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A Guide to Moving Forward, aimed at young people

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A Guide to Moving Forward, aimed at young people

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Inclusion and SEND Advice Service - Spring Newsletter - Transitions

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Inclusion and SEND Advice Service - Spring Newsletter - Transitions

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We hope you are all feeling rested after the Easter Break. To kick of Term 5, we are excited to share the first edition of our team newsletter. This issue focuses on transitions and offers information

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Link to Inclusion and SEND Advice Service contact form, to make a referral and request support for individual CYP or cohorts / groups: https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/inclusion-and-send-advice-service

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Inclusion and SEND Advice Service | Bath and North East Somerset Council

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The Inclusion and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Advice Service offers first-line support for education settings and professionals in B&NES.Information, support and signposting for parents, carers and young people with SEND can be found on our Livewell website.

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National Autistic Society Transitions Guidance

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National Autistic Society Transitions Guidance

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https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/transitions/england

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How Are You Feeling? School Transition Experiences for Pupils with SEN/D

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What Helps With Transition?  School Transition Experiences for Pupils with SEN/D

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What Is Year 7 Like?  School Transition Experiences for Pupils with SEN/D

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Link to Autism Central for Parents and Carers

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Link to Autism Central for Parents and Carers

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Autism Central for Parents and Carers | Autism Central

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Autism Central offers a wealth of resources for parents, carers and personal assistants of autistic people in England – from articles and learning materials to signposting you to services and support in your local area.

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My Transition to Secondary School SASS 2025-26

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Link to access Year 6-7 Transitions Proforma and Checklist

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Inclusion and SEND Commitment: Ordinarily Available Provision: Appendices and Forms | Bath and North East Somerset Council

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View appendices and forms for the Inclusion and SEND Commitment for B&NES Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP).

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Transitions and Autism

Transitions may be about moving from:

Current school to new school

Home to school

Playground to classroom

Current activity to next activity

Any other change of place/activity

Why are transitions often difficult for children with autism?

Ability to manage transition is affected by differences in 4 key areas:

Flexible thinking: autistic children may have differences in the way they problem solve, make choices and plan, sequence and organise their thoughts. They may find it hard to predict what may happen in a new situation and this leads to feelings of anxiety. They may also find it very hard to start and stop activities due to intense single channelled focus on items of interest.

Communication: Autistic children may not understand what has been said or may not be given enough time to process information. Furthermore, they may struggle to ask questions to seek information or to express their opinions/emotions. This results in transitions feeling unpredictable.

Sensory processing: Autistic children can be easily overwhelmed by sensory stimuli in a new environment and thus can be resistant to transitions.

Social Interaction: Autistic children may find the social rules and expectations of a new situation confusing and consequently may need support to know how to respond or behave in a new situation

A good transition can make the difference between a successful, productive learning experience and not being able to reach full potential.

Supporting Transitions

Transitions Between Activities:

Providing structure and visual supports are vital to ensure predictability and
understanding.

Useful resources include:

Visual timetable

Now and next timetable

Workstation

Start and finishes boxes

Environmental signage - Used to label individual areas and teach children that symbols on their timetable relate to individual areas

Choose board

'I am working for...' board

Steps to success

Visual cue cards

Transition from Early Years Setting to Primary School

Planning for the transition to primary school should begin no later than after the Easter holidays

Transition meetings to plan for the transition should include Parents, SENCO, Teacher, 1:1
support/keyworker, outside agencies involved- STARS, SLT, OT.

At the transition meeting find out what happens during:

Share child specific information:

Likes/dislikes

Communication

Interaction

Rigidities

Sensory issues

Strategies used

IEP

IBP (Individual Behaviour Plan)

Risk Assessment

Pupil Profile

Extra information/reports from SLT and STARS

New staff to carry out observations of child and shadow current support staff.

Observations should be in current setting at different times of the day and during different activities

Visits to New School

Most children with autism do not benefit from a long transition period.

The number of visits required will vary from child to child. Some children will benefit from visiting the school before the summer holidays and at different times of day. Others may respond better to a staggered start in the first week(s) of school. Occasionally, children cope best when there are no transition visits prior to starting school.

