Frequently Asked Questions

The headlines in the National Autistic Society (NAS) 2021 school report were stark, emphasising the long wait and often inadequate support to meet needs in school. The challenges are immediate, needing help now. In 2023 the NAS Education Report highlighted these continuing challenges. It found that only 26% of autistic pupils feel happy at school, with 74% of parents or carers saying their child’s school place did not fully meet their needs.

A Government review of special educational needs and disability (SEND) acknowledged these huge inequalities in the system for supporting children and young people with special educational needs, and in the quality of support received. There is a long-term plan in place, but schools need changes now to get the right support in place. This is particularly so for autistic young people, for whom secondary school can be hugely challenging.

Our previous rapid impact funding rounds have shown how practical solutions, put in place quickly can really make a difference to autistic young people, their families and the schools which support them.

SCF was founded in 2020. Our strategic approach is to gradually build the number of schools, colleges and autistic young people that we support. Funding rounds between 2021 and 2023 were run regionally, covering all seven regions of England. Now, we offer funding to schools and colleges across England. As we build up our work, we may decide in the future to offer funding further afield.

In our research, schools told us that although there are many resources, information sources and programmes available, they don’t have the time or staffing to make best use of them. When we say ‘implementation support’ we mean what is needed to make things happen as quickly as possible. This could be (examples only):

• additional staff time to help with well-being or engagement with school and learning
• additional time for staff to attend or deliver staff development activities such as mentoring, action learning
• the costs of planning an event or initiative
• a video production or digital company that you commission to develop online resources or Apps
• more practical costs such as transport.

The important thing is that the funding allows things to happen quickly. Because of this we are unlikely to fund schools to recruit new staff or specialists. Rather, we envisage existing staff having their hours extended, or specialists from an agency or local service being commissioned.

When we say ‘resources’ we mean things that you can purchase, and this can be wide ranging. It includes (examples only):

• hardware such as laptops, iPads, tablets, a video camera
• software packages
• interventions or programmes
• the cost of specialist training packages
• soft furnishing to create a ‘safe space’ for students who are struggling with aspects of school
• items in a sensory well-being package to be sent home to encourage interaction

The important thing is that we fund activity which can be put in place immediately, to have immediate impact. Because of this, you need to be clear in your application how initiatives can be set up and delivered quickly.

By this we mean ‘safe’ indoor or outdoor spaces that can be developed or refurbished to help autistic students during unstructured or structured time. For example:

• The development of outdoor areas such as sensory gardens, vegetable plots, roof gardens and even yurts!
• Indoor sensory spaces, filled with comfortable seating, soft furnishings and specialist equipment such as cushions, weighted blankets, rugs, calm lighting.
• Refurbishment, for example painting and decorating safe spaces, creating mood murals to remind students how to self-regulate.

We don’t want to replicate support or interventions that are, or should be provided by the school or Local Authority as part of their agreed provision - things they HAVE to do. So, for example, we won’t fund the delivery of something which is part of the curriculum, or something which is identified in a young person’s education, health and care plan. We also won’t fund applications where a statutory agency (such as a local authority or health service) has assessed a need and has a responsibility to fund but has failed to do so.

We know that provision varies from place to place, and so we expect you to make it clear in your application how this is above and beyond what is provided by your provision or Local Authority.

The issues we have identified from our background research are happening now, and the challenges we want to tackle are very real. Many autistic young people need immediate support to help them manage successful engagement with learning. Because of this, we want to make funding available as soon as possible, and to fund short-term practical solutions.

In their Anxiety Plan, Autistica emphasise that support should be co-developed with autistic people. Two other key recent reports provide insight into the educational experience of young people with SEND, and highlight the fact that they often do not feel listened to (Educational experiences of young people with special educational needs and disabilities in England, young person friendly report: 2022 and the Children’s Commissioner’s report.)

Previous SCF funding has shown that activities which have actively been planned and delivered with autistic students has made a big impact. Recognising autistic young people as experts in how they think, feel and act ensures that what is developed genuinely supports them.

Consulting autistic young people in planning developments is always a good thing to do, but co-production goes beyond this. Applications must propose activity in the key area of focus for the funding round. However, we are interested in funding initiatives where autistic young people have been actively involved in planning or delivery (or both). This may be in aspects of school development, whole school or department initiatives, activities which raise awareness of autism.

