dexter wants children to grow up already understanding and celebrating different brains, so no one feels isolated or misunderstood.

"More recently, while choosing a book at school with a teaching assistant, Dexter realised there were no books that represented him. He said he had only ever seen a couple of books about autism and none that reflected ADHD or neurodiversity more broadly in a positive, everyday way.

"No characters like him, no stories that celebrate difference, no quiet message that his brain is something to be proud of. That moment is where Dexter’s Dream stopped being an idea and became something real.” Ideas include age-appropriate books that positively represent ADHD and other neurodivergent conditions, visible inclusive spaces that celebrate different brains, practical tools such as fidget resources and activities aligned with key awareness moments, including Neurodiversity Celebration Week and ADHD Awareness Month.

Jax said: "Children should grow up already knowing that different brains exist, that they bring different strengths, and that those differences make classrooms richer. Neurodiversity should be something children admire and value, not something they are taught to tolerate or make allowances for."

Dexter’s Dream has raised more than £1,300 through community donations, with further fundraising activity planned to bring Dexter’s vision to life. Visit www.gofundme.com/f/dexters-dream for more information and to make a donation.

Dexter said: ''I'm so grateful to everyone who has helped with donations so far. I really want to help other neurodivergent kids and other people who have friends or children who are neurodivergent. It makes me feel so happy and proud of the project.''

Dexter’s Dream is currently building its website at www.dextersdream.co.uk and social media presence, including on Facebook, to share updates and connect with schools that would like to get involved.