New staff to provide a 'My New Class' booklet:

Photos of class as the child will see it

Photos inside and outside

Photos of staff

Give to parents to take home. Parents to show booklet near end of holidays

This is where I will eat lunch

This is my new playground

This is the toilet

If the child does visit the new setting then the photos could include the child

Photos of the child's favourite activities and toys in new class

Everything must be in place before the child arrives:

Visual timetable/Environmental signage

Visual instructions/Cue cards

PECS

Workstation

Quiet low arousal area for Intensive Interaction

Transition from Class to Class

The process should begin as soon as possible in the summer term - as soon as next
year's arrangements have been finalised. The pupil needs to be familiar with new room and staff and vice-versa:

Familiarise with new classroom and staff

Any new members of staff should have the opportunity to observe existing systems and strategies in operation.

All staff should access training to acquire a basic knowledge of autism and related issues, e.g. through the AET Making Sense of Autism training offered by STARS

It is recommended that support staff should not spend more than two years with a particular child to prevent over-dependency and rigidity about working with others

Often support is best shared between two, or sometimes more, members of staff

Suggested Transition Process:

Informal contact with new staff and new classroom/cloakroom/toilets/playground etc.

Social Story about the move including what will stay the same and anything that will change, e.g. different playtimes/ lunchtimes or other routines that maybe different.

Make a 'My New Class' booklet with photographs about the move which can be taken home over the summer holiday. If able, the child should be involved in making booklet

Update and then share the pupil passport and sensory profile with all new staff

Pupil to spend time in new class at different parts of day experiencing different activities

If child is able to, carry out Talking Mat about new class to address any worries

Transition to High School:

In Year 5:

Update pupil passport with parents, staff and child (if able) outlining strengths and needs

Staff & parents to write questions to ask potential high schools, to compare how different schools can meet needs. Parents to meet with high school SENCos and share passport

If the child has an EHCP, high school transition issues should be identified at Year 5 review

School staff to keep records of support the child needs and what will happen if support is not in place. (See 'The really useful ASD Transition Pack' for how to keep transition records)

School & parents to consider the preparation the child needs and formulate transition plan

If appropriate, teach child about their diagnosis and, when child is secure in their

understanding, teach child's peers about the strengths and needs of children with autism

In Year 6:

The high school should be identified by beginning of March. Receiving school and the primary school SENCo's and Lead Practitioners to meet to exchange information

Program of visits arranged for the child, some with parents and some with a familiar member of staff from the primary school. Aim to see/do:

High school when students are not there

find out location of form room/place of safety/toilets/canteen and take photos

High school during school hours -possibly SEN area or library

Meet support staff/form tutor/SENCo/Head of Year/mentor

'Ambassador' visits and then feedback to Year 6 peers

Attend summer transition week if possible

Food menus and prices

Provide copy of high school planner to see sample timetable and learn how to use planner. Also give map of school grounds and copy of school rules (unless this will cause anxiety)

Child to work through STARS Y6/7 transition book with support as necessary

High school to update autism awareness training for ALL staff, e.g. AET Making Sense of Autism training offered by STARS. Also, ensure a Lead Practitioner is in place who other staff can refer to for information and support

High school to ensure ALL staff have immediate access to child's passport/profile and are aware of reasonable adjustments in place for the child, including adaptations to school discipline or homework policies where necessary. Staff to be briefed on the vulnerability of autistic students to bullying and to be able to respond swiftly and effectively to incidents

High school to implement individualised timetable which is likely to include mentoring available from the first day, sessions with older 'buddies', friendship/social skills group, special interest clubs at break/lunch, homework club, earlier/later start/finish times to avoid crowds

High school support staff to be given time to collaborate with teachers on differentiation

High school to arrange formal/informal structures for regular communication with parents

Useful Websites/Documents:

School age transitions: http://www.autism.org.uk/professionals/teachers/breakingbarriers/transition.aspx

Autism Education Trust's Transition Toolkit:
http://www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk/resources/transition%20toolkit.aspx

Transition Information Network:
http://councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/transition-information-network

Books for Transitions:
The Really Useful ASD Transition Pack
by Jan Newport

Farewell and Welcome:
A Neat Finish and a Good Start
by Ann Cossavella and Charmaine Hobbs

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Transitions may be about moving from: Current school to new school Home to school Playground to classroom Current activity to next activity Any other change of place/activity Why are transitions often difficult for children with autism? Flexible thinking: autistic children may have differences in the way they problem solve, make choices and plan, sequence and organise their thoughts.

