You can find all the latest announcements for our Partner network here! If you have accessibility needs, you can use our toolbar by clicking 'accessibility options' in the top right of the screen.
December 2024 - Everything you need this month
We hope you're doing well! Here's your monthly roundup with everything you need to know as we wrap up the month.
AI Summit
We are hosting a FREE LIVE Online summit entitled “Unmasking AI, Tech and its Place in the Classroom” on Wednesday 29th January 2025 at 12.30pm – 4pm. Everyone is welcome so please do share! And do register, even if you can’t attend, to receive a link to the recording.
Monthly AET Trainer Development Opportunities (TDO) Sessions
We invite different people from all walks of life to come and talk about topics and share their unique perspectives relating autism specifically for you, our national AET trainer network, to support you in this role. These take place on the first working Tuesday of every month between 11am – 12.30pm (apart from April and August) and are recorded, the recording accessible via your AET website trainer account. Click the button below for more info, including the Microsoft Teams meeting link and instructions for joining each session.
Next TDO session – Tuesday 7th January at 11am – 12.30pm – Robyn Steward, Autism and Girls
Robyn Steward is an autistic adult, and NAS ambassador, and has delivered training and written books about autism. In this session, Robyn will explore how autism can present in girls (both feminine and masculine presenting) and how AET trainers can use this knowledge to upskill and support settings to better understand and support autistic girls/young women.
Previous TDO session – December’s session
Three of our Autistic Young Experts delivered an excellent session on ‘co-occurring conditions and my experience of education’. They shared their lived experiences, both the positives and the challenges, and provided reflections on actions education professionals can take to support those with co-occurring conditions. The recording is now available on your AET website account.
Trainer Development Opportunities Information
AET Resources Update
New and updated resources to be aware of
➔ Neurodivergence Training Modules
Two new training modules have been developed for Partners engaging with the PINS project (Partnership for the Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools). In January, these will be made available to all Partners for general use as part of your usual schools phase licenced materials to use in the same way as all the training modules.
Making Sense of Neurodivergence in Schools and Inclusive Leadership for Supporting Neurodivergent Students in Schools are designed in the same format as their autism counterparts so these will be quick and easy to familiarise yourselves with.
➔ Updated Progression Framework
The Updated Progression Framework and associated documents are now available on your website account. Please use the updated version for all your training and support moving forward. The previous Excel version and associated documents will be removed from trainer accounts by the end of December.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to some blurring on images in the updated presentation, if you downloaded this prior to 5th December, please redownload the amended version.
➔ Leadership Resources
- In the Schools phase materials, we are removing the Schools Leadership, Inclusion and Reasonable Adjustments training module from your accounts by the end of December. Please use the new Developing Inclusive Leadership in School training module in place of this. The original presentation’s associated materials will remain on your account in Additional Leadership Resources for your information.
- PLEASE NOTE: Videos are now linked to slides within the NEW Developing Inclusive Leadership in Schools PPT Presentation. If you downloaded this prior to 10th December, please redownload the amended version.
- In the Early Years phase materials, following further discussion, we have agreed that the Early Years Leadership, Inclusion and Reasonable Adjustment training module and associated materials will remain for use with delegates pending an update next year.
➔ The new, free Why Words Matter - Terminology Guide, co-produced with the Autistic Young Experts, has now been launched on our website, and is available on your AET website accounts.
Please do familiarise yourself with this, use it and share widely. You can signpost delegates to download their copy from the redesigned Autistic Young Expert page on our front facing website.
➔ Autism Design Principles for Schools. This practical guide to support schools in creating more inclusive learning environments has been added to Free Additional Resources on your trainer account. Please do use freely.
If you have feedback on the AET materials, that you would like to share with the content team.
Schools phase licenced materials on your AET website account
An update for you! We are tweaking the layout of the materials in the Schools Professional Development Programme on the Resources page of your AET website account to make it easier to navigate and find materials. You can find a high-level summary of the changes below.
Pre-warning for administrators, we will be reviewing Marketing Guidance & The Work-Based CPD Programme next!
