25 years and counting – our story
We are proud of the difference we have made since starting our journey in 2000, and look forward to the impact we can continue to have for, and with, autistic people for decades to come.
BeyondAutism was founded in 2000 by a small group of parents who shared a determination to do better for autistic children and their families. Led by Karen Sorab OBE, Sharon Lloyd-Barnes and David Wood, they began with a simple, urgent belief: autistic children deserved education shaped around their needs, not systems that asked them to fit in.
That belief took its first physical form in Wandsworth, in a modest pre-fabricated hut on the grounds of Beatrix Potter School. With just three pupils, limited resources and an enormous amount of resolve, the first Rainbow School opened its doors. It was small, improvised and entirely purposeful.
What started as a response to unmet need quickly became something more powerful. From those early days, BeyondAutism was shaped by partnership: between parents and professionals, between ambition and evidence, and between immediate action and long-term vision. The focus was never simply on creating a place to attend, it was on building a model of education that could change outcomes.
“The first Rainbow School was hardly a school at all. It was little more than a hut, kindly lent to us by Beatrix Potter. But to my mind it still stands as a symbol: of who we are and what we can achieve through hard work, love for our children and the kindness of friends. I continue to watch our services reach and grow, empowering more children, young adults and their families than ever.” – Karen Sorab, OBE
Since then, BeyondAutism has grown steadily in response to need. Today, we deliver specialist education and support from Early Years through to Post-19, working with pupils from Local Authorities across London. Our Outreach and Training Team now supports schools, services and professionals across the country, extending our impact far beyond our original walls.
Growth has never been the goal in itself. Impact has. Across every service, the same founding principles remain: high expectations, evidence-led practice, and a belief in what autistic people can achieve when the right support is in place.
We are proud of what has been built since that first small classroom in 2000. Even more, we are proud of the lives shaped, the families supported, and the wider system influenced along the way. As we look ahead, we do so with the same clarity that guided our founders: working for and with autistic people, now and for decades to come.
“When we met, there was not enough appropriate provision for our children. We were parents and had no blueprint or background in education but we did have a shared determination to create something better. Seeing how BeyondAutism has grown, while staying true to its values, is deeply moving. It shows what is possible when families, professionals and belief come together with purpose.”- Sharon Lloyd-Barnes
The story so far…
2000
Our journey started in 2000 when a group of parents led by Karen Sorab OBE, Sharon Lloyd-Barnes and David Wood, created the Rainbow Charity and Rainbow School. With just three pupils taught in temporary accommodation, these parents set out to create education shaped around autistic children, not systems that asked them to adapt.After a decade of growth that saw our school provision expand across two sites, we rebranded as BeyondAutism. The new name reflected a growing ambition to exceed expectations and support autistic people to build lives with greater independence, confidence and choice.
2011
After a decade of growth that saw our school provision expand across two sites, we rebranded as BeyondAutism. The new name reflected a growing ambition to exceed expectations and support autistic people to build lives with greater independence, confidence and choice.
2016
As pupil numbers increased, gaps in provision beyond school became increasingly visible. In response, we launched a pilot Post-19 service to support young people transitioning out of education, alongside the early foundations of our Outreach and Training service. This year also marked the launch of our five-year strategy, Empowering People, Launching Lives.
2018
Following a successful pilot, Post-19 became a permanent service in 2017. In the same year, we piloted our Early Years service, working intensively with parents and children together. Early Years became a permanent part of BeyondAutism in 2018, recognising the importance of early, evidence-led intervention
2020
In 2020 we refreshed our vision to:
“Ensure autistic children and young adults access an education which empowers a life full of choice, independence and opportunity.”
We also launched a new five-year strategy, balancing individual outcomes through education and skill development with a wider ambition to influence attitudes, systems and practice across the sector.
In 2021, this expanded reach was reflected in the launch of our Lunch and Learn webinar series and our first Professional Conference, extending our impact beyond those directly accessing our services.
2023
After the national increase in school exclusions, in 2022 we piloted a Fast Responder service to support schools, preventing school placement breakdown. BeyondAutism Fast Responder® then became a permanent service at the start of the 2023-24 academic year.
2025
The 2025-2026 academic year marks the 25th anniversary of the charity’s founding. It has also marked a shift in how we work and lead. We began living a renewed mission to transform lives by delivering and influencing high-quality autism education, guided by a vision of a future where autistic people are supported to learn, thrive and shape their own lives.
Our direction is captured in a simple commitment that underpins everything we do:
Included. Not excluded. Every autistic learner. Every choice. Every future.