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Advice for professionals on guiding young people through transition.

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Link to AET Resources for Parents, including Parent Guides for EYFS, Primary and Secondary Transitions

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Link to AET Resources for Parents, including Parent Guides for EYFS, Primary and Secondary Transitions

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Parent Guide for Working Together with Your Child's School

Elective Home Education in England

The impact of Covid-19 on home education guidelines and useful links to relevant legislation.

Top Tips, Strategies and Resources for Parents

A collection of 10 practical strategies and additional tips to support parents of autistic children and young people.

A guide to help parents navigate equality law, rights and entitlements when their autistic child is excluded or at risk of exclusion from school

This resource outlines the legal duties the Equality Act 2010 places on your child's school in relation to the exclusion of disabled pupils.

The examples given relate specifically to autistic pupils and are intended to help you and your child's school avoid disability discrimination claims, where possible.

Exclusions

Advice and support on exclusions, explore the Autism Education Trust Exclusions resources

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Are you a parent or care of an autistic child or young person looking for guidance and advice? Explore our Parent Resources.

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Link to AET Parent Guide: Working together with your child's school

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Link to AET Parent Guide: Working together with your child's school

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Remember, your child is unique with their individual profile of strengths and differences. Some autism strategies suit some children but might not work for others. Use this form to help school staff get to know your child as an individual and map up the school's provisions so you can work out a strategy tailored to your child's needs.

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Remember, your child is unique with their individual profile of strengths and differences. Some autism strategies suit some children but might not work for others. Use this form to help school staff get to know your child as an individual and map up the school's provisions so you can work out a strategy tailored to your child's needs.

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It's almost that time of year again, when we see the mass migration of a whole year group to secondary school. There are almost 818,000 11 year olds in the UK, and while they won't all be moving schools, allowing for some middle schools and home education, many of them will be. Naturally, it's an anxious time for pupils and families.

70% of autistic pupils are in mainstream schools according to government figures ¹, though the statistics are almost certainly higher since not all autistic people are diagnosed while they are at school. In the UK, transition to secondary school takes place when the pupil is 11 years old, moving up to what is termed Year 7 at school. The government has designated that pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) should receive additional preparation for school transition ², but there is no national framework for what should happen, either for pupils with SEND or without. Research has shown that particular barriers to a successful transition to secondary school are bullying and not having support from friends and peers ², and both of these are particular issues for autistic pupils.

Autistic Girls Network and CEO Cathy Wassell ran a survey in July 2021 as part of her MEd in Autism (Children) at University of Birmingham. It asked "What are the experiences of transition to mainstream secondary school for autistic children?" In all 17 families (parents and their children) took part in a fairly extensive survey which looked into their experiences of transition. Unlike all other studies of secondary transition for autistic pupils, it was not necessary to have been diagnosed autistic while at primary school - in fact only 8 of the 17 had been diagnosed while at primary school. 13 of the 17 pupils were girls, while 4 were boys (the survey was open to non-binary and trans pupils but none responded as such) - this also differentiated the study from others in the same field, where the majority of respondents were overwhelmingly male. Our hypothesis was that the pupils who were already diagnosed as autistic at primary school would have a more happy, successful transition than those who weren't diagnosed until secondary school - but the data did not support that hypothesis. Instead, both our study and a review of the relevant academic literature in this area pointed to individual, personalised planning and preparation by both primary and secondary schools as the main factors in a successful transition, along with friendships and relationships supporting the pupil.

