Why did you apply for the Autism Inclusion Award?
As a school, we’ve been using the AET (Autism Education Trust) standards for four years and find it really useful. We’re really proud of our amazing staff and students, and wanted their achievements to be celebrated. We also recognised areas we could improve and ways we could be more autism-friendly. Applying for the Autism Inclusion Award seemed like a great opportunity to do this.
How has taking part in the award scheme helped you and your staff?
The award helped us really look at the support we offer our autistic students. This included looking at the way we run our school, how teachers can support autistic children in the classroom, and how we can create a community where autistic students and their families feel welcome.
We were also able to pinpoint areas of our work that we could improve in the next academic year and the years ahead. For example, we turned our piano room into a nurture room for our pupils to access when they need some time out. Staff have also gained in confidence in using and adapting teaching resources to suit each student, such as personalised Now and Next boards.
Part of the award scheme involved talking to parents of autistic students and getting their feedback. It was really helpful for us to hear their thoughts on how our school is run and how they think their child could be supported.
