When schools get it right

Among the stories of school battles and unmet needs, I wanted to share something different – the moments across their different schools (infant, Junior and Secondary) got it right for my autistic child.   These aren’t grand expensive interventions, just thoughtful consistent actions. 

Pre-diagnosis and recognising their social struggles, giving them a clipboard at breaktime with a quiz on it to give them a focus.

Giving them a “job” to help listen to the younger children read before school.  They felt important and needed and it helped boost their confidence.

The teacher taking time to check in that they understood a task after setting it to the class, not assuming they did as they stayed quiet.

The young maths teacher who hands out blu-tac to children at the start of each lesson so that they have something to fidget with.

The member of staff who when they were being bullied casually asked them at lunch “do you want to stay with me this lunchtime?”

The same member of staff (who taught them in a previous year) who makes a point of patiently stopping and chatting to them each day, bantering with them and making them laugh each day.

Their art teacher who knowing they were going through a tough time asked if they wanted to go to the art room at lunchtime where the older GCSE students (two of whom were their friends) were allowed to be at lunch.

Movement breaks.

Uniform infractions are ignored!  That their blazer is not always on is ignored. 

That trampolining in PE is their idea of hell is understood.  They aren’t made to do it.

In Spanish, they won’t speak out loud in that language in front of the class.  That’s understood and any oral tests are done in private.

Teachers don’t “cold call” them and put them on the spot in a lesson.

In Science, the lovely teacher writes notes back and forth to them if they are upset.  They feel safe writing it down rather than it being overheard by other students.

Rather than being made to go outside at breaktimes, they and their friend are allowed to walk the school corridors allowing them quiet and space to regulate.

They are never told off for being late to school or class.

Every member of staff in the school knows their name (in a good way I hope!) and they all say “good morning”, “lovely to see you”, fist pump them and made them feel valued and welcomed in the school.

No school is perfect, and no child’s journey is without bumps along the way.  But, along the way there are moments where staff really saw them.  Not just the struggles but their spark.  Those moments make them feel safe, understood and genuinely cared for.  And they are worth shining a light on.  Its also these little acts of understanding and kindness that balance out the more difficult aspects of being at school and help build their resilience.  To get all Socialworky, the protective factors for them at school.  And for this I am endlessly grateful.