Some of the things that autistic pupils find difficult about school transition are:

Moving from a small primary to a large secondary school

Moving around crowded corridors between classes

Large dining halls - smell, noise, too many people

A lack of structure at break and lunch times

Social interaction with many unknown pupils

Many teachers instead of one class teacher

Strict school rules and detention

More complex work and higher expectations around speed of processing

More unpredictable class subjects like science or DT where pupils might be moving around

More independent working expected without enough organisational help for someone with executive functioning difficulties

Loss of their supportive peer network from a class that has known them since starting school

Given these points, and that secondary transition is a source of anxiety for all pupils but intensely so for autistic pupils, it makes sense that preparation, planning and getting to know the school and teachers before a September start is the best solution for a successful transition. Studies in the literature showed that school open days were not enough ³, that extra visits were needed and that autistic pupils were much more likely to have a successful transition if they knew what was going to be happening, where and with who. Although transition might be understood as a single point in time - the first day of the new school - in fact the transition process should start at least 6 months earlier than that and for autistic pupils at least, it won't stop until perhaps the beginning of Year 8 ⁴.

Both the subject literature and our own survey highlighted the importance of friendships and relationships around this difficult time. Our survey in 2020 found that the period most autistic young people fell into crisis after transition to secondary school was by the February half term of Year 7, however those who moved up to 'big school' cushioned by friends seem to manage for longer. All young people need friends and peer support, but for autistic young people there is a compelling need to 'fit in', since many feel that they don't fit in. In order to fit in, they need to feel as if they belong, and to do this they need friends, the support of their peers and the acceptance of at least some of their teachers ⁵. All of these relationships are very important in transition. While a good relationship with at least one teacher is important, we need to remember that to lessen school anxiety, school needs to be a safe space, and that means young people need to feel safe there with all teachers. It's all too easy for a poor understanding of autism to lead to a misinterpretation of reactions.

School-parent co-production was also found to be important in the literature review - schools who worked closely with parents and pupils to really get to know them and listened to them facilitated a much more successful transition. It also helps to recognise that all autistic pupils are individuals and a 'one size fits all' policy won't work. ⁶ As such, autistic pupils need to be involved in their transition planning. In our survey, all 17 pupils were reported as being more anxious than their peers, which would suggest that all 17 should have had individualised transition plans, but in fact only 6 were offered a different plan to their peers (3 who were diagnosed at primary school, and 3 who weren't). At Autistic Girls

Network we also ran a survey on our Twitter page in August 2021, and only half of respondents had been offered a different transition to peers. Only 3 pupils had what they considered to be a successful transition, and these were pupils at schools who put in very detailed, individualised plans for them. 9 of our survey respondents did not receive the support which had been promised to them, differentiated or not. 8 of our respondents had been refused referral for an autism assessment, including the 2 girls who were diagnosed at age 17, both of whom had a very difficult and distressing school career. This is why recognising autistic masking, and how differently girls (and some boys and non binary young people) can present, is vital for teachers in both primary and secondary school.

These were some of the reasons given to our respondents for a refusal to refer for an autism assessment:

Tips to make a successful transition more likely:

Transition is a process that needs to start well in advance of September, and continue throughout Year 7

Transition support plans should be needs-based and individualised

The autistic pupil needs to become as familiar as possible with their new school and teachers

Moving up to school with friends can provide insulation

Having teachers that seem to (even if they actually don't!) understand the way you experience the world is very helpful and soothing

Being listened to and involved in the transition planning is important

A low sensory arousal environment is needed for autistic pupils

Schools need to be ready to make reasonable adjustments as soon as they become aware of a pupil's needs - on a case by case basis

Given that Year 7 is often the school year where autistic masking breaks down and pupils go into crisis, teachers need to be aware of signs to recognise autism and what crisis may look like

Examples of possible elements in a transition plan:

A colour coded map of the school, a timetable and pictures or videos of processes such as getting lunch can all help

Summer school or activity clubs at the school before starting

A buddy system involving older pupils - well supervised to make sure there is no bullying

Send a scrapbook of photos

A keyworker for extra school visits

A visit to the dining hall to eat lunch with a support group prior to starting

A support group

Meeting the SENCO in advance and learning about chill-out spaces

Break time support

Whole school awareness to facilitate peer support

Interest clubs to facilitate social mixing

There will be many more elements school could add which would benefit individual pupils - if you've come across some good ones, let us know!

¹ Department for Education (DfE) (2014). Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0-25 Years. London: Department for Education.

