Autism and group tuition: preparing your child

Many autistic children do well in small-group tuition — once the uncertainty is removed.

Visit before you start

See the room, meet the tutor, sit in the chair. A ten-minute visit before the first session prevents weeks of anxiety.

Make the session predictable

Ask the tutor for the structure of a typical session in advance: what happens first, how long each part lasts, what happens if you finish early. Write it down and go through it together.

Agree a signal

A card or a word your child can use if they need a break, without having to explain themselves in front of the group.

Review after three weeks

Ask specific questions — what was noisy, what was confusing, what helped. Adjust, then continue. Consistency after the adjustment matters as much as the adjustment itself.