Autism Partnership London

Autism Partnership London
Unique reference number (URN): 2758173
Address: 71a Great Percy Street, London, WC1X 9QX
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registered with Ofsted: 08/11/2023
Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR
Registered person: Autism Partnership London Limited
Inspection report: 12 March 2026
Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Safeguarding standards met
The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for
governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open
culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively
identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.
How we evaluate safeguarding
When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:
Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding.
Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all
legal requirements are met.

Exceptional
Inclusion Exceptional
Leaders implement a highly coordinated and ambitious approach to inclusion, rooted in a
precise understanding of each child's needs. Staff gather detailed information from the
outset and use this to design carefully sequenced programmes that reduce barriers to
children's learning and participation. This includes children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged children and those known (or previously known)
to children's social care. Staff use a wide range of communication strategies, such as visual
supports, objects of reference and modelled language, which are introduced incrementally in
line with each child's level of understanding. This enables children who initially struggle to
communicate or engage to participate meaningfully and with increasing independence.
Leaders take a highly responsive and systematic approach to supporting children's
development. They identify needs in detail and break learning down into very small,
achievable steps, which are reviewed and refined continuously. For example, leaders
describe how complex physical and functional skills are taught through carefully structured
stages, enabling children and young people to develop coordination, confidence and
independence over time, including participating in activities such as skiing. Staff implement
targets consistently across all routines and activities, and leaders ensure that these remain
sharply focused and consistently relevant to children's changing needs. Leaders review
children's progress regularly with parents, therapists and other professionals to ensure that
support remains sharply focused and that they are consistently relevant and responsive to
children's changing needs. As a result, all children make sustained and measurable
progress over time, overcoming significant barriers to their learning and wellbeing and
gaining the skills they need for the next stage in their education. Some children are able to
move on to mainstream school, receiving highly individualised support for the transition. This
support continues as staff collaborate with school staff to share strategies and techniques
that provide children with consistency to access future learning. Staff attend the school and,
for some children, continue to provide sessions at the setting alongside the school
placement.
Leaders invest in developing staff expertise. They provide ongoing training, coaching and
modelling of practice, ensuring that staff apply approaches consistently and with precision.
Leaders also draw on ongoing international research and collaboration with specialist teams
to continually refine their approaches, ensuring that practice remains current, evidence
informed and responsive to emerging knowledge about development relating to
neurodiversity. This culture of continual improvement strengthens the quality of provision
and enhances outcomes for children. Partnership working is highly effective. Leaders work
closely with families, schools and a wide range of external professionals, including speech
and language therapists and educational psychologists, to ensure a consistent and shared
approach. They provide outreach support and training to other settings, extending the
impact of their work beyond the provision.
Leaders ensure that children who face the greatest barriers, including those unable to
access mainstream provision, receive highly personalised support. This includes providing
education other than at school arrangements where appropriate. They also support families
to implement strategies at home, enabling children and young people to structure their

Strong standard
learning independently and work towards their own goals. This coordinated approach
enables children to develop the communication, social and functional skills they need to
access wider opportunities, lead increasingly independent lives and even secure gainful
employment later on.
Achievement Strong standard
Children make clear and sustained progress from their starting points, particularly in
communication and language. Children who initially have limited or no verbal
communication begin to use sounds, single words and simple phrases to express their
needs. Staff support this through consistent modelling and repetition, enabling children to
build a secure understanding of language over time.
Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities develop the foundational skills
they need for later learning. For example, children improve their ability to follow instructions,
sustain attention and engage in activities for longer periods. Those who face barriers to their
learning, including those accessing additional support or alternative provision, make
measurable progress as targets are broken down and revisited consistently.
Children develop increasing independence and confidence in managing routines and
interacting with others. They apply skills across different contexts, including in the setting, at
home and in other educational environments. As a result, children are better prepared for
their next stage of learning. They gain the communication, social and self-care skills needed
to access school and participate more fully in learning experiences.
Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard
Leaders establish a calm, purposeful environment where expectations for behaviour are
clear, consistent and embedded in daily practice. Staff apply these expectations reliably,
using approaches that reflect children's individual needs and stages of development. As a
result, children understand what is expected of them and respond positively.
Staff build warm, trusting relationships with children. They use precise and consistent
strategies to support behaviour, including clear instructions, visual cues and immediate
reinforcement. For example, during structured activities, staff support children to remain
engaged by breaking tasks into manageable steps and recognising effort. This helps
children to persist and complete activities. Over time, children maintain focus for longer,
follow instructions more consistently and regulate their behaviour with increasing
independence.
Children learn to interact positively with others. Staff support them to take turns, share
resources and participate in small-group activities. For example, children are guided to wait
and observe before joining in, helping them to develop cooperation and consideration for
others.

