An Enhanced Resource School

Introduction

This web page aims to explain the ways in which Brackensdale Enhanced Resource Junior School provides inclusive provision for our children with Language and Communication difficulties and Autism.
We have been an Enhanced Resource school since April 2000 and have since developed a wide range of strategies and approaches to enable all of our children to access a broad and balanced curriculum and to meet their potential, academically and socially. We are by no means at the end of our own learning. Our children are all individual and we are flexible in using new approaches to ensure that the needs of each individual child are met.

Our Classes     

 We have eight classes in our mainstream school and two classes in our new building, "The Phoenix Suite". In our main school, there are four mixed year 3 & 4 classes and four mixed year 5 & 6 classes. The children learn in classes where all of the other children are learning at about the same level as themselves. This enables all of the children to access all of the activities and learning all of the time.
The two classes in our Phoenix Suite provide an education for some of our children who would find it difficult to cope in mainstream classes all of the time. However, there are plenty of opportunities for those children to join the main school and vice-versa.
.
 

Our Teachers  

Working alongside our Headteacher and Associate Headteacher, we have ten teachers in our school. Eight of them teach in our main school and two of them teach in the phoenix suite. There is also an Inclusion Manager and a Phoenix Suite Manager who oversee the education of all of the children with special Educational Needs. All of our teachers have a very good understanding of our Enhanced Resource children and they plan their learning activities bearing in mind the needs of all of the children in their class. There is a great deal of awareness and flexibility to ensure that everybody feels happy and secure in school. After all, this is how we all learn best. Our teachers work in teams and are excellent at sharing resources, Knowledge and expertise to best meet the needs of our children.

Our Teaching Assistants 

We have a team of 27 teaching assistants. Like our teachers, all of our teaching assistants have a very good understanding of our Enhanced Resource children.
The teaching assistants work with the teachers to plan and support in the delivery of activities to ensure that all of the children can access the learning.
It is usually the teaching assistants who will withdraw individual children or small groups to work on specific target work throughout the week. They monitor progress and discuss this with the class teacher and the Inclusion Manager to ensure all targets are meaningful and successful. The teaching assistants are constantly considering ways to support each child's individual needs both inside and outside the classroom.

Our Learning Mentor 

We have a Learning Mentor who is available to support children who may have specific difficulties with things such as friendships, anger management or self-esteem.
The Learning Mentor will work with individual children or with small groups of children depending on the needs of the child. She or he will monitor progress towards targets and discuss this with the classroom staff and the Inclusion Manager.
The Learning Mentor is also available at playtimes and lunchtimes, if there are any children who need extra support at these times.
 

 Visual Resources 

Many of our Enhanced Resource children benefit from us using visual resources to support their learning.
Every classroom has a large visual schedule of the days events, if they need it.
There are a range of visual signs up around school, to remind the children of procedures etc.
Many of the resources in the classrooms are made using visual symbols to ensure that all the children can access the teaching and the learning activities. We also use social stories to help children who find certain social activities challenging.
 

 Expectations 

 
All of our staff have high, but realistic, expectations of all of our children. Everyone in school follows the school rules, which are referred to frequently as a reminder. Children are constantly praised for positive behaviours to promote the right way to go about things! They can earn star points for their team for making the right choices. However, there is an understanding throughout school that some of our children may struggle with certain rules sometimes. Support strategies are put into place to prevent failure and to make expectations reasonable. 

 Targets and Reviews

All of our Enhanced Resource Children are working towards targets taken from their MEP’s.
The General theme for MEP targets will be taken from the child’s statement of Special Educational Needs.
The class teacher, teaching assistant, inclusion manager review the targets each term to insure that the child is making progress towards theme and to set new, realistic and achievable targets.
The targets are set to help the child to reach their academic and social potential, removing any barriers along the way.
The child’s statement will be reviewed annually according to the date of their original statement. 

 Programmes

We have a wide range of programmes running throughout the school for individual or small groups of children. These are generally in place to support the children in working towards their individual targets.
We have programmes running on the advice from other professionals (i.e. Speech and Language and Occupational Therapy) as well as other programmes running as a result of the MEP meeting where specific targets are set to meet the child's individual needs.
There are social communication groups, friendship groups, fine and gross motor skills development programmes, reading and spelling support programmes and a whole host more depending on the cohort and the needs of the children.

 Break Times 

There are always at least three members of staff on each playground to ensure that the children are occupied and supported when they need it. Many of our children need some extra support strategies to help them experience success and enjoyment at playtimes and lunchtimes.
For some children, they will be taught specific skills needed to make and maintain friendships and they will be encouraged to generalise these skills on the playground.
Other children may have social stories to support them with situations that they find particularly tricky. There are also a range of lunchtime clubs available for the children to attend if they feel that they would like a break from the playground environment.

 Parents   

Many of our Enhanced Resource children come to school in a taxi, as they do not live in our local; area. They always have an escort and the system works well.
However, this does, mean that there is not always regular face-to-face contact with the parents. The way that we deal with this is to ensure that every one of our Enhanced Resource children has a home-school diary, which is used as a communication aid between home and school, where any any successes, questions or concerns can be recorded. The Inclusion Manager or teacher can also be contacted by phone if needed.
There is also a support group that takes place every term where the parents of our Enhanced Resource children can meet each term so that they can get to know each other, chat and make links.  

 Transition

Because we are a junior school, the children spend four years with us—from year 3 to year 6. We have children who start with us in year 3 who come from a range of infant schools as well as from Brackensdale infant school.
We always ensure that, wherever they come from, links are made between the schools throughout the previous year and that the children have the opportunity to visit, take photos, meet staff etc in preparation for their move to the juniors. Staff also meet to ensure that we are aware of the child's needs etc.
The same is true of transition to secondary school. Meetings are held at the end of year 5 to discuss parental preference etc for secondary placement. When the decision is made, links are made and visits are arranged in the summer term of year 6 to ensure smooth transition. 

Other Opportunities

There are a range of opportunities at Brackensdale to increase our children's skills and experiences to develop their ability to cope with everyday life.
There is the chance to develop life skills such as shopping and cooking as well as a range of other opportunities depending on the needs of the child. All of our children go on a variety of school trips throughout their time with us and are all invited to go on the residential trip in year six.
We have enrichment weeks where the children will be given the opportunity to take part in activities that they may not normally get the chance to experience, e.g. golf, photography etc. The children will also all have the opportunity to go swimming at some point during their time with us.