Updates to Your Schools Resources Space
Public Access Shop Resources
The ‘Why Language Matters’ webcast will be available in the AET Shop before Christmas. You have early access to this in your AET Shop Resources tile on your AET website account for personal use only.
Coming soon – Behaviour Guide. This has been created with our Autistic Young Experts to focus on lived experience, their views and thoughts in a similar way to the terminology guide. Once finalised, this will be added to the AET Shop Resources tile on your website account for you to use as part of your usual work.
World Autism Acceptance Month
We will soon be launching our early registration page for the new and updated World Autism Acceptance Month 2025 materials. Once available, please do share widely.
AET Stakeholder Database
Are you interested in supporting the work of the AET through giving your views on new AET materials for example? If so, please do register your interest on our stakeholder data base and we will be in touch when there is work to be done!
Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS)
The fortnightly meetings for Partners involved in PINS are continuing until the end of the project in March 2025. These meetings provide a space for Partners to share experiences and ask advice of one another.
If you’d like to be added to this recurring invite, please email Emily Niner emily.niner@autismeducationtrust.org.uk.
AET Work-Based CPD Programme
Lead trainers can find information about the AET Work-Based CPD Programme in Marketing Guidance & The WB-CPD Programme on administrator accounts including how it dovetails with the AET Professional Development Programme to support our ambitious growth targets. Please do have a look and share the information with your trainers.
Our pilot schools are now coming to the end of Year 1 of the Work-Based CPD Programme and we are planning for Year 2 engagement from January 2025. Information was shared with lead trainers about this at the November round of network meetings.
Administration Update and Virtual Administrators Drop in Surgery
The next virtual administrator’s drop in surgery will take place on Monday 27th January 12.30pm – 1.30pm. See the training partner home page on your administrator account for further details including the meeting link.
As always, please contact partner@autismeducationtrust.org.uk with any queries.
Thank you
We wish you a restful festive season and a happy 2025. See you in the new year!
Keep up to date via our social media channels!
If you would like to get in touch, please contact:
November 2024 - Everything you need this month
We hope you're doing well! Here's your monthly roundup with everything you need to know as we wrap up the month.
Monthly AET Trainer Development Opportunities (TDO) Sessions
We invite different people from all walks of life to come and talk about topics and share their unique perspectives relating autism specifically for you, our national AET trainer network, to support you in this role. These take place on the first working Tuesday of every month between 11am – 12.30pm (apart from April and August) and are recorded, the recording accessible via your AET website trainer account. The AET Trainer Development Opportunities page provides full information of all the sessions and includes the Microsoft Teams meeting link and instructions for joining each session.
Next TDO session – Tuesday 3rd December at 11am – 12.30pm
Three of our Autistic Young Experts are delivering this session on ‘co-occurring conditions and my experience of education’. They will share their lived experiences, both the positives and the challenges, and provide reflections on actions education professionals can take to support those with co-occurring conditions.
Previous TDO session – November’s session
Sam Clark- Stone, lead clinician for the Eating Disorders Service at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust delivered this session on Autism, Feeding and Eating Disorders. Sam discussed eating disorders across the age range including ARFID and Pica as well as strategies and the services available for eating disorders. You can find the recording of the session and the associated handout with useful web-links on your trainer account.
Trainer Development Opportunities Information
AET Resources Update
New and updated resources to be aware of
As explained last month, the updated Progression Framework and associated documents are now available on your website account. Please use the updated version for your training and support moving forward. The previous Excel version and associated documents will be removed from trainer accounts at the end of December.
With regards the Leadership Resources. A new Schools phase ‘Developing Inclusive Leadership’ training module was launched earlier this year. The out-of-date Leadership, Inclusion and Reasonable Adjustments training module and associated documents will be removed from Early Years, Schools and Post 16 licenced resources at the end of December 2024. If you plan to deliver this training module from 1st January, please replace this with the ‘Developing Inclusive Leadership’ for schools or the ‘Understanding Good Autism Practice and the AET Frameworks for Leaders’ for Early Years and Post 16. The latter training module and associated resources will remain on your accounts to deliver as usual.
