Complex Needs Resource Base
Our Resource Base has 25 places for children across two classes. These are ‘Carle’ Class after the infamous Eric Carle (think The Very Hungry Caterpillar), and ‘Butterworth’ inspired by the brilliant Nick Butterworth (Percy the Park Keeper).
We adopt a needs-led approach when organising children into classes. This means that pupils are grouped according to their developmental needs rather than their chronological age. As a result, the curriculum and support can be tailored more effectively to meet each child’s individual needs and stage of learning.
We are one of the few complex needs resource bases in the north of Wiltshire. Our provision supports children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) whose complex needs cannot be fully met within a mainstream education setting.
We currently support learners with a wide range of needs, including:
- Chromosomal disorders
- Genetic conditions
- Medical conditions
- Physical needs
- Hearing needs
- Visual needs
- Sensory needs
- Speech, language and communication needs
- Global Developmental Delay
- Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC)
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
As a Complex Needs Resource Base, we provide specialist provision for children whose needs are so significant and multifaceted that they cannot be fully met in a mainstream classroom. Children attending our Resource Base typically have complex Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) or Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD), which may result from a chromosome disorder, genetic condition, global developmental delay (GDD), or medical condition. They are likely to have needs across most areas of SEND: cognition and learning, communication and interaction, social, emotional and mental health, and sensory or physical needs.
If a child’s primary area of need is ASD, ADHD, or SLCN, this may not be the most appropriate setting. However, we recognise that many children may have needs in these areas in addition to their primary need, and we provide support for these as part of our holistic approach.
Admissions
All of our pupils have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) in which Resource Base provision is specifically named. For some children, this placement is identified when their EHCP is first issued. For others, a change of placement may be requested by their current setting during an Annual Review, to recommend that the provision is renamed from mainstream to Resource Base.
Within the Resource Base we offer an individualised curriculum for all children, linked to their Educational Health Care plan and advice from professionals involved with the children. The pupils are supported by a team of SEN-experienced teachers and teaching assistants, this enables the provision of a high level of support. The children access a “total-communication” approach to develop their communication skills and independence. Staff are experienced at using alternative augmentative communication systems including Makaton, Pecs, Widget and visual systems. All staff deliver personalised Speech and Language therapy, which is embedded across the school day. Where appropriate some children have opportunities to access mainstream integration sessions during the school week.
There are no alternative routes for entry into the Resource Base, and a place within our mainstream classes does not ‘fast track’ or guarantee a placement within the Resource Base.