Too many children with ADHD and other neurodivergences are struggling in a one-size-fits-all education system. Every child is unique, yet our classrooms deliver the same experience to all 30 students, despite their diverse needs and learning styles. For children with ADHD, the impact is profound. ADHD learners are driven by interest rather than importance, a key difference often overlooked by traditional teaching methods.
This mismatch can have far-reaching consequences. Research shows that children with ADHD are at a much higher risk of academic failure, which can lead to even more serious challenges later in life — 25% of adults in UK prisons have ADHD, compared to just 3-4% of the wider population.
The problem is clear: the current education system isn't built for children who learn differently. It’s time to change that.
Torchlight is designed to provide UK-based pupils with individualised lessons tailored to each child's unique needs. The platform will offer a range of activities that cater to different learning styles, daily meditation tasks to help calm the mind and practice focus, and checklists that allow children to plan their own lessons for the day and develop organisation skills. Recognising the need for physical movement, Torchlight will also include table yoga exercises to help kids channel their energy and focus better on their studies.
Growing up, both Daniel and Nicholas faced significant challenges in school. Daniel struggled to sit still, his mind always racing with ideas that couldn’t be contained within the rigid structure of traditional education. Daniel was labelled as a “troublemaker”, but he knew that mainstream education wasn’t giving him the right platform to fulfil his potential.
Nicholas, on the other hand, would often struggle to stay organised or focus on work that he found uninteresting – but these struggles were overlooked by his teachers because his grades were often top of the class. It was only upon leaving secondary education that the lack of self-management skills came back to haunt him, and he struggled to keep up with his peers at university, eventually spiralling into a period of depression.
Years later, Daniel became a highly accomplished software engineer, contributing to top-tier projects for companies like IBM, the NHS, and other industry leaders. His expertise in technology and software development became his superpower. Nicholas, meanwhile, built a successful career as a global communications consultant, working daily with international brands. His ability to connect with diverse audiences and his deep understanding of effective storytelling made him an invaluable partner in any venture.
Daniel is driven by a passion for creating solutions that could make a real difference to people, and Nicholas had been testing ideas for how technology could be used to improve outcomes in the education system. They shared a deep passion for helping children who faced similar challenges, so when they met at a community event they realised they could do something meaningful with their experiences and professional skills — something that could change the lives of kids who, like them, had been misunderstood and overlooked by the traditional one-size-fits-all education system.
With the advent of the AI era, Daniel and Nicholas saw an opportunity to create a platform that could offer the individualised support they had longed for as children. They named their platform Torchlight — a beacon of hope for children who struggled to fit into the conventional mould.
However, to make this vision a reality, Daniel and Nicholas need your help. They are currently seeking funding to develop the prototype for Torchlight. This prototype will be the first step in creating a platform that can genuinely make a difference in the lives of children with ADHD. With your support, they can build Torchlight and light the way for a brighter, more inclusive future in education.
Your contribution will go directly toward the development of the Torchlight prototype, helping to bring this vital tool to life. Together, we can ensure that every child has the chance to thrive in a learning environment that understands and supports them.