We are Ambitious about Autism

TreeHouse was founded in 1997 by a small group of

parents whose children had autism. It was the start of an amazing journey that would

help change the face of autism education in the UK forever.

What started with four pupils grew to become a charity that

has supported thousands of children, young people and

their families to learn, thrive and achieve. We are proud to have made the ordinary possible for

so many children and young people with autism.

Here are just a just a few highlights from our first

15 years.

Celebrating the past

151997

2012

YEARS

AM

BI T

I OU S A B O U T A U T I SM

AM

BITIOUS ABOUT AUTIS

M

Address: The Pears National Centre for Autism Education, Woodside Avenue, London, N10 3JA

Telephone: 020 8815 5444Email: info@AmbitiousAboutAutism.org.uk

Website: www.AmbitiousAboutAutism.org.uk

Charity number 1063184 Registered company 3375255Published: November 2012

1997“It seemed to me the answer was to start a school. You start with a clean piece of paper and you think ‘what do we need to get this show on?’ And you make a list and you do it somehow.”Katharine Doré, TreeHouse founding parentTeaching begins for the four founding pupils, at the first of many locations; the Royal Free Hospital.

1998TreeHouse makes the first of its many moves to a room in Swiss Cottage Library and its number of pupils increases to eight.The Parents’ Autism Campaign for Education (PACE) is set up to harness the drive of parents to campaign for better educational provision for their children nationwide.

1999The school is growing in size and stature as two new pupils are enrolled and another move to portacabins on the Coram Family Campus heralds a special opening visit from Cherie Booth QC.

2000Pupil numbers double from 10 to 20 and a significant gift from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation allows the further development of the curriculum. A group of leading authors all donate a short story anthologised in ‘Speaking with the Angel’, edited by founding parent, Nick Hornby. The £1 donated from every copy sold helps secure the future of the charity.

2001Pupil numbers rise to 25 and TreeHouse moves again to a new temporary building on the Coram Fields. ‘TreeHouse is a good news story for all those who are involved in the education of children with autism. Most of all, it is a happy place where this group of children can learn and develop the skills they need for life.’ Lord Tim Clement-Jones, new Chair of Trustees, Ham & High, 2001

2002The Princess Royal pays a visit to TreeHouse.TreeHouse wins Education Charity of the Year at the Charity Awards.£50,000 is raised for TreeHouse at the premiere of the film ‘About a Boy’.

2003“Welcome to Haringey” – A warm welcome from Haringey Council as planning permission to build on the site in Muswell Hill is approved. Nearly half a million pounds is raised for TreeHouse at the October Dinner Club.

2004Pupil numbers reach 50 as the school packs for its biggest move yet to its final address in Muswell Hill.As the founding pupils get older the first secondary class opens at the school– the curriculum focuses on life skills, independence and social interaction.

2005Pears Foundation comes on board as major supporters and TreeHouse secures £5 million to underwrite the cost of building the school.The ‘TreeHouse: Ambitious about Autism’ £10 million capital appeal is launched to make the National Centre for Autism Education a reality.PACE and TreeHouse join forces to become one charity focussed on improving educational outcomes for all children with autism.

2007TreeHouse celebrates its 10th birthday.Premiership club Arsenal FC selects TreeHouse as its charity of the year and pledges to raise £250,000.Following the receipt of a number of gifts from individuals and charitable trusts, construction finally begins on the Pears National Centre for Autism Education, on land purchased with the generous donations of The Bradbury Foundation, The Maurice Hatter Foundation and The Henry Smith Charity.

Talk about Autism is launched, supported by TalkTalk - now attracting over 183,000 visits a year. It is a safe and friendly online community where people can share experiences and get support.The Pears National Centre for Autism Education opens its doors in an official launch attended by Arsene Wenger.TreeHouse and the Institute of Education come together to create the Centre for Research in Autism Education (CRAE).

2010ICAP donates £190,000 to for TreeHouse from their annual charity day.‘Walk in our Shoes’ is launched by the Parent Participation Project – showing parliamentarians what life is like for a family with autism.Transition Support Service is launched with support from Paul Hamlyn Foundation and SEIF. It provides vital information, training and advice on pathways to further education, training, employment, housing and finances.

2011TreeHouse becomes Ambitious about Autism as it announces a new three year strategy.A £98,000 grant from Help a Capital Child develops TreeHouse School’s vocational opportunities including the creation of our own Capital Shop.Temple Grandin visits Ambitious about Autism and TreeHouse School.Sally Bercow raises £100,000 by competing in Celebrity Big Brother.The Finished at School campaign launches in the House of Commons, hosted by Robert Buckland MP.10

2006TreeHouse is chosen by Schools Minister, Lord Adonis and Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Ed Balls MP to host the launch of Joint Review into Services for Disabled Children.“It’s the need of the child that comes first and the right of their parents to exercise choice to ensure that those needs are properly met.”Lord Adonis, 2006TalkTalk becomes TreeHouse’s biggest corporate sponsor.

2009Looking to the futureHere we are in 2012, over 15 years since TreeHouse was launched. The first founding pupils have graduated from TreeHouse School and they face a new challenge. In 1997 there was a lack of suitable schools that could teach them; in 2012 there is a lack of post-19 educational provision. History repeats itself for them and for the thousands of children with autism their age across the country.Our vision, with Ambitious College, is to change this; to enable young people with autism to access education beyond school and develop the skills they need to work and be part of their home communities.This next step of the journey will not be easy but neither was creating TreeHouse.But we know that it is the right thing to do and that it is both achievable and replicable, just as we did 15 years ago.

Thank you to all the individuals and organisations for your incredible support

and generosity over the past 15 years. We look forward to strengthening our

partnerships and growing our friendships over the next 15 years. We couldn’t do it

without you!

2012Campaign victory as the battle to protect legal aid for SEN cases is won.Post-19 service Ambitious Support is launched at Barnet and Southgate College; aimed at supporting young people with autism in their own communities, thanks to the generous support from Clothworkers’ Foundation, Social Investment Business, City Bridge Trust and others.Parent patron Nicky Clarke launches anti-bullying teaching resource Woodfer’s World to 17,000 primary schools in England.

TreeHouse School receives an ‘Outstanding’ Oftsed inspection.

2008Schools from Scratch: an essential guide to setting up a special school, is published in collaboration with six other special schools.The Times Christmas Appeal generates significant national news coverage and raises over £100,000 from readers.Arsenal presents a cheque for over half a million pounds – twice the amount they expected to raise!