The activity could involve just one or two autistic young people, such as supporting students to plan and deliver a presentation for staff as part of a training initiative. Alternatively, it could involve autistic young people across the school such as a school-wide consultation or a planning group to plan and lead a whole school awareness-raising initiative - for example about sensory strategies to support mental health. These are just a couple of ideas, we look forward to receiving creative applications which are innovative.

Most autistic young people attending mainstream secondary school have lessons across the school rather than in one base or department. In previous rapid impact rounds, we have been particularly pleased to see applications for initiatives which respond to this by looking at the whole school environment. We do understand that with short-term, limited funding this is not always possible, but we will be looking for creative ideas.

We only accept applications from mainstream secondary schools, colleges or other mainstream-based educational provision.

The majority of our funding goes to mainstream secondary schools and colleges. However, some mainstream educational provision for autistic students is separate to the main establishment - this may be resource provision or a separate unit. This is why we use the term ‘other mainstream-based provision’ in our rapid impact funds. As a broad guideline, we require beneficiaries (students who benefit from funding) to be on the roll of a mainstream school or college with a unique reference number (URN).

No, SCF funding is awarded to mainstream secondary schools, colleges or other mainstream-based educational provision. If you are a special school or college and have an idea for an activity that could support transition to mainstream provision, then contact the mainstream school concerned to see if they would be interested in submitting an application.

No, SCF only gives funding to secondary schools, colleges or other mainstream-based educational provision. This support may include working closely with parents. Get in touch with your child’s educational provision, let them know about SCF and they may be interested in submitting an application. Having you, as a parent, on board will add value to an application.

No, SCF only gives funding to secondary schools, colleges or other mainstream-based educational provision. This support may include working closely with local organisations who support families of autistic young people. We advise getting in touch with local provision and exploring how you can work together - but remember the application has to come from them. Working closely with local organisations will strengthen an application.

No, SCF only provides fundings to secondary schools, colleges or other mainstream-based educational provision. Start a conversation with the people who teach you, let them know about SCF. Share any ideas you have for things you know will really help you to learn or to feel happy and calm. Applications where the ideas have come from young people will be strong, so you can really help to add value.

Only secondary schools, colleges or other mainstream-based educational provision can apply for funding. A Trust or Local Authority can support an establishment to apply, or submit an application on behalf of a school, but the application must come from one single establishment. That establishment will be the grantee with whom SCF will have an agreement and on-going relationship.

We welcome proposals where secondary schools or colleges come together to collaborate; this will really enhance any potential impact. However, you should identify a lead establishment who would submit the application, and with whom we would have a grant agreement. On your application form you can tell us about who you are working with.

We will not accept an application from an organisation that is not a secondary school, college or other mainstream-based educational establishment. However, a partnership with a local organisation may strengthen an application - make this clear in your application form.

No, SCF funding is given to secondary schools, colleges or other mainstream-based educational provision. If you have an idea for an activity that could support transition to secondary school then contact the secondary school concerned to see if they would be interested in submitting an application.

Previous recipients of funding are welcome to apply again. We are particularly interested in proposals that build on (but do not duplicate) previously funded activity, especially where there is evidence of impact and co-production. You should make these points clear in your application.

SCF funds activities which enable autistic young people to access mainstream education. It is essential that the activity you propose supports autistic young people. Sometimes, activities may include young people with other special educational needs and disabilities ​as well as​ autistic young people. Including other young people can be a strength if the aim is to facilitate inclusion. You need to make all of these things clear in your application.

This depends on what the service is. SCF does not fund ​support or interventions which would be considered ‘statutory provision’. By this we mean activities that are or should be provided by the school or Local Authority as part of their agreed provision, particularly where a need has been assessed and there is a responsibility for a service to be provided.

In your application, make it clear how this is something that the school has developed in addition to ‘business as usual’. We’ll want to have evidence of impact, and we’ll want to see how this is innovative and creative - not just more of the same.

SCF funds activities which are quick to put in place and can make an impact in just six months. This is one of the key criteria against which we will assess your application. However, we are keen that the activities we fund have longevity as well. Consequently, as long as your proposed activity makes an impact in six months, we are very happy for it to last longer than that. Key for SCF is being sure that an impact can be made as quickly as possible. We will be asking schools and colleges to report on this six months after receiving funding.

Secondary schools, colleges and other mainstream-based provisions are welcome to submit multiple applications. However, remember that completing a good application takes time. Consider the ​criteria​ against which we will judge applications.

SCF awards in our rapid impact fund are for £5,000. In previous rounds, schools and colleges have shown that with this amount of funding they can put in place activities that will really make a difference for autistic students, in a short space of time.

