Communications Base
OVERVIEW
Princes Risborough School - The Communications Base
The Communications Base is part of Princes Risborough School, a mainstream Secondary school with approximately 1000 students. The purpose of the Base is to provide classroom support and, where appropriate, differentiated teaching to students who have been identified as on the Autistic Spectrum. All students attached to the Base are included in the academic and social life of Princes Risborough School.
The Base is located in a new, purpose-built suite on the main school campus. It offers a calm and structured environment from which students can go out to join their peers in the classroom and other settings during the school day. Where integration into the regular classroom is not deemed appropriate for an individual or small group, lessons are taught within the Base; our aim, however is to integrate the students wherever possible, providing the level of support appropriate to their needs.
In addition, all students attached to the Base participate in group sessions to develop social communication skills.
What is meant by the term 'Autistic Spectrum Disorder'?
An Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is any disorder which affects social interaction, language and communication.
Students with an ASDs will have difficulties in all of the following areas:
• Learning how to interact with others appropriately, and understanding the perspective of other people.
• Using both non-verbal (body language and gesture) and verbal communication.
• Generalising what they have been taught to other situations.
• Stereotyped and obsessive behaviour.
Sometimes, these disorders are referred to as Social Communication Difficulties
Our aims
The Communications Base has the following purposes:
• To ensure that students attached to the Base have full access to the National Curriculum, receiving their education wherever possible together with their peers in the mainstream classroom, with support from Communications Base staff working in liaison with subject teachers.
• Where integration into the mainstream classroom is not judged to be appropriate to the student, to provide teaching in National Curriculum subject areas within the Communications Base, with a view to eventually returning the student to the mainstream classroom.
• To provide teaching of social communication skills, and to provide (as appropriate) opportunities for Speech and Language Therapy.
Staffing
Support in the regular classroom, and subject teaching within the Base itself (as appropriate), is provided by a committed team of specialist teachers and learning support assistants.
A Speech and Language Therapist is part of the team working with students for whom this provision is specified in the Statement of Special Educational Need plus leading the Social Skills Groups. The therapist works closely with Communication Base staff, advising on appropriate targets which are then written into programmes; these are then delivered by Base staff as well as the Therapist.
Students' progress, and the appropriacy of the provision to meet their needs, are further monitored by Educational Psychologists, again working in consultation with the Learning Support Coordinator and Communications Base staff.
Working with parents
Partnership with parents is a vital aspect of our work in the Communications Base. Sharing information and perceptions will enhance opportunities for the students and further their development. Parents have opportunities to visit the Base during the school year, and are involved in assessment procedures before their child joins the school. Daily contact is maintained through the use of a home / school diary and/or email.
Visits to the School
The Communications Base welcomes visits from prospective parents. Please contact the Teacher-in-charge, Mrs Morag Hussey, to make an appointment.
PRINCES RISBOROUGH SCHOOL
THE COMMUNICATIONS BASE
Merton Road, Princes Risborough,
Bucks HP27 ODT
Telephone: (01844) 345496
FAX: (01844) 346147
Email: mhussey@princesrisborough.bucks.sch.uk
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