² Evangelou, M., Taggart, B., Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P. & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2008). 'What makes a successful transition from primary to secondary school?'. Nottingham, United Kingdom: Department for Children Schools and Families.

³ Tobin, H., Staunton, S., Mandt, W., Skuse, D., Hellreigel, J., Baykaner, O., Anderson, S. & Murin, M. (2012), 'A qualitative examination of parental experiences of the transition to mainstream secondary school for children with an autism spectrum disorder' Educational & Child Psychology, Vol. 29 No. 1

4 Richter, M., Popa-Roch, M. & Clément, C. (2019) 'Successful Transition From Primary to Secondary School for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review', Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 33:3, 382-398

5 Coffey, A. (2013) 'Relationships: The key to successful transition from primary to secondary school?', Improving Schools, 16(3), pp. 261-271. doi: 10.1177/1365480213505181. 6 Bagnall, C., Fox, C. & Skipper, Y. (2021) 'What emotional-centred challenges do children attending special schools face over primary-secondary school transition?' Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, Volume 21, Issue 2, pp 61-184. https://doi-org.ezproxye.bham.ac.uk/10.1111/1471-3802.12507

Cathy Wassell is CEO of Autistic Girls Network, author, Masters student and proud parent of a fully neurodivergent family.

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Some tips for a good transition from primary to secondary school for autistic pupils - Autistic Girls Network

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It's almost that time of year again, when we see [...]

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Transition Tips for education professionals

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SENDIAS Advice for choosing a secondary school

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SENDIAS Advice for choosing a secondary school

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8 tips for transitioning to secondary school

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8 tips to help parents with the SEND primary to secondary school transition

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SENDIAS Secondary school transition Guide

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AET Primary into Secondary Transitions Checklist

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AET Primary into Secondary Transitions Checklist

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'Autism is one of my biggest strengths, and my greatest insecurity.' In this honest and eye-opening blog we hear from an Autistic student at Bristol about what life is like and how having autism at University affects her.

When people hear the word autism, they often think of Sheldon Cooper/Rain Man type characters. I don't relate to either of them. First off, I'm a female. But also I'm not super smart, I don't have an amazing memory, and I'm not 'obviously' autistic. I can make eye contact, I'm great at sarcasm, and for the most part I'm really good at acting like I fit in, but these things don't always come naturally to me.

In this piece, I'm going to share some of my experiences, and things I have found both helpful and unhelpful. I want to emphasize, however, that these are my own experiences and reflections. No two people, autistic or otherwise, are the same. My hope is that by sharing this, I may help others to understand autism, and help other autistic students feel less alone, but please keep in mind that I do not speak for every autistic person.

The National Autistic Society defines autism as being "a lifelong, developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with and relates to other people, and how they experience the world around them." ¹

2.4% of the UK student population are diagnosed with autism, and less than 40% of these people complete their university education ² - meaning that they are 10 times more likely to drop out (60% vs 6.3% overall dropout rate ³). To put this into context, the student population of Bristol University was 20,304 for the 2019/20 year ⁴. That means 487 students have an autism diagnosis, but only 195 of us will complete our degree courses. That's not many.

I am determined to be one of the 195. I've been incredibly lucky with the support I've received from staff at Bristol, but 1.08% of all university graduates being autistic is not good enough.

Autism, masking and fitting in

Autism is significantly under-diagnosed in females, with males being four times more likely to receive the diagnosis ⁵. The reasons for this are complicated, but in part females are less likely to be diagnosed due to 'camouflaging' or 'masking'. These terms refer to the ways in which autistic individuals - particularly females ⁵ - act like their neurotypical peers ⁶. Their autism may therefore not picked up by professionals, family and friends. This underdiagnosis in women can lead to negative consequences such as higher rates of mental illness, possibly as a result of not receiving appropriate support ⁷ , and can increase the difficulties faced by women on the spectrum.

