Understanding, affirmation, and belonging: Autistic pupils conceptualisations of inclusion in mainstream secondary schools

This participatory qualitative study explores how autistic adolescents conceptualise inclusion within mainstream secondary schools in England. Against the backdrop of ongoing reforms to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision, nine autistic pupils co-designed a qualitative study by developing research questions, contributing to the study design, and recommending neurodiversity affirming adaptations. The study itself involved interviewing twenty autistic pupils aged 11-17 yrs. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis within a critical realist framework. Three interrelated themes emerged: (1) “They think it [autism] is some weird thing” —the importance of whole school understanding; (2) “I see being autistic as part of who I am” —affirmation of difference and (3) “School is made for neurotypical pupils” — the need to belong. Collectively, these findings reveal autistic pupils define inclusion as belonging, understanding, and affirmation of difference, rather than assimilation. The study highlights the persistence of deficit-based constructions of autism in schools and calls for a shift towards neurodiversity-informed, co-designed approaches that embed autistic voices at the heart of policy, pedagogy, and practice. By reframing inclusion through the neurodiversity paradigm, the research argues for schools to move from remediation to recognition, creating educational environments where difference is both expected and valued.