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One of our roles in Perth & Kinross is to raise awareness of autism among other schools. Here is a group of seven teachers from another school being introduced to the Base by Paddy MacDonald who opened the Base originally and is the DHT.
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The official opening of the Base extension took place on Friday 4th June 2004.
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THE AUTISTIC BASE
We have a purpose-built extension that opened in August 2003. This increased our capacity to 20 full time places.
1992 saw a new development in the school with the placing of a group of children who experience Social Communication Disorder (commonly known as Autism). This small group forms three classes which have their own teachers. There is also a nursery nurse and care assistants.
Autism causes the child, of whatever intelligence or personality, to find it difficult to interact with the outside world. Where practicable these pupils are included in various aspects of school life to the benefit of all pupils in the RDMS family.
The Base was opened in 1992 to cater for:
- children of primary age with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder
- who could be seen to benefit from mainstream contact
- and from a modified 5-14 curriculum
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Our classes are busy places designed for the small groups of children.
Symbols are used extensively to manage our curriculum and guide us individually through our day. |
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These are the Support for Learning Assistants that help look after us and make sure we are busy with our work. They are very friendly. |
The play area is safe and fun. Our Buddies come in and play with us. We can also go into the general play areas to play with them if we are safe doing so. |
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In our Life Skills Room we can learn things that will help us look after ourselves. This includes making the bed, washing the sheets and duvet cover, setting the table, cooking and sorting things into drawers. It is like a little bedsit. |
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We just love our Snoezelen (or "multi-sensory room") where we go to relax or to have a Reiki session.
Sometimes we use it to learn words to do with colours or movement.
Sometimes we use it to relax. It is very calm and soothing with the music and coloured lights on.
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Of course we have lots of work to do.
We use symbols to organise this as well. A lot of our work is like what they do in the rest of the school, but some of it is made easier for us to understand.
We each have our own work folder for the day's work.
Sometimes we work in the Base and sometimes we go into classes with the other children in the school. We especially enjoy PE.
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"RDM Weekly Team":
- HT
- 1 DHT
- 3 other teachers
- 3 Early Childhood Practitioners (ECP) & 5 Support for Learning
staff(SfLA)
- RDM Nursery & Primary staff
- RDM pupils
- Janitor, secretary etc
- Speech Therapist
- Music Therapist
- Riding for the Disabled
- Scone SPAR, Library, shop staff
- Taxi drivers & escorts
- Hairdresser (6 weekly)
- Autism Outreach teacher
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Curriculum direction includes:
- Daily review & planning between teacher &
EP/SfLA
- Weekly meetings with HT & DHT
- Termly planning sessions (all relevant staff)
- Parent feedback (daily; evenings; CCs; regular
drop-ins)
- Inservice - with other RDM staff & specific to
autism
- IEPs devised and shared with professionals &
parents
- Review of the ASN
Running the Autistic Base requires:
- Identification and establishment of good practice
- Staff selection and appointment
- Ongoing staff support & training
- Internal & external liaison
- Production of parent booklet
- Production of planning formats etc
- Awareness raising regarding autism
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