Avenue Primary School Statement of Provision

Page last updated 14th October 2024

Avenue Primary Academy Statement of Provision

A. School/base Expertise and Capacity

Student numbers:

2024 – 2025: 102 across Avenue Trailblazer and Explorer Bases.

Trailblazer Base: 85 pupils (Reception – Year 6)

Numbers of classes - 10 (approx. 7-9 per class) taught by one teacher.

Children are grouped broadly by age group and more specifically by ability/level of need.

2 classes of Engagement Model (working below the National Curriculum) pupils and 8 classes of pupils working on the national curriculum adapted to meet their needs.

Explorer Base: 17 pupils (Year 1-6)

Number of classes – 2 (approx. 8-9 per class) taught by one teacher.

Children grouped by key stage and working on the Engagement Model (working below National Curriculum).

Aims and Outcomes:

The Avenue Primary Academy ASD Special Opportunity bases offer full time education for pupils age 4 -11 years, with a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and an Education Health and Care Plan. We believe that our pupils are on their own, individual path to success, and we ensure that we tailor our curriculum, support and environment to help them achieve that success.

Trailblazer Base:

Make good progress from individual starting points;
To access some mainstream lessons/opportunities where appropriate for individual pupils needs;
To develop social communication so pupils can interact socially and build meaningful, reciprocal relationships;
To interact appropriately with adults, even those not known well;
To learn to manage emotions, i.e. implement self-regulation strategies and cope with unpredicted changes without losing self-regulation;
To use therapy outcomes within class and home environment and embed them into practice, supporting self-management of these areas;
To develop skills for life such as independence, communication and self-care.

Explorer Base:

Make good progress from individual starting points;
To have a level of social communication and understanding to be able to integrate into the community;
To have a method of communication, for example, using AAC, signing, PECS
To have developed their receptive and expressive language to express their wants and needs
To learn to manage emotions, i.e. implement self-regulation strategies and cope with unpredicted changes without losing self-regulation;
To have self-help skills to build independence, for example, dress and undress themselves and use the toilet independently;
To use therapy outcomes within class and home environment and embed them into practice, supporting self-management of these areas;
To interact with their peers, turn taking and sharing.

Curriculum Adaptations:

Trailblazer Base:

Majority of Trailblazer Base follow the EYFS Curriculum (in Reception) and National Curriculum (Year 1-6); pupils progress through the curriculum at their own pace, with it adapted to meet their individual needs and the implementation of the curriculum focuses on engagement and progress. The curriculum is modified to allow for embedded therapy approaches and additional focuses on prime areas of need such as emotional regulation. MFL is part of the core curriculum offer for pupils in Rhino class (upper KS2) only.

Trailblazer Base has two classes that are on the Engagement Model pathway. For this pathway we provide a curriculum that reflects the needs of the whole child. The Engagement Model curriculum aims to prepare our learners for adulthood by offering functional and personalised learning to enable them to hold a positive place in their community.

The curriculum for all pupils has a strong foundation of life skills and promoting independence in our pupils, by providing real-life opportunities for the pupils to feel part of and understand their community and wider world as well as encouraging social communication and opportunities to apply these skills in their local community.

Staff support pupils at break and lunchtime to develop social skills, communication and self-care such as feeding, hygiene etc. SaLT and OT therapists liaise very closely with staff and therefore we are able to offer embedded therapy approach where SaLT and OT is delivered throughout our curriculum as well as providing the targeted and specialist support as described in Section F of each child’s EHCP. As part of our provision, we also have a range of Sensory Rooms, a soft play room, a sensory integration room and an OT garden to support pupils' individual needs.

Explorer Base:

Explorer Base pupils are on the Engagement Model pathway. For this pathway we provide a curriculum that reflects the needs of the whole child. The Engagement model curriculum aims to prepare our learners for adulthood by offering functional and personalised learning to enable them to hold a positive place in their community. The curriculum has a strong foundation of life skills and promoting independence in our pupils, by providing real-life opportunities for the pupils to feel part of and understand their community and wider world as well and encouraging social communication and opportunities to apply these skills in their local community.

Staff support pupils and break and lunchtime to develop social skills, communication and self-care such as feeding, hygiene etc.

SaLT and OT therapists liaise very closely with staff and therefore we are able to offer embedded therapy approach where SaLT and OT is delivered throughout our curriculum as well as providing the targeted and specialist support as described in Section F of each child’s EHCP. As part of our provision, we also have a Sensory Room in each classroom, a sensory integration room, plus outdoor equipment to support pupils individual needs.

