“Over 73% of autistic children are educated in mainstream schools, making it more crucial than ever that our educators are equipped to support them.”
This Neurodiversity Celebration Week, Meridian Trust shines a spotlight on its ongoing commitment to creating a more understanding and supportive environment for autistic learners. Leading this vital work is Amy Wright, Assistant Director SENDV, a dedicated advocate for inclusive education and a qualified specialist in supporting autistic children and young people. We sat down with Amy to discuss the Trust’s initiatives and the impact they’re having
“At Meridian Trust, we are passionate about creating a truly inclusive environment for all our learners. By delivering comprehensive autism training programmes, like ‘Making Sense of Autism’ and the ‘Teen Life Parenting programme’, we are working hard to empower our staff and parents with the knowledge and skills they need to support our autistic learners effectively,” Amy explains.
For too long in the education sector, autism awareness has been a once-a-year event. But, as Amy points out, true inclusion goes far beyond that. It requires a sustained commitment to education, understanding, and practical support. In fact, according to national statistics from 2022/23, there are 206,763 children and young people recorded with autism as their primary need in government SEND data. Over 73% of autistic children are educated in mainstream schools, making it more crucial than ever that our educators are equipped to support them. Moreover, with many autistic pupils as yet undiagnosed or recorded as having Social, Emotional & Mental health needs, our commitment to understanding and support must be unwavering.
It’s not just about numbers, though. As Amy emphasises, “The statistics paint a clear picture, but it’s the human element that truly drives our work. A 2017 parliamentary inquiry on education with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Autism, run by the National Autistic Society, revealed that fewer than half of autistic children and young people say they’re happy at school. That’s simply unacceptable.” The inquiry also found that six out of ten autistic children and young people, and seven in ten parents, said that the main thing that would make school better for them is having a teacher who understands autism. “That’s precisely what these resources are here for – to ensure that all teachers have a functioning understanding of autism and feel knowledgeable and confident about meeting the needs of autistic students,” Amy states.
It’s also worth considering how and why autistic learners are penalised in schools. A further finding of that report states: “autistic children and young people are twice as likely to be excluded from school. The most common reason being ‘persistent disruptive behaviour'”
It’s this reality that fuels Meridian Trust’s dedication to its staff and parent communities.
Investing in Staff
Meridian Trust isn’t just paying lip service to professional development. With Amy Wright at the helm as an Autism Education Trust (AET) agreed trainer for the six local authority areas Meridian Trust covers, the Trust is driving a comprehensive training program.
The Autism Education Trust (AET) is a programme funded by the Department for Education that promotes and supports a coordinated approach to improving educational access, experience, and outcomes for children and young people with autism. Their research-based resources provide clear, objective tools that underpin Meridian Trust’s approach.
“I might be the driving force behind this training program, but I’m not alone,” Amy emphasises. “We have passionate advocates like Ben Barry (Lincroft Academy) and Laura Oxley (Nene Park Academy) championing this work in their local areas.”
The plan is ambitious: to roll out the ‘Making Sense of Autism’ training to all teaching staff across the trust. “These aren’t just quick webinars; they’re two focused one-hour sessions designed to provide a foundational understanding of autism that our educators can use every day in the classroom,” Amy explains.
Furthermore, Teaching Assistants in secondary schools have been able to access a live virtual, half day, ‘Good Autism Practice’ session, which is now available on the Meridian Learning platform for ongoing access. The goal? To build staff confidence and knowledge, promote inclusive leadership, and develop a collective responsibility among all staff.
To ensure continuous professional development, staff who have already received the ‘Making Sense of Autism’ training are invited to access additional AET modules as Meridian Learning IOLs (Interactive Online Learning). As Amy explains, “It would be naive to think that a one-off workshop is enough to truly change practice,” highlighting the Trust’s commitment to providing ongoing opportunities for growth. All staff can access this important training, and further details can be found on the Meridian Online Learning platform.
Empowering Parents
Understanding the challenges faced by parents of teenagers with autism is just as important. That’s why Meridian Trust proudly offers the National Autistic Society’s Teen Life programme. With Amy Wright, Ben Barry, Laura Oxley, and Pearl Houghton all licensed trainers, the Trust is able to provide vital support to parents navigating the often-turbulent teenage years.
This programme, specifically designed for parents of autistic teenagers, runs over six weeks, with two-hour sessions each week. Last summer, Ben and Amy ran six popular in-person sessions, and Ben and Laura followed up with six virtual sessions in the Autumn term. The feedback from parents has been overwhelmingly positive. They’re feeling more empowered, more connected, and more able to support their children.
Get Involved
Meridian Trust is planning to run more Teen Life parenting sessions in the future. If you are a parent interested in attending a future session, please email enquiries@meridiantrust.co.uk to register your interest.
“Building a truly inclusive community for autistic learners is a collective effort. It takes dedicated staff, informed parents, and a commitment from the entire Meridian Trust family,” Amy concludes. “I’m extremely proud of the progress we’ve made, but we know there’s always more to do.”