Ideas for schools

What can schools do to help support students with autism with transition?

1. Provide clear and detailed information on timetables, routines, rules
2. Design an information pack for new starters including a plan of the school, with photographs of key places and people
3. If possible, have a member of staff assigned to support the student throughout their time at school, so that they become confident in asking for help when they need it
4. Assign a peer/ mentor to help them find their way around
5. Work closely with the student’s family, who will have lots of ideas about how best to support the process of transition
6. Get to know the new student as well as possible, through communicating with them, their parents and their old school. Find out how you can support their individual social, communication and learning needs
7. Arrange a home visit if possible, to understand more about the student’s preferences, and back ground
8. Contact the SENCO, Class Teacher, or Learning Support Assistant at the student’s current school to ensure that any information is passed on
9. Provide extra opportunities for the student and parents to visit the school before starting
10. Provide taster days, where the student can visit and take part in lessons the term before they start full-time
11. Make sure all teaching and learning support staff have basic levels of training in autism awareness
12. Provide a camera and support the student to build up a visual story board of their move from their old to their new school
13. Use a home-school book to communicate important things that have happened during the day, and to remind them about anything coming up, or anything that needs to be brought in
14. Communicate regularly with the family to make sure any emerging problems around transition are picked up early

Starting a new school: best practice ideas

“I think taster days are a very good idea to get children used to what their new surroundings will be.”

“He had a form group in which he kept the same form tutor until he left so there was an adult that got to know him and his ways and my son felt at ease with him eventually and went to him with any problems.”

“Once he had his timetable he was taken to each class. Once he was taken there he knew his route and so became a lot more comfortable.”

“If the teacher sends some of her work home with her, it allows my daughter to talk about school and her achievements in a really positive way and that helps lots too.”

These ideas were contributed by members of the Talk about Autism online community.