The school provides information on the school website which gives families easy access to relevant details about the Base. There is also a link to the Sutton Local Offer.

Provision

Trailblazer Base (National Curriculum Pathway):

High adult:child support in lessons (ratio of 1:2.5), social times and support for learning.
If appropriate, adult support for integration into mainstream activities, including lessons, with a view to enabling independent integration.
Taught and practised emotional self-regulation strategies; use of Zones of Regulation.
Learning environment within the mainstream provision: Classrooms are situated on the same corridors as the main school and pupils have access to their own outdoor spaces and lunch hall. Where appropriate pupils can access playgrounds and lunch halls etc. with their mainstream peers. The Base learning environments are low-stimulation and adapted to meet the needs of the pupils.
Explicit teaching of social and communicative programmes and use of positive language.
Opportunities to experience and integrate for enrichment activities such as Genius time, if appropriate.
SALT, OT and other Therapy input (link to individual EHCPs) are embedded within the curriculum and supported by withdrawal sessions and small group focuses.
ELSA input and support for short term specialist input is available.
Regular reviews of progress towards EHCP outcomes for individuals with parents to focus on next steps.
Advice/support for how parents/carers can support therapy and other outcomes including the social and communicative programme.
Specific support, such as:

-Intensive interaction - Attention Autism

- AAC/Coreboards

- TEACCH approach

- Social skills/friendship groups

- Lego therapy

- Multi-sensory teaching.

**Preparation for Adult Life: **

Exposure to mainstream school environment e.g. socially, through access to some mainstream lessons or activities, joining peers for play and lunch time (where appropriate)

Developing further increased independence through developing self-help in learning, emotional regulation and sensory environmental control.

Preparation for transfer to the next setting or provision.

Communicative and social programmes of support cover these topics; social interaction cues, self-awareness; making and keeping friends; anxiety and managing disappointments.

Life-skills curriculum.

Where appropriate pupils to complete statutory assessments (i.e. SATS).

Enrichment/social activities:

The focus of trips is primarily to enhance life skills, community integration and social skills, to develop social and communicative experiences.

Enrichment activities are planned to practise life skills e.g. cooking a snack lunch, planning travel and build confidence.

Engagement Model Classes at Avenue Trailblazer and Explorer Base:

High adult:child support in lessons (ratio of 1:2) for social times and support for learning. This ratio is to support children who are focusing on the prerequisite skills required for formal learning. The Engagement Model focuses on learning using ‘Persistence’, ‘Initiation’, ‘Exploration’, ‘Realisation’ and ‘Anticipation’.
Highly structured low arousal environment;
All pupils have a pupil profile;
Individual risk assessments where needed;
Facilitation of a preferred communication method for example, AAC tablet devices, coreboards and signing;
Highly specialised curriculum focusing on communication, participation, social and emotional development and is based on the Engagement Model drawing from a wide range of tools including: Attention Autism; Intensive Interaction; TEACCH; Zones of Regulation; ELSA; Colourful Semantics;
SALT, OT and other Therapy input (link to individual EHCPs) are embedded within the curriculum and supported by withdrawal sessions and small group focuses.

Preparation for Adult Life through:

Developing independence through self –help skills, such as toileting, dressing and general hygiene, awareness of danger relating to road safety/strangers;
Developing their receptive and expressive language to express their wants and needs and to initiate communication;
Being safe around others, socially acceptable behaviour and what to do if they feel unsafe;
Developing further increased independence through developing self-help in learning, emotional regulation and sensory environmental control;
Preparation for transfer to next setting or provision;
Coping with changes in routines and environments.

**Support staffing **

Trailblazer and Explorer Base

2 Teaching Assistants per class (for EYFS and National Curriculum classes).

3 Teaching Assistants per class (for Engagement Model classes).

Support staff are used within lessons to support academic progress, implement social curriculum and therapy targets, support self-regulation and develop confidence and independence. They also play an important role in social times as well as providing interventions as required on a 1-1 or small group basis.

Higher levels of support are required in the Engagement Model classes due to their individual needs and to ensure pupil and staff safety.

B. Admission Process

Whilst we recognise that many children and young people may benefit from our provision and the caring, nurturing environment that we offer, we recommend placement only for those pupils who we feel require our provision in order to meet their full academic, social and emotional potential. The final decision as to where a child is best placed to meet their needs remains with the Local Authority, taking into account consultation outcomes and parent/carer input.

