What is NME
The Neurosequential Model in Education (NME) is a classroom-based approach to support school staff and children to learn more about brain development and the impact of developmental trauma on a child’s ability to function in a classroom. The NME model has evolved from the collaborative efforts with educators to develop a parallel and complementary programme for education.
The NME has been designed to help those in the field of education (headteachers, teachers, classroom assistants, SENCO’s, educational psychologists and pastoral teams) develop a series of educationally based therapeutic activities that are consistent with the sequence of the developing brain. The most rapid periods of brain growth occur during the first four years of a child’s life, which is when developmental trauma can have such a profound and devastating impact on brain development and functioning.
According to Dr Perry, unless our interventions match the brain areas affected by early life adversity, they are unlikely to be successful. This is why it is important the sequence of educationally based therapeutic activities is underpinned by the three R’s: Regulate, Relate then Reason.
Enhanced Learning with the NME
- The NME helps teachers understand that children’s behavioural issues are often more related to impoverished or undeveloped skills rather than ‘bad’ behaviour
- The goal of NME is to help the teaching team (and pupils) understand basic principles of brain development and apply this to the classroom
- NME is not a specific educational intervention as such; it is a developmentally sensitive and biologically respectful approach to education which helps us understand and support a child’s readiness for learning

What is NME
The Neurosequential Model in Education (NME) is a classroom-based approach to support school staff and children to learn more about brain development and the impact of developmental trauma on a child’s ability to function in a classroom. The NME model has evolved from the collaborative efforts with educators to develop a parallel and complementary programme for education.
The NME has been designed to help those in the field of education (headteachers, teachers, classroom assistants, SENCO’s, educational psychologists and pastoral teams) develop a series of educationally based therapeutic activities that are consistent with the sequence of the developing brain. The most rapid periods of brain growth occur during the first four years of a child’s life, which is when developmental trauma can have such a profound and devastating impact on brain development and functioning.
According to Dr Perry, unless our interventions match the brain areas affected by early life adversity, they are unlikely to be successful. This is why it is important the sequence of educationally based therapeutic activities is underpinned by the three R’s: Regulate, Relate then Reason.
Enhanced Learning with the NME
- The NME helps teachers understand that children’s behavioural issues are often more related to impoverished or undeveloped skills rather than ‘bad’ behaviour
- The goal of NME is to help the teaching team (and pupils) understand basic principles of brain development and apply this to the classroom
- NME is not a specific educational intervention as such; it is a developmentally sensitive and biologically respectful approach to education which helps us understand and support a child’s readiness for learning

What is NME
The Neurosequential Model in Education (NME) is a classroom-based approach to support school staff and children to learn more about brain development and the impact of developmental trauma on a child’s ability to function in a classroom. The NME model has evolved from the collaborative efforts with educators to develop a parallel and complementary programme for education.
The NME has been designed to help those in the field of education (headteachers, teachers, classroom assistants, SENCO’s, educational psychologists and pastoral teams) develop a series of educationally based therapeutic activities that are consistent with the sequence of the developing brain. The most rapid periods of brain growth occur during the first four years of a child’s life, which is when developmental trauma can have such a profound and devastating impact on brain development and functioning.
According to Dr Perry, unless our interventions match the brain areas affected by early life adversity, they are unlikely to be successful. This is why it is important the sequence of educationally based therapeutic activities is underpinned by the three R’s: Regulate, Relate then Reason.
Enhanced Learning with the NME
- The NME helps teachers understand that children’s behavioural issues are often more related to impoverished or undeveloped skills rather than ‘bad’ behaviour
- The goal of NME is to help the teaching team (and pupils) understand basic principles of brain development and apply this to the classroom
- NME is not a specific educational intervention as such; it is a developmentally sensitive and biologically respectful approach to education which helps us understand and support a child’s readiness for learning