The new Why Words Matter - Terminology Guide, coproduced with the Autistic Young Experts, will be launched next month. The guide will be free on the website with a webcast available to purchase from the AET Shop. You have early access to these, they have been added to your AET website account. Please remember that all webcasts are for your personal use only.
If you have feedback on the AET materials, that you would like to share with the content team, please complete the form.
The AET Shop Tile
On the Resources page of your AET website accounts
Last month, we shared that we are reviewing the layout of the resources page on your AET website account, starting with the AET Shop resources that you have free access to as an AET Partner. A new AET Shop tile is now live in the same section as the Trainer Development Opportunities. All the AET Shop resources on your accounts have now been moved into this tile. Please do provide any feedback on this change via partner@autismeducationtrust.org.uk.
AET Shop Resources
New shop products for everyone coming soon
- The paid for updated 'Progression Framework Package’ and associated webcast is now available on the shop
- The paid for ‘Why Language Matters’ webcast will be available in the AET Shop next month.
- The free Terminology Guide will be launched on the AYE Pages on the AET Website early in December. Keep an eye on our website for updates!
AET Stakeholder Database
Are you interested in supporting the work of the AET through giving your views on new AET materials for example? If so, please do register your interest on our stakeholder data base and we will be in touch when there is work to be done!
Encouraging Completion of Delegate Feedback Forms
We know you strongly encourage delegates to complete their delegate feedback forms so that you, as trainers, and AET can reflect on and share the effectiveness of your training and delegates can receive their CPD certified, DfE supported certificates.
There are other benefits for delegates to completing the feedback form too:
- Delegates receive a 10% discount code on any product purchased in the AET Shop in the email they receive with their certificate attached.
- Delegates can sign up via a consent box to the AET newsletter which gives them access to regular expert tips, exclusive offers and early access to new resources.
Please do tell your delegates and encourage them to sign up to our newsletter for ongoing updates!
Encouraging Delegates and Others to Sign Up to Our Monthly Newsletter
To further encourage signs up to our monthly newsletter, we have created a poster which can be shared with those you train or support.
They can then share the poster by email or print the poster to add to their internal notice boards.
Lead trainers and administrators can find this in ‘Marketing Guidance & The WB-CPD Programme’ on your AET website administrator accounts.
Please do share widely!
Check Your Trainer Account Details
We’ve received several reports from users who have an incorrect email address listed on their account. In some cases, this was a personal email instead of a professional one, likely due to an auto-fill setting in browsers like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. To prevent this issue, we have now disabled auto-fill on our site.
Please review your account details to ensure they are correct. Any changes you make will remain in effect unless you decide to update your email address in the future. To edit your email, simply log in and click 'Edit My Profile’.
AET Delivery Plan Support
Following feedback from the summer partner survey, lead trainers and administrators can now find support for writing your AET Delivery Plans, including ‘what a good one looks like’ examples and a success criteria checklist, on your administrator account in Lead and Lead Trainer Induction - Delivery and Contract Paperwork.
Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS)
The fortnightly meetings for Partners involved in PINS are continuing until the end of the project in March 2025. These meetings provide a space for Partners to share experiences and ask advice of one another.
If you’d like to be added to this recurring invite, please email Emily Niner emily.niner@autismeducationtrust.org.uk.
AET Work-Based CPD Programme
Lead trainers can find information about the AET Work-Based CPD Programme in Marketing Guidance & The WB-CPD Programme on administrator accounts including how it dovetails with the AET Professional Development Programme to support our ambitious growth targets. Please do have a look and share the information with your trainers.
Programme Managers have spoken with all lead trainers to learn about their approach to the AET Work-Based CPD Programme in their local area. We aim to inform lead trainers about interested schools and trusts at the point of enquiry. However, please note that is not always possible. For example, conversations with a trust may lead to them engaging with more schools than originally planned and we learn about this at the application stage only. Please rest assured that we always make best efforts to adhere to your preferred approach and keep you informed at the earliest opportunity.
