The programme has been designed to support the good autism practice of professionals working with autistic learners aged 16 years old and above.

We use a variety of engaging teaching methods to deliver both face-to-face and virtual training, including:

• Videos
• Training Presentations
• Case studies
• Practical materials
• Discussion points
• Delegate packs
• Activities
• Auditing Tools

The combination of these teaching tools means that delegates can engage with each other, share and reflect on practice and develop their skill set as a group, as well as gain a greater understanding of autism.

The AET Programme is the only DfE-supported, CPD-certified professional development programme that is co-produced with autistic people, parents and education professionals.  You can access AET training face-to-face or virtually. The training modules are delivered by local trainers with experience in the field of autism education and an understanding of the local context.

Working in partnership with our wide community makes us unique, and we are excited to share the redeveloped Programme with you!

The programme has been informed by the Good Autism Practice Report (2019).  The report includes research from the last 5 years and this has been incorporated into the programme.

We visited a Post-16 setting to develop our training videos and hear from autistic learners. Nicola Powell, the AET’s Marketing Coordinator, was part of the visit, and she reflected on the experience:

"The pupils were all so articulate and passionate about sharing their experiences of education as autistic learners. It’s wonderful to be able to share their lived experiences in the programme we are developing for Post 16 professionals nationally."

You can read more in our blog post: Meeting the Autism Education Trust Community - Springhallow

Our updated professional development programme consists of 7 Training Modules:

• Post 16 Making Sense of Autism
• Post 16 Good Autism Practice
• Progression Framework
• Understanding GAP and the AET Frameworks for Leaders (Suite of Resources for Leaders)
• Inclusion, Leadership and Structural Reasonable Adjustments (Suite of Resources for Leaders)

And two new topic-based modules:

• Anxiety
• Transition to Employment

You can read more about each training module on our Post-16 Professional Development Programme page: https://www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk/post-16-professional-development-programme

We have also updated our Framework Documents for the Post-16 Professional Development Programme. You can now download the Post -16 Standards Framework and Post-16 Competency Framework with their supporting, additional resources. 

The new Post-16 programme has been co-produced with:

• ACER - The University of Birmingham
• Ambitious about Autism
• Education & Training Foundation
• Bristol City Council
• Weston College
• The AET Expert Reference Group

Our Professional Development Programme is delivered by our partners who purchase the license to disseminate the training in their local authority area. The training is designed to be used flexibility by the trainers across our network to allow them to deliver the key AET messages while at the same time being able to bespoke the sessions to meet the needs of their audience.

You can search for your local authority on our website to find your local AET Training Partner.