We regularly review the schools’ training programme and CPD for staff to ensure we can deliver high-quality support for all children - including those with SEND.

As part of our support for children with Autism, all of our school staff team have completed the Autism Education Trust, Making Sense of Autism Module. This training was completed on Friday 20 October 2023 as part of a whole-school training day.

This is an awareness-raising module for all staff working within our school community. The module provides participants with an introduction to autism and the reasonable adjustments that need to be considered when working with autistic pupils.

Learning objectives

After completing ‘Making Sense of Autism’, our wider staff team have been able to:

• Understand the importance of getting to know the pupil as an individual.

• Approach autism as a difference rather than as a disorder or impairment.

• Understand the importance of identifying the strengths and needs of autistic pupils.

• Know how three areas of difference can affect autistic pupils.

• Appreciate how important it is to listen to and learn from the perspectives of autistic pupils.

• Reflect on and implement reasonable adjustments to support autistic pupils you work with.

 

All of our Teachers, TAs, and our senior leadership team have also completed the Good Autism Practice Module.

This is a module for practitioners who work directly with autistic children in school settings, and it provides guidance on processes and tools that can help practitioners to implement good autism practice.

Learning Objectives covered in this training included:

• Develop their knowledge of how the key areas of difference can impact on the learning of autistic pupils.

• Understand the importance of involving the pupil and family in the pupil’s education.

• Consider the approaches, strategies, and adaptations they can implement to remove barriers to participation and learning for autistic pupils.

• Reflect on how knowledge about autism and the individual autistic pupil can inform the one-page profile and the pupil-centred education plan.