This term, we are delighted to be supporting the charity Child Autism UK

September 9th 2025

This term our School Charity is Child Autism UK

We were delighted to welcome Suzy Yardley, the CEO of the charity, to Assembly and she gave a superb presentation on what the charity does and what the money we raise will go towards. Lottie, an U6^th pupil, explained to the School why she had chosen Child Autism UK as the School Charity, and Mrs Brown, our Head of LS, explained ways we support autistic pupils in our King’s community.

We are looking forward to many charity events this term, such as the Christmas Fair, the Priory and Blackford House events and our mufti day. Will and Grace are our Charity Senior Prefects this term and have lots of ideas for fundraising.

Emily Simper, Deputy Head Pastoral

Lottie - U6^th Form

This term, the school charity is Child Autism UK. Autism affects over 1 in 50 children, and Child Autism supports autistic children by working with schools, parents, and caregivers to empower children to develop new skills, improve communication and build confidence. This charity is important to me as I believe we need to break the stigma surrounding neurodiversity. By raising awareness and understanding around autism, we can create a more accessible and accepting environment. Neurodiversity is a natural variation in humans, and autism is a vast spectrum. Autistic people are unique individuals who have different ways of thinking, experiencing the world around them, and communicating. Whilst this can cause challenges, autistic people have many strengths. Child Autism UK aims to support autistic children so that their strengths can grow and they can reach their full potential.

Lucy Brown - Head of Learning Support

Everyone is different, so in the LS department at King's we work to support individuals and sometimes families in a range of different ways. This comprehensive approach includes helping young people understand their own needs, strengths, and challenges, while also supporting them through the assessment process if they would like a diagnosis. We coordinate ongoing support and adjustments across the school, recognizing that this 'looks' different for everyone based on their individual requirements. We encourage young people advocate for themselves as they move through the School and transition to university or enter the world of work. Beyond direct pupil support, we work with colleagues to develop awareness and understanding of autism throughout the school community, providing and signposting training for both academic and pastoral staff. A key part of our work involves challenging stereotypes and stigma, operating from the principle that we are all different, we all need support sometimes, and we all have strengths and talents to celebrate.

Suzy Yardley - CEO of Child Autism UK