Administration Update and Virtual Administrators Drop-in Surgery
The next virtual administrators drop in surgery will take place on Monday 25th November 12.30pm – 1.30pm. See the training partner home page on your administrator account for further details including the meeting link.
As always, please contact partner@autismeducationtrust.org.uk with any queries.
Department for Education Recruiting New Advisers
The DfE is recruiting Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence team advisers in each of their nine regions to be a key part of the RISE teams.
The roles are part-time and can be secondments, with a day rate of £600. They are looking for applications from individuals with an exceptional track record of school improvement and executive leadership. This may include people who are, or who have recently been, headteachers, senior local authority officers, or trust leaders.
Deadline is the 25th November.
AET Partnership with Opogo
You may have seen in last month’s newsletter that Opogo are one of the organisations that we are partnering with to extend the reach of our difference not deficit approach to their national supply teacher network. They are offering the Autism Re-Explained video to all who are registered with them on their platform and Emily, our Head of Projects and Partnerships, is delivering a one off 90-minute training session for them. They will be signposting to you, our AET Partners, for any further training and support.
Thank you
As always, please contact partner@autismeducationtrust.org.uk with any queries.
Keep up to date via our social media channels!
If you would like to get in touch, please contact:
October 2024 - Everything you need this month
We hope you're doing well! Here's your monthly roundup with everything you need to know as we wrap up the month.
Monthly AET Trainer Development Opportunities (TDO) Sessions
We invite different people from all walks of life to come and talk about topics and share their unique perspectives relating autism specifically for you, our national AET trainer network, to support you in this role. These take place on the first working Tuesday of every month between 11am – 12.30pm (apart from April and August) and are recorded, the recording accessible via your AET website trainer account. The AET trainer development opportunities web page provides full information of all the sessions and includes the Microsoft Teams meeting link and instructions for joining each session.
Next session - November’s TDO session – Tuesday 5th November at 11am – 12.30pm
Sam Clark- Stone, lead clinician for the Eating Disorders Service at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust is delivering this session on Autism and Eating. Sam will discuss eating disorders across the age range including ARFID and Pica as well as useful strategies and the services available for eating disorders.
Previous session - October’s TDO session
James Cusack delivered a very informative session on his own experiences as an autistic man in education and Autistica’s current research goals. You can find the recording and handout for this session on your AET website trainer account in ‘Trainer Development Opportunities – current session’
Trainer Development Opportunities Information
AET Resources Update
New and updated resources to be aware of
The Practical Support Packs and Activities documents in the Early Years and Schools Making Sense of Autism and Good Autism Practice training modules have been updated and the updated versions have replaced the previous versions on your AET website account. The content in the updated versions is the same but inconsistencies in the documents have been addressed such as wrapping text issues in editable documents. Please use these updated versions moving forward.
Early Years Good Autism Practice training presentation amendment: An issue with the video on slide 60 has been rectified. You will need to download the new version for your training sessions.
The new Why Words Matter - Terminology Guide, coproduced with the Autistic Young Experts will also be launched soon alongside more exciting developments involving our AYE Panel – Watch this Space!
If you have feedback on the AET materials that you would like to share with the content team, please complete the form at this link.
The Updated Progression Framework
A familiarisation video for the updated Progression Framework has been added to your AET website account alongside the updated Progression Framework itself, which is now in PDF format, and the Progression Framework Training module. The familiarisation video is for your use only. You can train delegates in the use of the Progression Framework using the training module and give delegates who attend the training a free copy of the updated Progression Framework. Please make sure that delegates understand this is licensed for their use and is not to be shared more widely.
Some trainers have reported difficulty emailing the updated Progression Framework due to its size. We have now replaced this with a compressed version (13 MB) so you can email this to your delegates.
A new Progression Framework Webcast will soon be available alongside the updated Progression Framework to purchase in the AET Shop. The webcast will be added to your AET website account for your own information only. You will find the webcast in Trainer Development Opportunities – Previous Sessions when available pending the update to your Resources page on your AET website account, see below for more information.
