Bailey shines in his work experience at Waterhouse’s Quality Food

A teen boy wearing an apron is smiling in front of a well-lit wall of fresh fruit. He is holding a mango and smiling.

28 July 2025

One of Bailey’s dreams has always been to work and be independent. As part of our Careers Education at Inscape House School, he’s been able to access work experience at a local greengrocer and has been thriving in his new role.

Bailey has been working at Waterhouse's Quality Food in Cheadle Hulme since January and he feels like he is already part of the team. The kind local business replied to a call for employers we put out earlier this year and have really enjoyed having the student over.

A teen boy is chopping pineapple and putting it into a big tub of chopped fruit.

A teen boy is smiling next to 5 workers from the shop. They are posing inside the shop. There are fridges of fresh produce behind them.

Jen, Managing Director, and the 4th generation running the family business says “We aren’t a corporate business, so we love being involved in the local community and helping out where we can. I know what it’s like being young and how important these opportunities to learn are.”

Bailey is helping out wherever the business needs him - from stacking shelves to cutting fruit and making smoothies. Jen says “There are lots of transferrable skills to learn here: communicating his needs, team working, interacting with customers. We are able to offer hands on experience for the young people working with us.”

His support staff say the change in him has been amazing. He is now more confident, mature and outspoken, and he has also worked towards some of his sensory issues in regards to smells - he now cuts lemons and ginger without an issue.

Marie Young, Careers Teacher says “Working at Waterhouse's Quality Food has been great because of the amount of flexibility and positive attitude here. Staff are so welcoming and really make Bailey feel like part of the team”.

A boy is spraying a counter and wiping it.

A boy is posing in front of the shop alongside Jen, the manager, Marie, the careers teacher and one of his Educational Assistants.

Inscape House School’s collaboration with Waterhouse Quality Food strives to give the autistic students a chance to prove themselves in the workplace but also motivate employers to foster a more inclusive environment and tackle preconceived notions and unconscious biases about autism while transforming thousands of autistic people's lives.

Read more about career education and how we prepare our students for adulthood.

Can your business offer work experience placements to students with autism in Greater Manchester?

Get in touch with Marie Young
e: marie.young@togethertrust.org.uk
t: 0161 283 4750

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Bailey shines in his work experience at Waterhouse’s Quality Food