Policy Statement for the
Education of Pupils with
Autism
Date:
October 2012
Review Date:
July 15
Next Review:
July 16
Staff Responsible: Mrs N Smith
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Kingfisher School has a number of pupils with an Autistic Spectrum Condition. Their
Statement of Educational Need describes a particular range of needs including major
difficulties in the main areas traditionally association with autism, namely:
a)
A communication impairment resulting in difficulties in understanding and
using verbal and non-verbal language.
b)
A social impairment resulting in difficulties in relating to others appropriately
and effectively.
c)
A rigidity and inflexibility which can extend to every area of the child's
functioning in terms of language, thought and behaviour.
d)
associated sensory issues
The ways in which these difficulties can affect the learning process include:
1.
Poor social relatedness which affects *
Responsiveness to social reinforcement;
*
The ability to function in groups;
*
The ability to process inter-personal messages.
(The pupil may be unmotivated to please or unrewarded by praise and is consequently
resistant to learning).
2.
3.
Problems with communication, which result in *
Additional difficulties, receptive language problems, including aggressive
behaviours or lack of initiative;
*
Expressive difficulties: leading to boredom, tiredness, tantrums, aggression;
*
Inadequate social use of language.
*
Problems in understanding the intentions of others or in intending actions
themselves.
A difficulty in forming concepts, and understanding abstract ideas *
Problems appreciating limits or rules;
*
Poor sequential memory especially of time sequences;
*
An inability to anticipate events;
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*
4.
Resistance to new activities and routines.
A lack of internal structures which leads to difficulties in *
Self-direction;
*
Self-control;
*
Self-motivation.
(In teaching pupils with autism it is often necessary initially to impose structures from the
outside in order to help them to develop internal structures of their own).
5.
Difficulty in processing auditory information.
(It is generally recognised that most people with autism learn more effectively through
visual forms and with opportunity for repetition).
6.
An inability to generalise learned behaviour to new situations.
7.
Behaviour showing little spontaneity, often being perseverative, with little
understanding of meanings or functions.
8.
A need for routine and sameness.
9.
Easily distracted.
*
Hypersensitive or hyposensitive to sensory input, or with fluctuating sensitivity
(visual, auditory, olfactory and tactile). It is appreciated that a pupil may be
hypersensitive in one sense and hyposensitive in another. These sensitivities
can vary according to different stimuli or events.
*
Difficulty in attending to some aspects of the environment while ignoring others
i.e. not being able to 'foreground' information.
Aim
It is the aim of the kingfisher school is to address the underlying needs of individual pupils,
thereby reducing the difficulties they experience.
We welcome the themes that underpin “Every Child Matters”, including multi agency
working, early intervention, accountability and the integration of services for children. The
key outcomes for children with autism spectrum conditions include:being healthy - services that are tailored to the individual needs; access to specialist
and mainstream play, sport and leisure opportunities; increased access to respite
services, and also including the physiological symptoms often associated with
autism (eg sleep disorders, sensory dysfunction or gastrointestinal disorders)are
widely recognised and pupils receive medical care and intervention appropriate to
their needs.
Staying safe – all children are protected from bullying; given access to appropriate
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life skills and safety training including social skills training; access to safe transport;
all pupils with ASC to be included in all aspects of school life on an equal basis;
improved transition planning and support for those wishing to access further or
higher education.
Making a positive contribution - access to social skills training and supported
employment schemes.
Economic well-being - clear information on benefits, and respite facilities.
We provide a structured learning environment and attempt to give our pupils strategies to
cope by structuring and ordering their world in order to make it a less confusing place. This
approach also allows us to build in change and opportunities for choice.
Assessment Arrangements
Continual and on-going assessment and evaluation arrangements are built into/made
through:
1.
Our curriculum and planning procedures.
2.
Targets set in Individual Behaviour Management Plans.
3.
Ongoing observations and discussions between Teachers and Special Support
Assistants. (And also other professionals such as Speech and Language Therapists,
Occupational Therapists, Educational Psychologists as appropriate)
4.
Examples of pupil's work.
5.
Record of Achievements (in line with whole school policy).
6.
Video Records.
7.
National Curriculum SAT's (where applicable).
8.
Annual /EHCP Reviews.
9.
Negotiations/discussions with other relevant professionals.
10.
Contact with parents during home visits, telephone calls, school meetings and
through the use of home/school books.
11.
Pupil participation where possible.
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Classroom Organisation
Our pupils are divided into class groups dependent upon age; pupils with ASC are in
classes with non ASC peers.
Some pupils with ASC benefit from a more clearly defined structure where it might be
necessary to consider clearly defining areas within the class for specific activities (such as
1:1 area, food / drink area, group work).
Pupils with ASC are encouraged to establish left to right strategies of working. Due to
difficulties with their executive functioning pupils with autism will need extra support with
transitions and establishing the concept of “finished”.
The school has really focused on developing a Total Communication Approach – using a
range of objects of reference, photographs, symbols, signs and written words. Emphasis is
on the use of daily timetables, appropriate to individual pupil's level of ability, to inform them
of the pattern of events for the day.
Training
The school provides in house training to staff – including feedback from any courses
attended.
We keep abreast of new ideas and approaches and we hope that by evolving and refining
our teaching strategies we will continue to provide the opportunity for each pupil with
autism, attending our school, to reach his/her full potential and to achieve as autonomous a
life as is possible.
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