Julie Prentice

Senior Lecturer in Education with Specialism in Special Educational Needs, Disabilities and Inclusion

Education and Inclusion

Contact Details

email: j.prentice@worc.ac.uk

Since joining the University of Worcester, Julie has worked with colleagues within the university, and in partnership with the Teaching and Learning Institute, on the development of on 16 new higher education short courses for those who work with, or want to work with, children and young people in education and children’s services. She has also worked with colleagues on the successful reapproval of the BA Special Educational Needs, Disability and Inclusion. Julie is currently working with the Autism Education Trust and university colleagues to develop an MA Education (Autism & Complex Needs) and to explore how the AET Schools’ Programme could be drawn upon to enhance initial teacher education.

In her previous role in higher education, Julie worked with colleagues to develop similar programmes and she was Programme Director for the MA Special Needs and Inclusion. Julie has also led on the delivery of HE accredited autism short courses that could be commissioned by local authorities and schools to support CPD.

During Julie’s most recent role within a local authority (2016-17), she led on a project to review the local area provision for children on the autism spectrum, with a focus on children and young people that schools and colleges were not managing to include successfully. This involved evaluating the local offer against best practice and culminated in provision of evidence-based recommendations to improve practice across the authority. Julie also undertook casework focussed on finding a successful way back into education for children and young people with complex needs who were either not in education or who were at risk of exclusion.

Within a previous local authority autism advisor role, Julie coordinated the continuing professional development programme for autism across the county. She has also delivered the Autism Education Trust (AET) Schools’ programme and their Post 16 training programme. She was also commissioned by the National Autistic to deliver the AET Schools’ Programme in the Southeast. Julie has also developed training programmes for parents with children who were diagnosed with autism in later childhood and adolescence and regularly delivered the National Autistic Society, EarlyBird and EarlyBird Plus training programmes for parents.

Julie’s MA research explored how primary school children with autism can be supported to understand and to manage their emotions and to reduce anxiety. Julie has also developed a range of programmes to support children and young people with autism, including programmes to support transition, a programme about issues related to peer pressure for adolescents, and a programme to help children and young people to understand their autism diagnosis.