Give Autistic and PDA Children a School They Can Actually Access

We are asking for a new type of educational provision for autistic children, particularly those with a PDA profile, who are unable to access both mainstream and traditional special schools.

Right now, many families are being left with an impossible choice:

Mainstream — or special school.

But what happens when neither works?

There are autistic and PDA children who are academically capable and desperately want to learn, but who cannot access a traditional school environment because of overwhelming anxiety, sensory difficulties, demand avoidance and emotional dysregulation.

They are not refusing education because they don’t want to learn.

They are unable to access a system that was never designed around their needs.

Autism hubs are not always the answer

Mainstream schools may offer autism hubs, but putting a child into a smaller classroom within a mainstream school does not necessarily solve the problem.

Many hubs still look and feel like classrooms. They have desks, timetables, lessons, bells, expectations and demands.

For a child with PDA, simply walking through the school doors can be an overwhelming demand.

Some children become so anxious that they cannot even enter the building — meaning it doesn’t matter how much support is waiting for them inside.

A smaller classroom is not necessarily an accessible education.

We need to think differently.

We need something in between

We are calling for flexible specialist educational settings between mainstream and traditional special-school provision.

These settings should provide:

Low-arousal, welcoming environments that do not replicate a traditional classroom.
Small groups and genuinely flexible attendance.
Staff with a strong understanding of autism and PDA.
Relationship-based approaches that prioritise trust and emotional safety.
Flexible learning that reduces unnecessary demands.
Sensory-friendly environments.
Greater choice and control for the child.
Alternative ways of accessing learning and demonstrating knowledge.
Individualised pathways based on the child’s needs rather than forcing every child into the same model.
The curriculum needs to change too

A child can be academically capable but unable to access a rigid curriculum delivered in a conventional classroom.

They may be unable to sit for long periods, complete work on demand, move between lessons, meet rigid deadlines or demonstrate their knowledge in traditional ways.

This does not mean they cannot learn.

It means we need to change how we provide education.

The curriculum and assessment system must become more flexible so that autistic and PDA children can access meaningful learning in ways that work for them.

Don’t wait until children reach crisis point

Too often, children are expected to struggle until they stop attending school completely.

By then, families may be dealing with extreme anxiety, school refusal, burnout, distress and significant deterioration in their child’s wellbeing.

Children should not have to reach crisis point before they are offered an education they can access.

Early intervention and appropriate provision could prevent years of lost education and distress.

Every child deserves the chance to learn

We are asking local authorities, education providers and policymakers to recognise the huge gap in current provision and create appropriate, flexible educational settings for children who fall between mainstream and traditional special schools.

We need to stop asking these children:

“How can we make you fit into our school?”

And start asking:

“What does education need to look like for you to be able to learn?”

These children deserve an education that understands them, adapts to them and allows them to reach their potential.

Please sign this petition and help us call for change.

There should be a school for every child — including the children who cannot access the schools we currently provide