Alison Eason, head of the Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) at Chalgrove Primary School and winner of the Nasen Changemaker of the Year award, explores how schools can work closely with families to support autistic students. 

At Forest Lodge, the additionally resourced provision at Chalgrove Primary School, we follow the SCERTS® Model. This is a research-based framework that helps manage the main challenges autistic people and their families face. It focuses on supporting autistic children so they can become confident communicators, regulate their emotions, develop learning skills and build relationships.  

This approach helps families, teachers and therapists to work cooperatively to support autistic children and improve their quality of life.

We have seen how students can thrive at school when we focus on building family-centred partnerships, and we would encourage all schools to do the same. Here are three top tips we have learned along the way:

• Share in a child’s learning journey 
• Prepare for and guide through change
• Make moments to meet

Share in a child’s learning journey 

When families have insight into their child’s school life, it is easier for them to support their child at home. 

Our online learning journal is one way we share information. We post photos of what students have been up to at school, from messy play to science investigations. Parents and carers can encourage communication with their child about their school day and find out what they enjoyed, be it the fish and chips lunch, the painting in class or a sensory circuit during PE.

Families can also upload updates about their child’s home life, such as newly discovered interests or newly acquired skills – whether it’s going to the supermarket, visiting a museum, or making a cup of tea independently for the first time. Thanks to the journal, we found out that one of our pupils had developed a new special interest over the summer: butterflies. We shared this in class and planned a trip to bring this interest alive. 

By sharing insights and celebrating milestones, we get to know our students and their families and ensure they are fully supported. 

Prepare for and guide through change

At our school, we have found that a proactive approach, along with some thoughtful planning helps to ease anxiety around change – whether it’s a new teacher, classroom or preparing for the move to secondary school.

Personalised visual transition books have proven invaluable in supporting pupils to prepare for times of change in a calm way. We use photographs alongside Widgit Symbols, which are simple illustrations of concepts, objects and ideas. These transition books help children explain how they feel, understand what will happen on the day and build confidence in the transition in a visual way, supporting them on their journey.

These tools are particularly useful in supporting our students when they leave the Additionally Resourced Provision to spend time in the mainstream school. Take a PE lesson in the school hall, for example. A student needs to change into their PE kit, line up, hold hands with their partner and walk calmly to the hall. There are lots of steps to this transition – advance preparation and visuals help to prepare the child for what is about to happen and break down the process. If we can share these resources with parents and use them in school, the child is fully prepared for what will happen each day.

Make moments to meet

Spending time with our families throughout the year means we get to know them and understand them better. This improves the support we can provide for their child and creates a strong bond.

We start at home where families are most comfortable. It’s during our home visits that we begin the process of ensuring the child has the right tools to be successful both inside and outside of school.

One home visit revealed a family were at risk of being made homeless. I was able to advocate for them, getting in contact with the council and local services and they received additional support. 

During another home visit, I learned that a child had escaped from his previous school. I shared this with my team so they were aware beforehand and managed to secure additional funding for an extra teaching assistant in class. I talked to his family to understand what triggered him to leave and made some changes to the classroom environment. Some extra training for staff working with him meant they had more understanding of his compulsive behaviour and were able to use language to de-escalate situations that could make him want to escape. His parents were reassured about his safety at school and we were able to support the child in the right way.   

We keep the face-to-face contact going all year round with parent coffee mornings, where families can share their experiences in an informal setting and hear from SEND experts. We ask our parents about the types of topics they are interested in, such as how best to support communication needs or challenging behaviour. We also meet with parents regularly to share and discuss targets and progress.

Keeping communication open all year round reassures families that we value their collaboration in their child’s education, laying the groundwork for a strong partnership.

When schools and families work together to support autistic pupils, it can make a world of difference to their communication, learning and wellbeing. 

Links

• SCERTS
• Widgit