Please note that the Excel version of the Progression Framework will not be updated so this has now been removed from the AET website. The updated Progression Framework is a paid for resource which will soon be available in the AET Shop.
Share our Stakeholder Database Sign Up Link
The AET team recognise and deeply value the diverse voices and experiences within our community, and are committed to ensuring that everyone has a platform to share their insights. We are seeking to broaden the diversity of our previously shared stakeholder database and we warmly invite members of the BAME community to help shape our initiatives. A range of perspectives are essential in ensuring that our work reflects the richness of our community and addresses the unique challenges and opportunities we face together.
We encourage our Partners and trainers to sign up to the stakeholder database and to share the link with contacts more widely and help us build a more inclusive and representative future.
The link is here: https://www.autismeducationtrust.org.uk/form/stakeholder-database-registration
AET Shop Tile
Coming soon to the Resources page on your AET website account
Following feedback, we are reviewing the layout of the resources page on your AET website account to make the materials easier to find. We are starting with the AET Shop materials, all of which you have access to. We are creating a new AET Shop tile in the same section as the Trainer Development Opportunities. All the AET Shop resources with be moved into this tile and will include information about how you can use each of them. This will go live during the week commencing 28th October. We look forward to receiving your feedback on this change.
Autism Re-Explained Video
The Autism Re-explained video is available in our AET Shop and on your AET website accounts, currently in ‘Previous Sessions - Trainer Development Opportunities’ for your own information only.
We are delighted that Opogo Education and Training Toolz are making available the Autism Re-Explained video to their members via their own platforms. This will broaden the reach of our strength-based, difference not deficit understanding of autism and signpost to our AET Partner network for further expert training and support.
Launch of the Autism Programme in Wales
We are really pleased to announce the successful culmination of a two-year project with Monmouthshire County Council (MCC). The celebration of Monmouthshire’s Autism in Schools and Settings Programme took place on September 26th at a hybrid launch event.
Throughout the project, the AET supported Monmouthshire County Council in establishing robust governance arrangements and worked collaboratively to design a project that would facilitate real cultural change and achieve sustainable improvements necessary to realise their vision for autism support in their mainstream and specialist settings.
“The AET have worked in true partnership with us to design and setup a sustainable approach to drive forward consistent good autism practice across our schools, settings and Specialist Resource Bases (SRBs). Their autism expertise and willingness to fully understand our needs has been invaluable.”
Dr. Morwenna Wagstaff, Head of Inclusion, Monmouthshire
If you wish to find out more the Monmouthshire Autism Programme please click here.
Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS)
The fortnightly meetings for Partners involved in PINS are continuing until the end of the project in March 2025. These meetings provide a space for Partners to share experiences and ask advice of one another.
If you’d like to be added to this recurring invite, please email Emily Niner emily.niner@autismeducationtrust.org.uk.
AET Work-Based CPD Programme
Lead trainers can find information about the AET Work-Based CPD Programme in Marketing Guidance & The WB-CPD Programme on administrator accounts including how it dovetails with the AET Professional Development Programme to support our ambitious growth targets. Please do have a look and share the information with your trainers.
Administration Update and Virtual Administrators Drop in Surgery
The next virtual administrators drop in surgery will take place on Monday 25th November 12.30pm – 1.30pm. See the training partner home page on your administrator account for further details including the meeting link.
Thank you
As always, please contact partner@autismeducationtrust.org.uk with any queries.
Keep up to date via our social media channels!
If you would like to get in touch, please contact:
September 2024 - Everything you need this month
We hope you're doing well! Here's your monthly roundup with everything you need to know as we wrap up September.
AET 2025 - 2028 Strategy Development
We are reviewing our current strategy and will be providing ways for you to have your say over the coming months. More information to follow.
