EASA and the AET Overview

EASA is proud to be a Regional Partner and Training Hub of the Autism Education Trust (AET). EASA supports the delivery of the AET Early Years Programme across London and delivers all the AET training modules for Early Years, Schools and Post 16 settings in Enfield. You can find out more about the AET on their website: Autism Education Trust.

Supporting Culture Change for Autism in Enfield

EASA uses the AET training, frameworks and resources to support culture change in Enfield educational settings and communities. We want Enfield to be a borough where our autistic children and young people are understood, accepted and can thrive. The AET’s vision, ethos and research supports us with this aim.

You may see references to the AET principles, frameworks and resources in advices given by the Educational Psychologists and by therapists in Enfield. Autism professionals in Enfield are working together to ensure a cohesive approach, with the AET vision and ethos at the heart of our work.

EASA encourages children, young people and families to use the AET One Page Profile and My Hopes, Dreams and Aspirations documents to share their thoughts, wishes and needs with staff in educational settings and with the EASA team.  

The AET’s 8 Principles of Good Autism Practice

The AET has been working with young people, parents, professionals and academics over many years to understand the experiences of autistic children and young people and how to make educational settings better for autistic learners. You can read about their findings here: Good Autism Practice Guidance | Autism Education Trust. The findings have helped the AET to create 8 Good Autism Practice Principles.

These 8 GAP Principles are the basis for the AET’s Training modules, frameworks and resources. The AET approach and ethos is supported by Enfield Local Authority SEN Team. You will see references to the AET’s 8 Principles of Good Autism Practice in Enfield’s Ordinarily Available Provision (awaiting publication) guidelines and in EASA’s Case Study Consultations paperwork.

This year, EASA is hosting weekly online workshops on the 8 GAP Principles* to support staff in Enfield educational settings to learn about these principles and how you can use them to make life better for your autistic learners.

*Please note these workshops are not official AET training modules. They are designed by EASA to complement our wider offer and to support Enfield staff to meet local authority expectations.

AET Training Modules

(See AET website for details of modules: Autism Training | Autism Education Trust)

EASA has a team of experienced AET trainers who can deliver any of the official AET modules in your setting. Please make an enquiry by completing a Training Request form.

We also offer some AET training modules online. Staff in Enfield educational settings, other Enfield professionals and Enfield parents are welcome to register for these using our Zoom registration links.

AET Frameworks

There are three frameworks that can be used by staff in educational settings to support the development of the setting, the staff and the children and young people. These are:

• The AET Standards Framework (for settings to evaluate their autism provision and practice)
• The AET Competency Framework (for staff to evaluate their knowledge, understanding and skills)
• The AET Progression Framework (for assessing and monitoring the progress of autistic children and young people)

(See AET website to download the Frameworks: Framework Documents | Autism Education Trust)

EASA will support educational settings to use these frameworks through training and consultation meetings. It is expected that settings will refer to these frameworks when considering additional support for autistic children and young people. The Enfield SEN Team requests evidence that these frameworks have been considered and that ideas have been implemented as part of the Assess, plan, Do, Review (APDR) cycle when making requests for statutory EHCP assessment. 

EASA’s TA and LSA Mentoring Programme includes use of the AET’s Competency Framework. Nurseries and schools that request the mentoring programme are expected to commit to using the AET Frameworks. You can see an overview of the EASA TA and LSA Mentoring Programme and Agreement form here.