‘This school is 100% not autistic friendly!’ Listening to the voices of primary-aged autistic children to understand what an autistic friendly primary school should be like

ABSTRACT

This study reports on a research project which took place in a mainstream primary school with a small specialist resource provision for autistic children. The study aimed to elicit the voice of eleven autistic pupils on their perspectives of what an autistic friendly primary school should be like. This is important, as all children have the right to express their views and engage in decisions which affect them. A specifically devised approach, the three houses, was used in group and individual interviews as a way of engaging the meaningful participation of the pupils in order to elicit their views of the school. The pupils had perspectives in common and were, overall, positive about their school experience. Three keys theme emerged: understand me (I may be tricking you); help me to understand (myself and others) and hide support for me (or I won’t use it). The pupils were able to identify adjustments which would lead to a more positive school experience. These adjustments may help to alleviate feelings of anxiety which the pupils were working hard to hide. Adjustments requested by the pupils may be beneficial to all pupils in the school and would certainly not be detrimental to them.

KEYWORDS:

• Autism
• pupil voice
• autistic-friendly primary school

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank all the children who took part in this study, the Headteacher and teachers and the parents of the children for giving their consent. Thank you to my supervisor at University College London for her enduring support during this research study; Dr Daisy Loyd.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Melanie Cunningham

Melanie Cunningham is the lead of a specialist resource provision for primary-aged autistic children. She is also the Assistant Headteacher in the attached mainstream primary school.