Trainer Development Opportunities Sessions
We invite different people from all walks of life to come and talk about topics and share their unique perspectives relating autism specifically for you, our national AET trainer network, to support you in this role. These take place on the first working Tuesday of every month between 11am – 12.30pm (apart from April and August) and is recorded, the recording accessible via your AET website trainer account. The AET trainer development opportunities web page provides full information of all the sessions and includes the Microsoft Teams meeting link and instructions for joining each session.
September’s TDO session
Reena Anand delivered a very informative session on supporting ethnically diverse families with autistic children in education. You can find the handout for this session on your AET website trainer account in ‘Trainer Development Opportunities – current session’
October’s TDO session – 1st October at 11am
James Cusack, an autistic man and CEO of Autistica, will be delivering October's session on his own experience of autism and the most recent research that Autistica are involved in. It promises to be a very interesting session, we look forward to seeing you there.
Trainer Development Opportunities Information
AET Resources Update
New and updated resources to be aware of
Further to last month's information, the updated Progression Framework and training module are now available on your AET website trainer account in ‘Progression Framework’. Just a reminder that delegates attending the training receive a copy of the updated Progression Framework free of charge. Others will need to purchase it via the AET Shop, it will be available to purchase in October.
We are in the process of creating some new videos for Making Sense of Autism and Good Autism Practice training modules which will provide perspectives of parents, pupils and education staff. These are coming soon.
Two new topic-based modules are in development, one on Intersectionality and one on Anxious Non-Attenders. These will be available in 2025.
A new AET Shop webcast is due soon – the AuDHD Experience – as well as another video called Autism Re-explained. These will be added to your AET website trainer account in ‘Trainer Development Opportunities – Previous Sessions’ for your own personal use only, they must not be shared with others. Please direct others to the AET Shop to purchase these, they will be available in October.
Our Difference Not Deficit video is now available with Hindi subtitles. You can find this on your AET website trainer account. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on ‘Why Autism Is a Difference, Not a Deficit’. Other languages available are French, German, Polish and Spanish.
If you have feedback on the AET materials that you would like to share with the content team, please complete the form at this AET Content Feedback Form.
Update to the look of the Resources page on your AET website account
The 'Resources’ page on your AET website account has been updated and has a more modern look. The way you navigate the page is the same so you should only see some subtle visual changes to what you are used to. Please let us know if there are any issues.
AET Autistic Young Experts Webinar
Our Autistic Young Experts launched their new webinar series ‘In Conversation with...our Autistic Young Experts’ in August. ‘School Holidays Good or Bad?’ was the topic.
You can watch the recording now - more to come!
Autism in Schools Project
A number of schools in London involved in the Autism in Schools project, which is project led by the AET, have now applied for and received their NAS Inclusion Award. Well done to everyone working with the schools to achieve this.
Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS)
The fortnightly meetings for Partners involved in PINS have recommenced and will continue until the end of the projects in March 2025. These meetings provide a space for Partners to share experiences and ask advice of one another.
If you’d like to be added to this recurring invite, please email Emily Niner emily.niner@autismeducationtrust.org.uk.
Showcasing the work of AET Partners
DfE advisors visited Fosse Way School, our AET Partner in Bath and North East Somerset and Regional Partner for the South West, and a secondary school they are working with, to learn about the AET Professional Development Programme and how this is implemented locally to support autistic children and young people. The visit was a resounding success, very many thanks to all involved.
AET Work-Based CPD Programme
Lead trainers can find information about the AET Work-Based CPD Programme in Marketing Guidance & The WB-CPD Programme on administrator accounts including how it dovetails with the AET Professional Development Programme to support our ambitious growth targets. Please do have a look and share the information with your trainers.
Administration Update and Virtual Administrators Drop in Surgery
The next virtual administrators drop in surgery will take place on Monday 30th September 12.30pm – 1.30pm. Lyn will discuss the updated data dashboard at the beginning of this session and please come along with any admin questions. See the training partner home page on your administrator account for further details including the meeting link.
As always, you can contact partner@autismeducationtrust.org.uk with any queries.
Thank you
Keep up to date via our social media channels!
You can't reply to this message.
If you would like to get in touch, please contact: