Ellie Jones (KES 05-12) proceeded to Oxford upon finishing KES and now works for the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), the official UK government body responsible for intellectual property (IP) rights including patents, designs, trade marks and copyright.

Ellie received an autism diagnosis about 3 years ago, in her 20s, and was kind enough to return to KES and spend time talking to staff and students about the impact the diagnosis has had on her life, including within the workplace and personally. She explained how a diagnosis had helped her with her own self awareness and understanding of her needs, as well as how different strategies have been useful in helping her deal with situations that she can find challenging. Ellie championed the support that she has received from her employer and also spoke about the positives of being neurodivergent.

It was an enlightening talk for all those listening and Ellie was a fantastically positive role model for all our students but, in particular, those who have autism and others who are neurodivergent. Thank you Ellie!