The State Government has introduced a new initiative to build autism inclusion in secondary schools.
A pilot in nine schools, including Murray Bridge High, will trial three models of support for the 2025 year, particularly focused on supporting autistic students as they transition to high school. Outcomes from the trial will help shape the Department for Education’s future autism inclusion initiatives.
It is estimated more than 2,250 autistic students will transition from SA’s public primary schools to public secondary schools over the next three years.
The adjustment to secondary school can present barriers for autistic students as they navigate changes in the school environment including new teachers and peers, movement between classrooms, and greater levels of independence.
It follows the initial success of Autism Inclusion Teachers (AITs) in public primary schools, and comes as the government expands training in autism support at TAFE SA for people working in schools and the early childhood education and care sector.
Assistant Minister for Autism in SA Emily Bourke has told ARN Radio’s Adam Connelly and Jennie Lenman that the expansion of AITs from primary to high schools reflects feedback from the autistic and autism communities detailed in the South Australian Autism Strategy.
“It might be that someone just needs a bit more structure in knowing what is happening in the classroom setting or maybe the environment, as in there’s too much light, its too cold, its too noisy, sometimes they’re finding just giving kids a pair of earmuffs is making a big difference to how they can concentrate in the classroom,” Emily Bourke told ARN’s Adam and Jennie.
The schools in the trial are Murray Bridge High School, Roma Mitchell Secondary College, Findon High School, Clare High School, Golden Grove High School, Modbury High School, Springbank Secondary College, Marryatville High School and Seaford Secondary College.