I know a lot about masking. It protected me, but was also likely the reason my autism wasn't identified for so many years (I received my official diagnosis at the age of 19). Masking has helped me to make friends, fly under the radar, and avoid the negative attention you often get for being different. This poses its own difficulties though; I'm not noticed for being different in a bad way, but I'm not noticed for good reasons either. Hiding is a protection, but it also means the good parts of me aren't seen. I remain completely average, which can feel difficult sometimes. And so, recently, I've been trying to take off my mask and show the true 'me'. Masking is not only exhausting and demoralising, but it means that the world doesn't get to see all the great things I, and my autism, have to offer.

How does autism affect me at university?

One of the biggest ways in which my autism affects me is my anxiety levels. If the average person has a baseline anxiety level of 1-2 on a 10-point scale, my baseline is generally a 6. That means that if something happens to increase my anxiety levels, instead of going up to a 3-4 like most people would, my anxiety level is already an 8. Because of this, I have a lot of panic attacks. This is especially obvious when it comes to exams; the anxiety of exams becomes so much for me that I would never be able to reach my full potential.

Another difficulty that having autism poses is how I adjust to change. After years of learning to cope, I can deal with change a lot better now than I could in the past, but things still catch me off guard sometimes. Moving house every year, new lecturers every term, and so many other parts of 'normal' uni life can pose a difficulty for people with autism. I have to actively spend time preparing myself before a change, and adjusting afterwards. Some of the situations I find most difficult are ones where I don't have time to prepare. For example, when one of my lectures changed location midway through term. As soon as that happened - despite attending consistently to that point - I stopped going to the lecture. I didn't know why, but I felt completely unable to attend; it was like I had a mental block. My brain couldn't adjust to having the same unit but in a different place without any warning. Reflecting on this has helped me recognise it, and helps stop it happening in the future. However, it would be useful for universities to understand the potential unintended consequences of what must seem like 'small' changes to most people.

I'm a very logical and literal person, which means that what makes sense to some people doesn't always make sense to me (and vice versa!). Someone once said that having autism is asking why there is a needle in the haystack. While I see what others often miss, I can also miss what others see. This can prove particularly difficult when assessments are being explained. I sometimes have questions about things that other people take for granted, and on the few occasions staff have not answered questions I have, my learning can be negatively affected. There have been a minority of lecturers who have refused to give any extra explanations to individual students, and expect everyone to use the same information. While I understand their reasoning that everyone should receive the same information and resources, this can prove a barrier to autistic people (and I'm sure the same goes for other neurodiversities that I don't have experience with). The image below explains this perfectly. ⁸

IMAGE CREDIT: ANGUS MAGUIRE // INTERACTION INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

What has helped?

The most important piece of practical help I have received at uni is around exams. The work of the university disability services, and the support of my school means that I can now be assessed through coursework rather than exams. I find coursework much less anxiety provoking, and it allows me to achieve in ways exams never could. This has made more of a difference than I can explain, and allows me to demonstrate my knowledge in a much more accurate way.

Another thing that has helped has been to have content broken down into smaller sections. This is particularly valuable when I am feeling overwhelmed. My personal tutor, wellbeing advisor, and a couple of other lecturers have really helped me in this regard. Taking the time to sit with me and help me untangle everything has been invaluable, and I am incredibly grateful to the staff members who give their time to help me when I need it.

On the topic of staff, knowing there are people I can go to when I'm having a panic attack or feeling overwhelmed, and who can help me calm down, has been incredibly helpful. The staff in my department have been amazing, not only with helping me in the moment, but also in helping me learn to manage my anxieties. Regular contact with my personal tutor has made a world of difference, as has having 'safe' people. If you can be the safe person for someone on the spectrum, I guarantee you will make more of a difference than you could ever understand. As a result of the amazing staff members I've come into contact with, I've learnt to be a lot better at reaching out when I need help, and that it's okay to express my needs. There have been some great people at university who have helped me learn to recognize and express when I need extra help, and that is a skill I will take with me through my whole life.

Finally, having advance notice about anything out of the ordinary is incredibly helpful. By allowing me the extra time to process things before they happen, I am able to cope with them a lot better. This can range from things such as having a different lecturer, a different location, or what the content of the lecture will be. Referring to the previous example of when a lecture changed venue, this may have been easier if it had been emailed to us the week before, or if someone checked in with me beforehand to acknowledge the change, as this would help break down the mental block.

