NAS Academies Trust – our network of free schools and academies
The National Autistic Society has been running schools for children on the autism spectrum for over 50 years. We have always recognised, however, that the demand for autism-specific education outstripped our ability to supply it so when the Government introduced the free schools strategy, we recognised that here was an opportunity to develop additional autism-specific provision.
Our first free school, Thames Valley School in Reading, opened in September 2013 and our second, Church Lawton School, opened in Cheshire in January 2015. Most recently, we had our brand new Vanguard School open in January 2020 for autistic students in Lambeth, South London. These schools provide wonderful opportunities to address the needs of children on the autism spectrum and to transform not only their lives but also those of their families.
While The National Autistic Society is acting as the sponsor, free schools are state funded and The National Autistic Society cannot benefit financially. Accordingly, a separate Trust has been established – the NAS Academies Trust – and it is this body that owns and manages the free schools. As you would expect, the NASAT will reflect the vision and mission of The National Autistic Society, aiming to deliver an outstanding education to children and young people on the autism spectrum.
What are free schools?
Free schools are state-funded schools that have been set up in response to local need and are run by a sponsoring voluntary organisation that has knowledge and experience of setting up and running schools.
Free schools are based on the Charter school model used in Scandinavia and the USA.
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- To facilitate the move from a postcode lottery towards empowering parents to address gaps in education provision.
- To increase the range of provision.
- To create the freedom to innovate.
- To raise standards.
- To support the localism agenda.
- To support the long-term (not political) agenda to increase the autonomy and independence of schools.
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- They have a statutory duty to respond to local needs.
- In some areas, there has been a five fold increase in the number of school aged children with a diagnosis of autism.
- Many local authorities have a growing demand for autism specialist provision and are seeking sponsoring organisations to develop provision.
- Local authorities are receiving less funding from the Department for Education.
- Local authorities' role is increasingly to procure not provide.
- Where a local authority identifies a need for new provision they must seek to identify an organisation that can sponsor an academy or free school.
- They have a duty to address gaps in their local offer.
- To reduce reliance on INMSS (43% of students placed in autism-specific provision have to go out of the area, a long way from the family home).
- Local authorities can benefit from leasing or selling a site for a free school to the Education Funding Agency.
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We believe that young people with autism have the right to an appropriate education. Autism is a spectrum condition and requires ongoing specialist provision that meets the individual needs of students. We have over 50 years of experience in providing autism-specific education. Through the free school agenda we can increase the number of young people who benefit from our education offer.
We are proud that so many local authorities have asked to work with us because of our reputation in autism-specific education, our links to the larger autism community, the support we provide outside school and our track record in positive outcomes. Our dedicated team of experts has the capacity, experience and authority to lead a successful free school.
Board of Trustees
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Mother of an adult child with autism born in 1978, who now lives more independently than we ever thought possible, I was a mainstream primary school teacher from 1969 until I retired some five years ago, my last 16 years being as a Deputy Head teacher and SENCO. I have taught many children with autism. Secretary of the Lincolnshire Autistic Society for over 20 years, I run our local helpline for parents and professionals and I have been an NAS councillor since 1996 and a trustee from 1997. I am currently on the Services Quality and Development Committee and the Brand and Commercial Development Committee of the NAS board. We live in Donington, Lincolnshire where I am on a wide range of community and social welfare committees.
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My older adult son has a diagnosis of ASD and MLD and after many difficulties is now suitably placed in a residential care home in East Anglia. Professionally, I started my career by setting up print media enterprises in East Anglia before moving to London as a freelance arts journalist and editor. I then became Director of Marketing and Development at the University of Westminster, later moving to the British Museum in 1999 as its first Director of Marketing and Public Affairs. In 2003 I joined the Prince's Trust as Commercial Director before becoming in 2007 Chief Executive of Coram, the oldest Children's charity in the UK. When selected to chair the NAS Board of Trustees in 2011, I relinquished (after five years) being Chair of the Avenues Trust, a provider of residential community and domiciliary services for adults with learning disability. We live in north London.
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I have three children, one of whom has autism and is currently on transition to adulthood. Professionally, I work for a voluntary organisation in Hertfordshire - ADD-Vance - which offers training and support to professionals and parent carers on autism and ADHD. I am also networked with a number of autism-related parent carer organisations locally, including harc, our NAS Branch. Prior to this, I worked for UNICEF (UN Children's Fund) for over a decade in Africa, Asia and the UK in information/external relations/communications. I joined the NAS Council in 2004, acting as Senior Councillor from 2006 – 2012 when I sought election as a trustee (the Senior Councillor is constitutionally precluded from being a trustee). As a Trustee, I serve on the Services, Quality and Development Committee. I live in St Albans, Hertfordshire.
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My wife and I first came into contact with the NAS through its Helpline, seeking a professional autism diagnosis for our daughter. All of us are now lifetime members of the NAS.
My professional life began as a research mathematician, followed by university positions in the UK and overseas in accounting and financial research and teaching, finally retiring as Principal of University College Winchester, having previously been Chair of Glasgow Business School and Dean of the Faculty of Law and Financial Studies.
After initially serving as Councillor I was a Board member of the National Autistic Society for 9 years, latterly as Vice Chair and Chair of its Governance Committee. As an invited member of the Department of Health’s Advisory Committee I was closely involved in the formulation and implementation of the Autism Act. Between 2003/2011 I served as General Secretary of Autism Europe, and as a Trustee of Research Autism.
On retiring from the NAS Board I was made lifetime Vice President and am currently a Trustee of NASAT and a member of the Board’s Services, Quality and Development Committee.
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Mike is a chartered accountant with 20 years of practice and commercial experience having served on a number of boards and is currently employed as a Group Finance Director for a private group. He chairs the local governance body for Church Lawton School.
Mike enjoys playing sports, in particular football and has an interest in Astronomy.
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Helen has an expertise in financial policy and worked in HM treasury on public finance issues on a range of spending plans and policies including health, education and defence.
NAS Academies Trust is a network of free schools and academies. A company limited by guarantee in England (No 7954396).