Overview
Teachers need practical, evidence-based autism training — beyond awareness, into adjustment, communication and behaviour.
Key points to understand
- Autism Education Trust (AET) is the leading national framework.
- NAS Schools training, Whole School SEND, NASEN all offer training.
- Oliver McGowan training is mandatory in health/social care, not yet education.
- Whole-school approaches outperform one-off training.
Practical strategies that help
- Choose AET tier 1 (awareness), tier 2 (skill), tier 3 (advanced) by role.
- Include autistic trainers wherever possible.
- Embed learning in real classroom practice.
- Refresh every 2–3 years.
Common challenges to be aware of
- 'Awareness day' training rarely changes practice.
- Listen to autistic adults' school experiences — they know what worked.
How Bright Steps can help
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References & further reading
✏️ This article will be expanded with rich, UK-specific content, case studies, video explainers and downloadable resources. If you'd like to contribute a story or suggest a correction, contact the Bright Steps editors via the Community page.