On Saturday 21 June, the Prior’s Court team brought arts-related insight to the Autism & ADHD Show London, held at the Business Design Centre in Islington.

Performing Arts Co‑Leads Tanya Morgan and Elise Robinson led an engaging presentation on the Exhibitor Talks stage titled "Inclusive drama: designing and implementing a curriculum for autistic young people with complex needs." Drawing on their hands‑on experience, they explored how drama, rooted in non‑verbal expression, can be tailored to support autistic young people with complex needs.

They spoke passionately about the curriculum shaped around core drama techniques carefully stripped back to meet each young person’s starting point and sensory needs. Their talk demonstrated how inclusive drama empowers participants to build confidence, increase communication through movement, and engage with the performing arts in their own unique way.

Right space, right curriculum

This year, Prior’s Court celebrated the opening of the Piper Arts Centre, a pioneering space purpose-built for autistic young people with complex needs. Named in honour of Sue Piper, former Director of Learning, the Centre features a main performing space, music rooms, dance studio, and a flexible outdoor performance space. The centre addresses common barriers - lighting, noise, unfamiliar acoustics, social expectations -providing calm, accessible areas where learners can explore and thrive.

Tanya and Elise were instrumental in shaping a curriculum designed for the Piper Arts Centre, developed using the Sounds of Intent framework. This ensures progression from first movements to confident performance, adaptable across music, dance, and drama

Exhibiting at the show

Prior's Court was also exhibiting at the show, with a focus on the performing arts. This included using Virtual Reality to allow show guests to sit inside Piper Arts Centre and experience a recording of the official opening performance from earlier this month.