We are just offering fixed awards of £5,000.

If you are planning an activity which will cost more than £5,000 think about scaling it down, or just doing part of it. We want to fund activities which can be put in place quickly and have an impact as soon as possible. It may be possible to scale up the activity in the future.

If you are planning an activity which needs less funding than £5,000 think how you can enhance your idea. Can you fund staff time to make things happen more quickly? Can you purchase more resources so that more autistic students benefit? Ask your colleagues for ideas of how you can scale your idea up.

We are looking to fund activities that are creative, innovative and value for money. Read some examples of the wide range of activities we have funded in secondary schools and colleges.

After you submit your application you will receive an email confirming that we have received it. We will do a basic check to see if you have submitted all the information we need, and if you have applied for activity we are able to fund. We will then review your application against a set of criteria, taking into consideration all the information you have provided. We use a four point scale to rate how well the activity described in the application:

• supports the identified focus or focuses of the funding round (this changes with each fund released)
• is quick to put in place
• will have an impact within 6 months
• involves autistic young people

Read more about the four point scale here.

It is important to remember that in your application form it is crucial to let us know what you are planning to do so use the character count wisely. We base our decisions on what you write in your application form, and you will need to score well against all of the criteria. Remember: If you don’t write it, we won’t know it!

Please be aware that SCF rapid impact funds are limited funds and we anticipate we will be oversubscribed. As a result some applications will be unsuccessful. You will be informed of the decision by email.

The SCF Board of Trustees make the final decision about how funding is allocated, and their decision is final. It is not possible to appeal against this decision.

Once you have been awarded funding, the school’s Headteacher or Principal will have to sign our Terms and Conditions and send in bank details so we can transfer money. We will ask a sample of successful schools and colleges to carry out the SCF impact measures, and these will have to be completed in advance of funds being released as baseline data (we’ll also ask you to complete this 6 months after your funded activity). We want you to get funding as soon as possible, and the sooner you send us information the sooner the funds will be released. This can happen quickly, we aim for this to be within ten working days of you providing the required information.

The SCF impact measures are simple rating scales measuring student engagement (a 12-point rating scale) and well-being (a 10-point rating scale).

A selection of successful schools and colleges will be asked to complete SCF impact measures on a sample of autistic students before starting funded activity, and then again afterwards.

You can find more information about the measures here.

For rapid impact funds, we will transfer the full amount of your award at the beginning so that you can put in place the activity you have planned.

We have made the application and award process as simple and quick as possible. We are interested in hearing about the impact of our funding but don’t require a detailed report. At the end of the funding period, we’d like you to complete a short online form which includes writing a statement about the difference SCF funding has made. This can be as long or short as you’d like and we will give you some guidance. We need this to enable us to understand how our charitable funds are being spent.

A selection of schools and colleges will also repeat the SCF impact measures that they carried out with a sample of autistic students at the beginning of funded activity. You can find more information about this here.

SCF trustees will be interested in talking with some schools to see the impact of awards, and yours may be selected. We’ll give you plenty of notice and an idea of what to expect. The conversation will be low-key and will have a focus on SCF engaging with your work.

This fund is for a very limited time, to meet a very specific need and so we will be sticking to the deadline. We will keep our website updated with any extensions to the rapid response fund, or any further funding rounds.

We want to get funding to schools as soon as possible. We aim to make decisions and notify you within six weeks of the application deadline.

We have made the application form short and simple, so we don’t anticipate any huge problems. Your first port of call should be colleagues who may help you to problem solve.

If you still have questions, you can get in touch by emailing us at enquire@sheilacoates.foundation.

The most important thing to remember is that we base our decisions on what you write in your application form. It is crucial to let us know what you are planning to do so use the character count wisely. Please check out the criteria against which we will judge your application. If you don’t write it, we won’t know it!

We’re looking for applications that are creative and are always on the look-out for something a little different. So, take your time to think carefully about what you want to do. Consult with your colleagues, talk to autistic students, look at the evidence base. Read some examples of the wide range of activities we have funded in secondary schools and colleges.

Yes, you can reapply when the next round of funding is open.

The SCF Board of Trustees make the final decision about how funding is allocated, and their decision is final. It is not possible to appeal against this decision.

We get a huge number of applications for funding, and the decisions made about how to allocate the amount of money we have to give can be difficult. We sometimes have to make hard decisions according to the amount available that we have to allocate. The criteria against which we make judgements to assist this process can be found here.