Autism Support

Wolverhampton City’s Autism Strategy (2016-21) identifies that ‘all schools are likely to include pupils on the autism spectrum’ (p.12) and as a result encourages schools to become ‘autism aware and autism-friendly’. The strategy acknowledges that ‘a one size fits all approach to education for pupils with autism will not be appropriate’ (p.14) and urges agencies within the City to support schools to develop a ‘consistent, evidence-based graduated response to supporting the needs of pupils with autism’ (p.14)

Wolverhampton’s ‘Autism Friendly Schools Award’ (AFSA) is a self-evaluative tool developed and supported by the Wolverhampton Outreach Service. The initiative aims to support schools in identifying their strengths and next steps in provision for their learners with autism and to facilitate positive developments in this area.

The aim of his award is to identify and celebrate best practice for Autism in your school, whilst supporting the SENDCo and other Senior Leaders in driving forwards change in this area. By undertaking this award, schools can be confident that they are making the best possible provision for their learners with Autism.

Every school that enrols on the AFSA will be allocated a member of the Wolverhampton Outreach Team as a key worker. This member of staff will support the school in identifying and celebrating what is already in place through learning walks and meetings with Senior Leaders and the SENDCo. The Outreach Team will: 

• Support with the self-evaluative process (including observations of individuals or class groups with feedback)
• Offer assistance with the identification of key actions for the school or for individuals within it
• Give targeted evaluation of the provision being made for individual learners with autism
• Offer advice and support for individual teachers or TAs
• Offer support with the development of personalised resources
• Assume the role of a critical friend, particularly when the schools is evaluating its progress towards the implementation of key actions.
• Celebrate the achievements and progress of individuals and the school as a whole

The entire process is undertaken in a supportive and encouraging manner, always focused on developing the strengths of the individual school and the staff therein.

The AFSA covers 5 key areas:

1. Including pupils with Autism
2. Adapting the environment
3. Responding to behaviour
4. Engaging with others
5. Staff development

The AFSA self evaluative tool is available in the downloads section to the right of the page. Schools should download and self-evaluate from this document, then contact the Service Coordinator (details below) so that a member of the Outreach Team can be allocated to support. If an editable Word document is preferred, please contact the Service Coordinator.

There is no charge to schools for this service.

The Autism Leaders Award is a Masters Level award accredited by the University of Wolverhampton to the value of 20 credits at Level 7.

The award is aimed at SENDCO's and Senior Leaders in mainstream settings in Wolverhampton. It is the aim of Wolverhampton Local Authority that every school in the City have an Autism Leader before the end of 2021. This course is the route to achieving this accreditation.

The course is run over one academic year with 4 hours taught content every half term. There is an equal balance of academic research and autism focused learning.

The course is coordinated by Dr Eve Griffiths (Service coordinator for Outreach) and supported by Dr Ada Adeghe from the University of Wolverhampton.

The session titles are as follows:

Session 1: An introduction to Autism. 

Delivered by Outreach staff from Penn Fields and Tettenhall Wood school, this introductory session explores the triad of difference as a basis for understanding Autism.

Session 2: Sensory Processing and Modulation

Delivered by Roz Roscoe - Occupational Therapist, this session introduces the difficulties that some children with ASD have with processing sensory information and what strategies schools can us to support them.

Session 3: Autism and SEMH

Delivered by Julie Metcalf - Lead Educational Psychologist for Autism, these sessions links the 'Getting it right' approach to behaviour management with strategies for understanding and responding to the mental health needs of children with Autism.

Session 4: Flexibility and Structure

Delivered by staff from the Wolverhampton Outreach Team, this session focuses on understanding the importance of structure in the mainstream setting.

Session 5: Communication and Interaction

Delivered by Kelly Fletcher from the Speech and Language Team, this session focuses on the importance of effective communication with children with Autism.

Session 6: The route to diagnosis

Delivered by Rob Hart (Lead Educational Psychologist),  Debra Baker (Special Needs Early Years team) and the CAHMs team, this session explains the route to diagnosis including the ASD panel and post-diagnostic pathway.

