BeyondAutism Post-19

BeyondAutism Post-19 provides educational services to adults with autism aged 19-25yrs. 

We are a local provider, accepting learners from across the London boroughs.

Our curriculum responds to the needs of an individual, the student’s aspirations and their desired outcomes. The teaching and learning provided by BeyondAutism Post-19 is to enable our students to have choice and control over their futures, working towards vocational outcomes, as well as independent or supported living.

Through the Education, Health and Care Plan, as well as assessments from our teaching staff, Speech and Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists, an Individual Education Plan and bespoke timetable is created.

The IEP covers literacy, numeracy and the four strands of Preparation for Adulthood: Vocational and Employment, Independence, Community Participation and Health and Wellbeing.

Teaching communication skills is a fundamental part of our students’ learning. Communication enables our students to have choice and control over their lives, as well as being able to share their feelings, thoughts and desires. Our Post-19 provision will focus on a student’s communication both during lessons and within the community. We will continue to strongly encourage verbal communication but will also adapt an Inclusive Communication approach within the provision to ensure that students have every opportunity to communicate appropriately in a variety of settings. This may change depending on the settings and what is most appropriate for each student.

All of these elements are brought together into a curriculum model that allows students to follow the right pathway to prepare them for adulthood. This is focused around the creation of an ‘ideal week’ designed to meet the interests and aspirations of each individual. 

The service operates two ‘Hubs’, which currently provide up to 10 places each.  The Hammersmith Hub (based on Goldhawk Road in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham) opened in September 2017 and is now entering its third year.  The service was developed following a pilot year with one student.   The Hammersmith Hub is based within a building shared with the independent care provider, Yarrow. Our second Hub opened in November 2019.  The Wandsworth Hub (based on Enterprise Way in the London Borough of Wandsworth).  

Our teaching and interactions throughout the day are underpinned by the theory of Applied Behaviour Analysis and Verbal Behaviour.  Our students are supported by a team of professionals, including Broad Certified Behaviour Analyst; Speech & Language; and Occupational Therapy. 

We have a range of parternships and links in our local community. Using these links we aim to establish a weekly work experience placement for each learner at Post-19.