Having lectures available 24 hours before the live session is also helpful as I can have a chance to look through and process it so I'm more able to take it in during the lecture. This is available to everyone from most lecturers, but having slides beforehand is very valuable and it would be beneficial if all lecturers ensured this was the case.

What hasn't helped?

I'm always very cautious who I tell about my diagnosis. I worry about the impact it could have on my future, that people may treat me differently, or that I will be seen in the light of stigma. One of the strangest things I've experienced is people sharing their opinions of autism with me once I've told them about my diagnosis. I once had someone tell me that they didn't agree with the premise of diagnosing autism, as it can create a self-fulfilling prophecy and make people act "more autistic." That isn't necessarily wrong, as I probably do act "more autistic" since receiving my diagnosis, but that isn't because of a self-fulfilling prophecy; it's simply because I actively try not to hide those parts of myself anymore.

Similarly, I was once in a lecture on children with disabilities, and the lecturer set us the task of having a conversation to identify all the potentially difficult things about having a student with autism in the classroom, or of being friends with someone who is autistic. They of course didn't know that I was on the spectrum - very few people do - but hearing what people were saying was hurtful. The emphasis on all the negatives of autism really outshone the many amazing things about it. I found the courage to speak to the lecturer afterwards and explain why I found it hurtful, but there may be other autistic students who have to listen to these things without being able to express themselves, and that can be incredibly damaging. Please always be mindful of the fact that you don't know all of your students or peers' experiences; what you're saying could be hurting the people around you even if you don't realise it.

What would I like people to know?

There are lots of great things about being autistic. I'm really passionate about the things that matter to me, I love learning new things, and when I'm allowed to be myself I'm apparently very funny (if people's reactions to the things I say are to be believed!). But more than anything, I'm a very accepting person. I know what it feels like to be different and to be excluded, so I try my hardest to show people they can be themselves around me.

Autism is my way of being. I don't know how to experience the world without autism, and so much of my energy goes into navigating a neurotypical world. When I was diagnosed, the psychologist compared being autistic to being left-handed. There isn't anything inherently wrong with it, but the world just isn't set out to be accessible to us. I work around it for the most part; I've spent 20 years of my life learning to pass as neurotypical, and I'm very good at coping now, but there are still times when it can make things more difficult.

If you are autistic and are coming to university, I want you to know that it is possible. You can be yourself and find your people, you can get the support you need (as long as you let people know) and you CAN be one of the 1.08%. Hopefully one day we can raise that number, but for now if you are one of the 195 at University of Bristol, know that you are amazing and worthy and an absolute badass for finding your way in a neurotypical world!

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Autism at University - being an autistic student

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'Autism is one of my biggest strengths, and my greatest insecurity.' In this honest and eye-opening blog we hear from an Autistic student at Bristol about what life is like and how having autism at University affects her. When people hear the word autism, they often think of Sheldon Cooper/Rain Man type characters.

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The Autism Summer School is for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who have completed Year 11 and are about to transition to Post-16 destinations.

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Transition booklet 2025-26 - PDF to print

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Transition booklet 2025-26 - PDF to print

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My Transition to Secondary School SASS 2025-26

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AET Early Years into Primary Transitions Checklist

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AET Early Years into Primary Transitions Checklist

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Your Internet Explorer 11 browser is not supported by this site. Please upgrade to a recent browser for the best experience.

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Signposting to Inclusion and SEND Advice Service Resources 

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Signposting to Inclusion and SEND Advice Service Resources 

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Contact Inclusion and SEND Advice Service for any additional help around transitions (either general support for a setting or for individual pupils):

https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/inclusion-and-send-commitment-ordinarily-available-provision-appendices-and-forms

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Inclusion and SEND Commitment: Ordinarily Available Provision: Appendices and Forms | Bath and North East Somerset Council

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View appendices and forms for the Inclusion and SEND Commitment for B&NES Ordinarily Available Provision (OAP).

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SASS Specialist Guide for Education Settings

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New SASS Guide for Education Settings Nov 2024

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SASS Transition Referral Form 2025-26 (1)

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Agreement to engage SASS Inclusion and SEND Advice Service FINAL September 2025 (1)