A huge thank you to all the pupils, staff and parents for taking part in the World Autism Acceptance week that took place during the week between 28^th March to the 3^rd April 2022.  As this year marked the National Autistic Society 60th birthday, the school put together a collection of 60-themed fundraising activities.

To help pupils understand the difficulties some people will autism face, the school went into darkness on Wednesday 30^th March from 9.15 - 10.15.  Sensory issues are common in people with autism which may include sensitivities to: Sights, Sounds, Smells, Tastes, Touch and Balance.  Certain sounds, smells, textures and tastes can be overwhelming, which results in sensory avoidance – trying to get away from stimuli that most people can easily tune out. Sensory avoidance can look like pulling away from physical touch, covering the ears to avoid loud or unpredictable sounds, or avoiding certain kinds of clothing – or sensory seeking - trying to get more sensory input from the environment. For example, people with autism may stimulate their senses by making loud noises, touching people or objects, or rocking back and forth. 

Having unique sensitivities to certain types of sensory input can create challenges in school, as it can take a lot of effort to spend all day under lights, navigate crowded spaces or process conversations in rooms with background noise. This can be incredibly physically and emotionally draining and can leave the person feeling too exhausted to do other important tasks.

The school also carried out a range of fundraising activities for the charity including: Guess the sweets/ lego in the jar, a 60 mins Paint-a-thon art session where pupils were given the opportunity to produce a piece of art and a celebrate the 60s: non-uniform day where our pupils came dressed in 60’s wear or wore purple, red and green – the colours of the sixties. 

A huge thank you to Mr Pluckrose, who is a huge advocate for Autism Awareness, for organising these events and to Mrs Dourado, who will be taking part in a sponsored activity very soon.  As of now, we are still counting all the money raised and will let you know the exact amount very soon.