Resource Bases at Kentish Town CE Primary School
A Resource Base is an additional provision in a mainstream school which is designed to support a group of children with a particular special educational need. These children are fully included in school alongside their mainstream peers. They are not educated separately from the other children but may be withdrawn for specialised support and additional therapies.
At Kentish Town CE Primary School we are in the unique position of having two additional Resource Bases. We have one base for Autistic children and one for children with physical disabilities. All resource base pupils have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) are placements are made by consultation from the local authority.
Physical Disability Resource Base (PD Base).
The PD Base has been a long standing part of life at Kentish Town CE Primary and the current base has been in place since 2001. The layout of the school building is highly accessible with all entrances/exits being available to children with wheelchairs. Specialised facilities such as adapted toilets and a fully functioning therapy room have also been implemented to support the children with physical disabilities.
The children in the base are fully included in the life of the school and are educated alongside their mainstream peers. All children are supported on a 1:1 basis as outlined in their EHCP . This support is provided by a range of staff in the class as all TAs work together with the class teacher in class teams – all receiving the appropriate training to deliver the support outlined in the EHCP. The base is set up to support up to 6 children across the school.
We work closely with Speech and Language Therapists, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Educational Psychologists on site, as outlined in the child’s EHCP/Statement. The curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of the individual child.
Here is a link that shows some of the excellent work that Occupational Therapists do with some of the children in our school.
Physical Disability Resource Base Admission Criteria
Any queries, please contact Grant Jacobson on 0207 485 1279 or deputyhead@kentishtown.camden.sch.uk
Autism Resource Base (ARB)
Kentish Town CE Primary School opened its Autism Resource Base in October 2011. Every classroom and shared space in the school was redesigned to ensure autistic children could be fully included in all aspects of school life.
Within each mainstream class, from Reception to Year 6, two places are allocated for children in the Autism Resource Base (ARB). The Autism Resource Base (ARB) has 15 places, across the whole primary age range, currently. All pupils have an EHCP and a diagnosis of Autism. Currently, there are 19 children within the ARB and the provision is over subscribed.
We offer a full inclusion model as the children are fully included in the mainstream class for most of the school day. There is a funding ratio of 1:2 within the ARB with two children being supported by 1 teaching assistant (TA). This support is provided by a range of staff in the class as all TAs work together with the class teacher in class teams. These class teams are supported by the two additional resource base teachers who are autism specialists.
The number of additional staff in the classroom depends on the level of need and the number of children with EHC plans as these can vary. All staff have training and experience in working with autistic pupils and work flexibly across a range of children supporting their individual needs in order to achieve the outcomes set in their EHC plans/Statements. Our main aim is to develop independence in children and to avoid the highly dependent relationships that can occur when a child spends all of their time at school being supported by the same TA.
Children with resource base funding spend the majority of time in the mainstream class learning alongside their peers. The Early Years and National Curriculum is differentiated and adapted to meet the children’s needs and ensure they can make progress in all areas. In class, teachers and teaching assistants use visual, auditory and kinaesthetic resources to enhance learning, as well as using visual support, structured teaching and Makaton signs to enable children to understand tasks and support all learners. Turn-taking, social interaction and other social skills are embedded in mainstream teaching, as well as being a focus for small groups.
Children will share playtimes, lunch and teaching with their mainstream peers, as well as having opportunities to work on a one-to-one or a small group with the specialist ARB teachers. Children will also receive support from Speech and Language Therapists, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Educational Psychologists on site, as outlined in their EHC plan.
Kentish Town CE Primary School also has two sensory rooms and a therapy room, as well as rooms for interventions and small group work. Children are supported using a range of evidence based interventions and approaches.
Any queries, please contact Miriam Nadarajah, Autism Lead on m.nadarajah@kentishtown.camden.sch.uk ] or 0207 485 1279.
