Autism is a spectrum and characteristics may vary from one child to another, however, social interaction is one of the symptoms which all children with autism struggle with. 

At the Vine International School, we recognise that children with autism find social interactions and making friends a real challenge and do not intuitively know how to communicate and interact with their peers. This can cause a lot of anxiety and distress for children. This means that many children and young people on the autism spectrum need help in learning how to act in different types of social situations. This is also a skills that children with ADHD need support with as the impulsiveness which comes with the condition may lead them to display unwanted or inappropriate behaviours in social situations.

Often, social interactions and friendships become more nuanced and complicated, as children get older and move from primary to secondary school.

Social Interaction has an important place in our school and it is our endeavour to enhance social skills in every child in the school. Our strategies include:

• providing the direct teaching of social rules or conventions such as turn-taking.
• modelling social rules 
• providing structured and specific activities which pupils are directed to complete in pairs or small groups
• creating a small circle of friends among peers or allocating a buddy
• Teaching older pupils to assist younger ones in some tasks
• working closely with families and providing strategies to boost social interaction at home