Leaders promote regular attendance and consistent routines. Staff work closely with families
to reinforce expectations, follow up absences and support children to attend regularly. This
consistency helps children to settle quickly and engage fully in learning. Children show
positive attitudes to learning. They engage readily, respond to guidance and demonstrate
growing confidence, resilience and independence in managing routines.
Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard
Leaders place children's welfare and wellbeing at the centre of practice. Staff implement
highly responsive care that is carefully tailored to meet children's individual needs, including
those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face barriers to their
wellbeing. Staff follow detailed care plans and adapt routines in real time, ensuring that
children remain comfortable, supported and able to engage.
Staff develop secure attachments with children through consistent, sensitive interactions.
They recognise children's cues and respond promptly, offering reassurance and adjusting
support where needed. This helps children to feel safe and develop emotional security. For
example, when children show signs of discomfort or distress, staff provide calm, individual
support, enabling them to regulate their emotions and return to activities.
Staff support children to develop awareness of their physical health and safety. They guide
children through personal care routines, encouraging independence while maintaining close
supervision. For instance, during mealtimes, staff support children to develop self-care skills
in a calm and structured way.
Routines are personalised and consistently implemented. Staff ensure that care practices,
including eating and rest, reflect children's individual needs and stages of development. As a
result, children feel secure, develop increasing independence and show growing confidence
in managing their wellbeing.
Curriculum and teaching Strong standard
Leaders design a carefully considered curriculum that reflects a secure understanding of
child development and the early years foundation stage. They sequence learning into small,
manageable steps that build systematically over time, ensuring that children revisit and
secure key knowledge and skills. Leaders regularly review the quality of teaching and use
ongoing evaluation, including professional dialogue and research-informed practice, to
refine and strengthen approaches.
Staff implement the curriculum with clarity and purpose. They place a keen emphasis on
developing communication and language, embedding this across all areas of learning. For
example, during adult-led activities, staff model key vocabulary, pause to allow children time
to respond and extend their responses to build understanding. Staff also support early
mathematical development through practical experiences, such as counting objects and
learning to attribute numbers in sequence to each object during small-group tasks.
The curriculum prioritises children's physical, personal, social and emotional development.
Staff provide regular opportunities for children to develop coordination and control, for
example, through activities that involve using tools and manipulating materials. They support

children to manage emotions and interact positively through clear routines and consistent
expectations.
Staff use ongoing assessment effectively. They observe children closely, identify next steps
and adapt teaching precisely, breaking learning down further or adjusting support to meet
individual needs, including for those who face barriers to their learning and wellbeing.
Leadership and governance Strong standard
Leaders maintain clear oversight of the provision and meet statutory requirements
consistently. They have a secure understanding of the setting's strengths and use ongoing
self-evaluation to refine practice. For example, leaders review routines, staff interactions and
children's progress information to identify where adaptations are needed and implement
changes that enhance children's experiences. Leaders place strong emphasis on
partnerships with parents. Parents describe the provision as having a profound impact on
their children and families. One parent said that, in their view, the service is 'the best in the
world', reflecting the high level of trust and confidence in leaders' work.
Leaders make decisions that place children's needs at the centre of the provision,
particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face
other barriers to their learning and wellbeing. They coordinate support across the setting,
home and other educational environments so that children experience consistency.
Leaders actively support staff wellbeing and workload. They provide regular supervision,
opportunities for professional dialogue and access to specialist support. Staff report that
leaders make thoughtful adjustments that enable them to carry out their roles effectively.
Leaders prioritise professional development through ongoing training, coaching and
modelling of practice, which strengthens staff expertise.
Leaders have a far-reaching impact beyond the setting. They coach families to implement
strategies at home and work with other settings to develop staff expertise, helping to
improve outcomes for children across different environments.
Compulsory Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Compulsory Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements
This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.
How we check if a provider meets the requirements of the Voluntary Childcare
Register
When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can
have the following outcomes:
Met
Not met
What it's like to be a child at this setting
Staff provide a carefully structured and supportive day, and children respond positively as
they engage in routines tailored to their individual needs. Staff build solid, trusting
relationships with children, helping them to feel secure and ready to engage. Staff greet
children warmly, and children settle quickly into familiar routines. Clear, consistent
approaches help children understand what will happen next, reducing anxiety and enabling
them to participate with increasing confidence.
Staff plan activities that reflect children's interests and match their stage of development.
Children engage with enjoyment and purpose. Staff join children in play, modelling language
and supporting interaction. For example, during imaginative play, staff model simple
language and encourage children to respond and take turns in shared play. Children show
enjoyment through smiles, laughter and sustained engagement, such as when pretending to
travel on a train, exploring sensory materials or engaging in cause-and-effect activities.
Staff support children to develop positive relationships with others. They encourage children
to take turns, share space and play alongside their peers. Older children model helpful
behaviours, such as encouraging others and demonstrating how to use equipment, which
supports younger children to join in and build confidence in social situations.
Staff consistently promote children's independence through daily routines. Children follow
simple instructions, make choices and complete tasks such as washing hands, tidying away
and preparing for outings. For example, children recognise familiar routines and actively
take part by putting on coats, collecting items and moving between activities with reduced

Inspector:
Honufa Begum
About this setting
Unique reference number (URN): 2758173
Address:
71a Great Percy Street
support. Over time, children sustain attention for longer and increasingly follow through
tasks.
Staff provide regular opportunities for children to access the local community. Children
practise skills such as walking safely and following simple safety routines. For example,
children stop, look and listen when crossing the road, developing awareness of their
environment.
Over time, children become more confident, engaged and increasingly independent. They
develop communication, social interaction and self-care skills that support their readiness for
their next steps.
Next steps
Leaders and those responsible for governance should continue their work to ensure
sustained improvement and high standards. They should sustain a transformational
impact on the outcomes and experiences of children with special educational needs
and/or disabilities, including those supported through education, health and care plans,
particularly in relation to their wider development and wellbeing.
About this inspection
The inspector spoke with children, leaders, staff, parents and professionals from other
settings attended by children, and considered written feedback from parents, carers and
external professionals.
We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the
quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The
registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for
children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

London
WC1X 9QX
Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises
Registration date: 08/11/2023
Registered person: Autism Partnership London Limited
Register(s): EYR, CCR, VCR
Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 09:30 - 15:30
Local authority: Islington
Facts and figures used on inspection
This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.
This data is from 12 March 2026
Children numbers
Age range of children at the time of inspection
2 to 24
Total number of places
9
Our grades explained
Exceptional
Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.
Strong standard
The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of
them.
Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are
following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional
standards expected of them.
Needs attention
The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary
improvements.
Urgent improvement
The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of
education and/or care.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspects
services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects
and regulates services that care for children and young people.
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