The is a charge of £395 for the University accreditation of this course. Enrolment is in June/July for a September start.

For further information about this course please look in the downloads section to the right of the page.

The Autism Practitioners Award is an 18-hour course run one day per term throughout the academic year. It is aimed at Teachers and Teaching Assistants that are working directly with children with Autism or Asperger's or who want to improve their knowledge and understanding of Autism pedagogies.

The sessions cover the following topics:

Session 1: Understanding and responding to sensory needs

Delegates learn how to recognise sensory seeking behaviours and what sensory replacements can be made in a typical classroom.

Session 2: Communication and Interaction

Delegates explore the different ways that children with Autism may communicate and how to develop a total communication environment in the mainstream setting.

Session 3: Structure and Flexibility

Delegates learn about the concept of flexibility and how this impacts on the behaviour, communication and learning of children with Autism. They explore practical solutions to the difficulties faced by the individual learners with whom they work.

Each of the sessions gives attendees the opportunity to produce resources for the children they work with, such as visual timetables, personalised schedules, alternative reward systems, work stations, wellbeing activities and picture exchange systems. Delegates have the opportunity to visit one of the special schools in the City to observe the Autism practices used therein and the chance to engage with young people about their experience of Autism.

The course is delivered by Outreach Team staff from Penn Fields, Broad Meadow and Tettenhall Wood Schools.

This course is available for FREE to staff in all mainstream schools in Wolverhampton. Delegates can enrol at any point during the academic year.

This course currently postponed due to covid-19 and new dates will be issued shortly.

The Wolverhampton Outreach Service offer FREE Autism training to all mainstream schools in Wolverhampton. This training is available at a variety of levels.

Step 1 - Autism Awareness

A one-hour staff meeting that develops staff awareness of Autism. This training session covers the triad of differences associated with Autism and how this may present in the classroom environment. It contains several empathy activities that will enable staff to really consider what learning in their classrooms might be like for children with Autism.

Step 2 - Pedagogy and Practice

This is a full 6-hour INSET / CPD day aimed at supporting mainstream staff in understanding how they can adapt their classroom and teaching approaches to meet the needs of learners with Autism. It includes information on communication, structure and flexibility and sensory needs and is delivered in a stimulating and fun manner, including lots of opportunities to develop resources and adapt planning, so that staff feel 'ready to make a change' the very next day.

Step 2 - Bolt-ons

Further one-hour bolt-ons are available to those schools that have completed the step 2 training. These include a range of titles such as 'Girls and Autism' and 'Managing self-injurious behaviours in children with Autism'.

Step 3 - The Autism Practitioners Award

The Autism Practitioners Award (APA) is aimed at individual teachers and TAs who want to further develop their understanding of Autism. The APA is delivered over 3 full training days, one per term for the duration of the academic year. This award is very hands on, with staff having the opportunity to develop resources to try in their own classrooms and to make a visit to one of the special schools in the City to understand what pedagogical approaches are used there.

Step 4 - The Autism Leaders Award

The Autism Leaders Award (ALA) is a Masters Level Course accredited by the University of Wolverhampton to the value of 20 credits at Level 7. The ALA is delivered by members of staff from the Wolverhampton Outreach Team alongside University staff and staff from various agencies across the City, including the Educational Psychology Service, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Team and Child and Mental Health Service. The ALA is aimed at SENDCOs and Senior Leaders with the responsibility of driving forward change for children with Autism in their settings.

Further information on these courses is available by clicking the links below. For an overview of the training offer, please download the ASD Training Overview in the downloads section of this page.

Wolverhampton Outreach Service is commissioned by the Local Authority to make provision for parents on the post-diagnostic pathway for Autism. The offer includes two formal courses. The first Early Bird Plus which is aimed at the parents of children between the ages and 4 and 9. The second is Teen Life which is aimed at the parents of secondary aged children. 

Both of these courses are run by experienced and qualified staff from The Outreach Team and Tettenhall Wood School. The 6 and 12-week courses are designed by the National Autistic Society.

For further information and an application form please visit:

• Early Bird Plus                     
• Teen Life
• Coffee Mornings