ARP

Provision for Pupils with Autism

The Additional Resourced Provision has 6 places per year group for students who have Autism or an Autistic Spectrum Disorder or similar disabilities. In accordance with the SEND Code of Practice: 0-25 (2015), local authorities must provide a local offer for students with an SEN. The final placement of pupils in the ARP is the decision of the SEND team of Barking and Dagenham and all requests need to be made through them. Once the school is consulted regarding a placement an evaluation by school staff is made to assess suitability and ability for the provision to meet the need of the individual and their EHCP.

The ARP at Barking Abbey is committed to safeguarding children and providing a safe secure ASD friendly and healthy environment for them across the whole school.

All pupils are entitled to a broad and balanced curriculum which takes into account their Special Educational Needs (Education Act 1998). The provision takes into account the need to provide a supported environment to improve in all aspects of their schooling life.

Equality of opportunity

Equal opportunities protects the rights of the children regardless of race, religion, gender or disability and prohibit discrimination. Chapter 6 of the SEND Code of Practice: 0-25, relates to the responsibilities of the school in relation to focus on the right of every child and young person to receive an education that enables them to make progress so that they:

  • Achieve their best
  • Become confident individuals leading fulfilling lives
  • Make a successful transition into adulthood

The school also needs to ensure that pupils with SEND engage in activities alongside their peers. The ARP will assist the school in ensuring that the pupils have opportunities to access lessons, resources and trips with their mainstream peers. The ARP will promote the motto of the school, “To give and expect the best” and will promote the BA Way, and all policies in terms of behaviour, anti-bullying and equal opportunities of the school.

Aims

The purpose of the provision at Barking Abbey is to enable students with Autism to have access to a balanced curriculum in the ARP and in a mainstream class with their peers: The provision aims:

  • For all pupils to achieve their best
  • Provide support and a curriculum to their appropriate cognitive levels of development
  • To meet the EHCP objectives for the pupils

To ensure that the students with autism are able to work alongside their peers and other staff in the school, the provision has the following organisational aims:

  • Provide a structured teaching environment
  • Observe and assess pupils in order to provide opportunities for appropriate teaching and learning
  • Opportunities to work in small groups and independently
  • Support the pupils with a LSA in mainstream lessons
  • Provide pupil profile complete with up to date strategies and new information as it arises for the mainstream staff
  • Work in partnership with parents
  • Work in partnership with external support, professionals and therapists
  • Offer staff training and continued support
Teaching environment

The provision offers structured teaching with:

  • Clear routines and structure
  • Clear expectations and boundaries
  • Consistent behaviour management

Based on structured teaching principles the provision has:

  • Physical structure
  • Visual timetables for students
  • Distraction free workstations
  • Modified tasks
  • Individualised timetables
  • Reward system
  • Sensory room to allow students who are finding the environment and the work at certain periods of the day an opportunity to independently recover and be ready for learning

On top of this there are opportunities for social play to develop social skills, small group work to help develop attention and listening skills, circle time to develop social behaviours (turn taking, sharing, paying attention to others etc).

Curriculum

Pupils have full access to the national curriculum at the appropriate level according to individual need. Modifications may include:

  • Opportunities to take part in small group, individual or 1-1 activities within the provision
  • Individual support for mainstream lessons
  • Broken down tasks to enable maximum ability to concentrate on the task and complete work to the best of ability
  • Sensitivity  to pupils sensory difficulties relating to their autism
  • Work and reward system to provide motivation
Assessment

Students will be continuously assessed using a combination of SEN specific packages including PIVATS, SCERTS and Literacy tests to monitor progress of the pupils. This information will be shared termly with parents to ensure that they are aware of the progress being made. Pupils attending mainstream lessons will be subject to assessment and reporting through the schools policy.

Entrance to the ARP

Once the placement is confirmed with the SEND commission at the Borough a full transition process is followed to enable students to quickly feel a part of the school and the ARP. Students will be visited in their primary schools by staff from the ARP who will speak to the key staff to aid transition. ARP staff will also attend any review meetings for incoming pupils.

Working with parents

The provision works in partnership with the parents on a daily basis through a home school book, which enables staff and parents to communicate information to support the learning and well-being of the pupils. There are termly opportunities for parents to come in to the school to discuss the progress of the students, including in the summer term a meeting with key staff and external agents to review and set targets according to the EHCP. Confidential or complex issues will be dealt with in a sensitive manner and at a mutually convenient time.

Working with other professionals

The provision will work in collaboration with other professionals as stipulated in the pupils EHCP. Outside agencies may include:

  • SEN monitoring team
  • Educational Psychologist
  • CAMHS
  • SALT
  • OT
  • School nurse
  • Social services
  • Other professionals should the need arise
Staff development

The Provision aims to be a source of information and support for mainstream staff:

  • Offers of CPD for staff
  • Support through pupil profiles of ARP students
  • Regular promotion of Autism awareness and the ARP through the school bulletin

The benefits of these opportunities are:

  • Promotion of inclusive teaching
  • Collaborative opportunities for staff to work together
  • Highlighting and raising awareness of Autism and its difficulties
Links to other policies

The ARP staff and pupils will adhere to all policies as set by the school relating to school life.