**Criteria for Admission **

Trailblazer Base (National Curriculum pathway)

Trailblazer base may be the right place for a pupil if they fulfil some or all of the criteria below:

Pupils who have Autism as their primary need and all other needs are secondary. Their behaviour needs are not the prime need and do not adversely affect the individual or host groups’ ability to benefit from the resource.
Children whose behaviour and mental health allows them to consistently work in a small group teaching environment and to implement taught self-regulation strategies with support and prompts from trained staff.
Pupils who are able to access a mainstream, non-secure environment safely and have some awareness of risk and expected safe behaviours.
Pupils may have sensory processing and regulation needs but are able to tolerate a mainstream environment.
Pupils who are accessing some subject specific learning, or the ‘engagement model’ or non-subject specific curriculum.
Pupils who have an awareness of intent to communicate and are able to verbally communicate their basic needs.
Pupils who are able to follow a simple, adult-led agenda with appropriate support i.e. able to engage in an activity not of their choosing for a short period.
Pupils who have an awareness of the presence of their peers and social interaction/communication skills are in early stages of development.
Pupils whose ability levels could allow some access to the mainstream curriculum offer.

Engagement Model Pathway - Trailblazer and Explorer Base:

These classes may be the right place for a pupil if they fulfil some or all of the criteria below:

Pupils who have Autism as their primary need and all other needs are secondary. Behaviour needs are not the prime need and do not adversely affect the individual or host groups’ ability to benefit from the resource.
Pupils are not working at National Curriculum standards and require a play-based curriculum to meet their needs through the Engagement Model pathway where pupils learn to learn.
Pupils are using emergent language or have a preferred communication tool.
Pupils require some support for co-regulation and sensory needs.
Pupils have a strong child-led agenda but respond well to visual strategies.
Pupils who cannot integrate into the mainstream or manage being in an overwhelming environment.

Dates and Process

Families interested in the base should follow the procedure set out on the school website, following a process of visit, referral, assessment and transition.

C. Review of student provision: Every student will have an Annual review of the EHC Plan with any recommendations for change.

Every student will have an Annual review of the EHC Plan with any recommendations for change. When a pupil is in Reception, they will have two annual reviews.

In addition:

Pupils may reach the point where the base is no longer an appropriate placement. This may occur when:
Pupils are accessing predominantly mainstream classes and social experiences. This means that they no longer require the highly specialised social curriculum and embedded therapy provided by the base, or that targeted support of 1-2 hours is sufficient to cover these areas.
Pupils’ lack of emotional self-regulation, even with support and intervention, means that they are unable to access group lessons and/or group social times in the base due to their extreme levels of anxiety, mental health needs, or the impact of their behaviours on others’ learning and/or well-being.
Pupils are unable to access the curriculum offered by the base, even when differentiated by the teacher with support from a class teaching assistant to give further help during lessons.
Pupils’ mental health is such that they are a risk to themselves or others (either or both of pupils and staff) and do not respond to strategies available to support their well-being.

Before any decision is made regarding a change of placement, the following stages would take place (except for extreme and exceptional circumstances):

ASSESS and PLAN:

Multi-professional meeting with parents/carers to consider concerns and the strategies that could be implemented (e.g. SALT, OT, CAMHS, EP, EHC Case worker) i.e. Team Around the Child (TAC meeting).
Input from the EP –this may be additional strategies after consultation, or a full-re-assessment.

DO and REVIEW:

Evidence of implementation as a result of stages 1 and 2 above.
Review of the impact of this work.

Should this not resolve the problem, then an Interim Review will be called in order to:

Review the provision needed.
Consider whether reasonable adjustments could be made to maintain provision and whether additional funding was required to deliver this.
If there are no reasonable adjustments that can be made, then requesting an alternative placement.

D. Outreach commissioned:

We are also interested in offering outreach – for future reference, but only if we are funded to release that person as there is no capacity currently. Staff responsibilities have to be ‘backfilled.’ We are happy for people to come to visit us.

F Funding and moderation processes:

The Council will develop and put in place governance arrangements that ensure that the different pathways and numbers within them are part of a moderation process involving specialist provision leaders so that cohort changes are recognised and there is parity across provisions in terms of judgements.

G Transition processes:

Transition: When placement has been agreed, contact will be made with the child’s current placement to arrange a transition programme with exchange of information and reciprocal visits where practical and appropriate.