Autism Base

 The Base

Is a Mainstream Autism Base in Waseley Hills High School that provides a safe and structured environment with specialist support for young people with ASD.

Our aim is not only to enable students with ASD to reach their full academic potential but to develop their emotional and social communication so they have a better understanding of the world around them to live as independently as possible.

 

 

The Base has capacity for ten students, places are allocated in accordance the Worcestershire County Councils Admissions Policy and any enquiries should be directed through Worcestershire SEN Services.

 

The Base an open plan autism friendly environment with designated spaces;

  • Students each have their own peg and locker to store their belongings.
  • Our soft seating area provides a place for students to socialise with each other and invited friends.
  • There is kitchenette for students to warm and prepare food, and a seating area for them to eat their lunch.
  • Our two teaching areas offer calm structured working environment for small group and 1 to 1 teaching equipped with individual work stations and computers.

The Chill out Room is a calming low arousal area used by students to regulate their emotions and reduce sensory overload.  It also provides a private low sensory environment for students to change for P.E when required.

 

The Base is an integral part of our SEN department overseen by the SENCO.  Our SENCO leads an enthusiastic and dedicated team of teaching assistants trained and experienced in supporting students with ASD. Working together they have created a friendly nurturing environment where students feel supported and valued. Their positive relationships and contact helps to build students’ self-esteem, confidence and encourages them to develop their independence.

 

Mainstream staff have accredited ASD training and a raised awareness of the challenges students face within a mainstream setting. The Base Team and staff work closely together to ensure staff know the students well, strategies used and the best way to support them in class. 

Students

The base promotes the full inclusion of students into mainstream school through tailored programmes of support to meet individual needs. Evidence based interventions delivered in small groups or individually with access to a Speech and Language Therapist as identified in students EHCP. Full transition plans developed at each key stage and mentoring to monitor and help manage the additional challenges and anxieties experienced by students with ASD. Alongside additional academic support when required to support students subject knowledge, organisation, time management, study skills and revision.

Partnership with Parents

Home school contact is extremely important to us. In addition to formal meetings we have frequent contact maintained via the telephone and email to exchange information and ideas and to gain a thorough understanding of the individual’s experiences and perceptions.

Transition and Induction

Close contact between Primary schools and prior communication with parents is essential to ensure we have all the relevant information needed for a smooth transition.

All students joining us will be invited to visit and spend time with us during Year 6, prior to our main transition days.  They are given a Transition Book with information and images and are invited to personalise their books with their own photographs and comments from their visits. Students are placed with Form Tutors with an interest and expertise in Autism.

Additional Personalised Learning:

  • Anger Management/ stress management / coping skills
  • Autism specific PSHE programme
  • Social Thinking Skills
  • Talkabout for Teenagers
  • Emotional literacy
  • Zones of regulation
  • The five point scale
  • Resilience building coping with change
  • Pastoral mentoring
  • Flexible thinking
  • Language for thinking
  • Word Aware

 

Addititional Services from professional agencies;

Speech and Language, Specialist Autism Team, Educational Psychologist.