Case study - John's* Story
I joined the secondary department of Sheridan School in 2019 and I was finding my time at school difficult. I often found it difficult to engage in my learning and I would sometimes get angry and find it hard to control my behaviour. Staff would often have to help me with my behaviour by physically supporting me.
When I first joined my new class in secondary, I found it difficult to adjust to some of the changes and make new friends. I had a part time transition timetable to allow me to settle into the secondary department in a way that I felt comfortable. After a few weeks, I was able to build some good relationships with my teachers and teaching assistants and was coming to school every day on a full time basis. I have made some good friends in my class and we really like playing outside together at break and lunch times.
I really like it and Sheridan because I have the same staff all through the day and this is good for me because I have autism and I don’t like change. When I go to other subjects that I enjoy like PE or Food Tech, my teaching assistants always come with me so I always have an adult I have a good relationship with in the room with me.
I used to hate writing but it was ok because my teacher helped me find new ways to record my work such as taking photographs, drawing and using a computer to type up my ideas.
I have been having 1:1 weekly music therapy sessions and this has really helped me to communicate my feelings in a different way. My therapist always speaks to my teacher and they can talk about the different things that I am struggling with and help me to learn new ways to deal with these.
I really like the school shop where I can pick things that I would like to buy with my tokens. I love going to the shops with my class and picking different hot wheels cars that I can put into the school shop and exchange them for the token that I earn each day in class for making good choices.
My teacher will speak to my mum every day and explain to her what sort of a day I have had. I really like this because then mum knows what I have been learning about at school and I can get rewards at school and home when I make good choices.
*names changed to protect student's identities