EDUCAT ION SPOT L IGHT
Autism Goe s Bac k to School GRETTON SCHOOL’S EXECUTIVE PRINCIPAL IAN THORSTEINSSON AND HEAD TEACHER BETH ELKINS REFLECT ON RETURNING TO SCHOOL
longside every other school in the country, we have returned to full-time, on-site teaching, despite the continuation of
these strange and unpredictable times. If we hear the word ‘unprecedented’ again, it may send us over the edge! But the truth is, none of us have all the answers about returning to school and what it will look like, so planning this particular start-of- year return has been inevitably affected by all the additional layers of planning around safety, social distancing and well-stocked cupboards of hand soap and sanitiser. Working in an independent special school for children with autism sets us somewhat apart from other educational establishments, but what we have noticed this year is that we have one important thing in common with every single other school in the country and that is this – regardless of our young people’s diagnoses of autism spectrum condition – they are so happy to be back at school. Of course, our young people benefit enormously from the structure of school, from the predictability of where breakfast is served to the four-part lessons and the visual supports to guide them through the day. But what has delighted us the most is that, despite the high levels of anxiety many of them experienced through lockdown, they came back to school delighted to be back among their peers and the staff who know them so well. Friendships have rekindled, new ones forged already and staff who are new to the school have already got to know the individual special interests that our learners are so passionate about. Although lockdown came with its own challenges, we were surprised to note that some learners – once away from the social expectations of school, where every opportunity is a learning opportunity for the social and emotional development of young people – actually were better able to engage with the academic demands of school. Suddenly, young people who are often distracted by others or troubled by the sensory challenges of a busy
“Friendships have rekindled, new ones forged already”
to communicate effectively in a group, or ability to transition from one room to another, past people they haven’t seen before. The ability to build groups of friends and navigate the inevitable challenges that friendships bring through life must be at least as important as a GCSE. So, our challenge this year is to embrace the opportunities enhanced virtual learning and ICT have given us, while maintaining the social and relational environment that is key to seeing these young people emerge from the chrysalis of social anxiety to become the work- based and socially capable butterflies of the future. All this is within the context of social distancing and the real possibility of school closures; maximising social support and building these essential relationships must stay at the forefront of our priority list… but don’t forget the exams!
environment, were eating up learning through our virtual learning environment and making leaps forward in their academic progress. If we were to take a very shallow view on the purpose of education, the continuation of virtual learning could be a huge benefit for the school to ‘up’ its grades and achieve those coveted A*-C grades. However, we now have an interesting challenge ahead, as we recognise and are passionate about the holistic development of our students and the important role we as a school play in the critical area of development of their social and independence skills. If a school was purely grade-hungry, this would be a no-brainer. Our school wants more, though, for these wonderful young people. They cannot turn up – at the age of 19, after leaving Gretton School – to a workplace with a certificate but no ability
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