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Join Ambitious about Autism's schools trust

Join the Trust

New educational provisions

If you are interested in setting up a school for children and young people with autism, please contact us. We are looking to work in partnership with local authorities and stakeholder groups who share our values and goals.

We are looking for Trust partners who:

  • have a shared vision of supporting children and young people with autism to learn, thrive and achieve
  • can demonstrate the need for a special free school in their local provision
  • are willing to work with us through the various stages of development, benefiting from our support, resources and educational expertise.

 

Existing educational provisions

We are also interested in talking to schools supporting children and young people with autism who want to consider partnership working or are seeking support to develop their provision. If you wish to find out more about our Trust and opportunities please contact us

The Ambitious about Autism Schools Trust is a multi-academy trust (MAT) that supports the development of new special schools and partnerships. It was previously known as the Autism Schools Trust and is an exempt charity and company limited by guarantee.

Our schools are designed to be inspirational and transformational, with a broad and challenging curriculum in an environment of high expectations and close individual focus.

Our Trust is led by an experienced team of people passionate about enabling education to transform the life chances of children and young people with autism. With the right levels of support and challenge at school, we know they can go on to make a successful transition to adult life.

Our Trust was established to support the development of new special schools to enable children and young people with autism to learn, thrive and achieve.

Our Trust was established in December 2012 as a ground-breaking collaboration between Ambitious about Autism and Dimensions, two national non-profit organisations with an excellent track record in autism provision. It was previously known as the Autism Schools Trust.

In 2017 the Trust Board made the decision to transfer the support services provided by Dimensions to Ambitious about Autism and for Ambitious about Autism to become the sole organisational member of the Ambitious about Autism Schools Trust.

Yes. Our Trust welcomes opportunities and partnerships to achieve its aim of more children and young people with autism accessing high-quality education and making outstanding progress.

If you are interested in working in partnership, please contact us.

The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees. The Trustees have the range of skills, experience and perspectives needed to govern the organisation.

We are funded through a combination of fee income (from the Education Funding Agency and local authorities) and voluntary income. Ambitious about Autism provides support to our Trust. We have extensive experience of securing support from statutory, trust, corporate and community sources.

No. There are very strict rules about the governance and finances of free schools. Ambitious about Autism Schools Trust is an exempt charity that does not make a profit.

Our Trust offers opportunities to work directly with children and young people in our schools and colleges. There are also opportunities within the charitable activities of Ambitious about Autism. Please see our work for us section for current opportunities.

We welcome conversations with organisations and individuals interested in opportunities to work in partnership with our Trust. Please get in touch.