Our approach

Understanding, acceptance and timing

1. The Ethos
   We believe that autism is a different, not an impaired way of thinking, and understanding this is fundamental to our ethos. We accept the culture of autism and the individuality of every person with autism. We never make assumptions about our students but always listen to them.
2. The Teaching of Concepts
   We teach concepts such as feelings in a structured way that enables our students to understand them and to link and apply their growing knowledge. As scenarios arise, we also teach concepts in context so that students learn to interpret situations and take responsibility for their actions and learning.
3. Timing and Preparation
   A student with autism learns best when they are in the right frame of mind to do so, so we time our teaching carefully. We use incidents and experiences sensitively for learning and reflection. We recognise that we may need to defer teaching when a student’s feelings or senses are not overloaded. Staff work with each student individually to prepare them for learning, making sure that they fully understand what is expected of them.
4. Holistic Learning
   We look at our students as whole people. We create a combined integrated plan for each student that spans their emotional, academic, social, physical and spiritual development, their therapeutic needs and their sensory profile. Every member of staff takes responsibility for making sure that the plans are applied every day.