NAME OF ORGANISATION: BeyondAutism

LOCATION: London

YEAR FOUNDED: 2000

ABOUT: BeyondAutism offer transformative specialist education for children and young adults with autism aged 4-19 through their Independent Specialist Schools. They also provide Post-19 support, Outreach and Training for parents, carers, professionals and other schools, and run a Research and Learning hub. This ensures that children with autism access an education which empowers a life full of choice and independence.

INVESTMENT PURPOSE: To purchase and redevelop a property into Park House school for 56 children with autism.

INVESTMENT AMOUNT: c. £4m

DATE OF INVESTMENT: 2010

SOURCE OF INVESTMENT: Resonance Angel Investor Network (RAIN)  

IMPACT: Education & Learning; Health, Wellbeing & Social Care

ABOUT: BeyondAutism started as The Rainbow Charity in 2000, when a group of parents, led by Chair of Trustees Karen Sorab, set up Rainbow School. Today they have two schools, both judged Outstanding: Park House (4-11 years) and Tram House (11-18 years) educating 117 pupils. They also have a separate Sixth Form College educating twenty-two pupils and three Post-19 Hubs educating thirty-one students aged 19-25 years. They run a thriving outreach programme and a highly successful Early Years Programme, which between them reached 110 families and worked across ten Local Authorities. BeyondAutism’s online content was accessed and downloaded by over 3,000 people. They employ 270 staff and our annual turnover is £8.5m, and are planning to extend our services nationally so that they can reach more people with autism.

PURPOSE OF INVESTMENT: BeyondAutism started with just 3 pupils in a run-down pre-fabricated hut on the grounds of Beatrix Potter School in Wandsworth. By 2008 BeyondAutism were running a highly successful school in South West London, for eighteen children of primary school age. Oversubscribed with families seeking places for their children, and acutely aware of the lack of provision for those of secondary school age, BeyondAutism secured c.£4m in 2010 to purchase redevelop a building into a school for 56 children with autism aged 4-11 called Park House School.

Karen Sorab OBE, founder, former CEO, and current Chair of BeyondAutism: “Daniel guided us through the investment process, and he supported us when we made difficult decisions about the kind of investment that would work for our organisation. Daniel stayed involved throughout the construction period and was also instrumental in getting the design team to work at risk on the project until planning was granted, and the purchase completed. All of this was made possible by Resonance. Over the last twenty years Resonance has demonstrated a lasting impact on society by supporting a wide range of social enterprises and creating several successful investment vehicles to fund support for vulnerable communities. I think the future for impact investing and Resonance is very bright. More and more investors want their money to support organisations that have verifiable environmental, social and governance impact, I think the industry will grow and Resonance will be at the forefront of that growth.”