What is NME
The Neurosequential Model in Education (NME) is a classroom-based approach to support school staff and children to learn more about brain development and the impact of developmental trauma on a child’s ability to function in a classroom. The NME model has evolved from the collaborative efforts with educators to develop a parallel and complementary programme for education.
The NME has been designed to help those in the field of education (headteachers, teachers, classroom assistants, SENCO’s, educational psychologists and pastoral teams) develop a series of educationally based therapeutic activities that are consistent with the sequence of the developing brain. The most rapid periods of brain growth occur during the first four years of a child’s life, which is when developmental trauma can have such a profound and devastating impact on brain development and functioning.
According to Dr Perry, unless our interventions match the brain areas affected by early life adversity, they are unlikely to be successful. This is why it is important the sequence of educationally based therapeutic activities is underpinned by the three R’s: Regulate, Relate then Reason.
Enhanced Learning with the NME
- The NME helps teachers understand that children’s behavioural issues are often more related to impoverished or undeveloped skills rather than ‘bad’ behaviour
- The goal of NME is to help the teaching team (and pupils) understand basic principles of brain development and apply this to the classroom
- NME is not a specific educational intervention as such; it is a developmentally sensitive and biologically respectful approach to education which helps us understand and support a child’s readiness for learning


NME Mini Brain Maps
The mini brain map is a key element of the NME’s practical application in the classroom. It offers teachers:
- A simple and rapid way to see at a glance a pupil’s level of functioning and compare with same-age peers
- A quick measure of a child’s Executive Functioning Score (EFS) – a major predictor of their capacity to self-regulate and achieve their learning potential
- A tool that helps them to foster optimal learning environments for all their pupils
- A model for helping staff see the behaviours of children in a fundamentally different way
Sussex Psychology are privileged to be involved in developing and running a small NME pilot project in a local infant school under the direct supervision of the Director of Neurosequential Model in Education at the Child Trauma Academy. This is currently being delivered by our small team of NME trainers.

NME Mini Brain Maps
The mini brain map is a key element of the NME’s practical application in the classroom. It offers teachers:
- A simple and rapid way to see at a glance a pupil’s level of functioning and compare with same-age peers
- A quick measure of a child’s Executive Functioning Score (EFS) – a major predictor of their capacity to self-regulate and achieve their learning potential
- A tool that helps them to foster optimal learning environments for all their pupils
- A model for helping staff see the behaviours of children in a fundamentally different way
Sussex Psychology are privileged to be involved in developing and running a small NME pilot project in a local infant school under the direct supervision of the Director of Neurosequential Model in Education at the Child Trauma Academy. This is currently being delivered by our small team of NME trainers.

NME Mini Brain Maps
The mini brain map is a key element of the NME’s practical application in the classroom. It offers teachers:
- A simple and rapid way to see at a glance a pupil’s level of functioning and compare with same-age peers
- A quick measure of a child’s Executive Functioning Score (EFS) – a major predictor of their capacity to self-regulate and achieve their learning potential
- A tool that helps them to foster optimal learning environments for all their pupils
- A model for helping staff see the behaviours of children in a fundamentally different way
Sussex Psychology are privileged to be involved in developing and running a small NME pilot project in a local infant school under the direct supervision of the Director of Neurosequential Model in Education at the Child Trauma Academy. This is currently being delivered by our small team of NME trainers.

NME Mini Brain Maps
The mini brain map is a key element of the NME’s practical application in the classroom. It offers teachers:
- A simple and rapid way to see at a glance a pupil’s level of functioning and compare with same-age peers
- A quick measure of a child’s Executive Functioning Score (EFS) – a major predictor of their capacity to self-regulate and achieve their learning potential
- A tool that helps them to foster optimal learning environments for all their pupils
- A model for helping staff see the behaviours of children in a fundamentally different way
Sussex Psychology are privileged to be involved in developing and running a small NME pilot project in a local infant school under the direct supervision of the Director of Neurosequential Model in Education at the Child Trauma Academy. This is currently being delivered by our small team of NME trainers.