Ethos & Values

AIMS

St Luke's Primary School is a special school and it exists to serve children whose special educational needs cannot be met in mainstream schools or in other early years settings (e.g. nurseries, playgroups, preschools).

All children have the protection of a statement of their special educational needs. Each is reviewed annually and at each child's annual review school staff, parents and key workers discuss the young person's progress and, together, agree the major social and educational objectives or the coming year. Further details are contained in the school SEN policy .

The school aims to enable all children to develop to the fullest extent possible the knowledge, skills, concepts and attitudes which will permit them to appreciate, participate in, contribute to and enjoy the community and world in which we live.

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

The school aims to provide an inclusive education. We try to ensure that all pupils have full access to the activities that are appropriate to his or her needs. We also do provide at least one adult to every three or four children in each class so that it is possible to offer a range of 1:1 and small group activities as well as whole class activities. Class sizes are relatively small – between eight and twelve children in each class.

Every classroom has plenty of space and is well-equipped. Special features include:

• an absence of steps and other barriers to children with mobility problems
• specialist hoist facilities for the safe moving and handling of children with physical disabilities
• toilets and specially equipped hygiene areas nearby
• a small ‘quiet room’ that can be used to teaching individual children or small groups in a relatively distraction-free setting
• carpeted areas in the classroom which can be used for physiotherapy
• specialist switches and touch screens for computers for children who cannot use a standard keyboard and a mouse
• an outside teaching area directly off the classroom

The majority of children are placed in a class with children of their own age. They are taught by a small team consisting of their class teacher and two or three teaching assistants.

Each class has access to range of facilities in the school including separate PE and multi-purpose halls, specialist music, cookery and art/craft rooms and fully developed school grounds for PE and environmental education.

SPECIALIST PROVISION FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM

We use visual language for communication throughout the school. The visual language can take the form of signing, using a modified version of signs used by deaf people, or using simple pictures and photos. These may be seen in:

• pictorial timetables and personalised schedules to inform children about the sequence of planned activities
• signing
• use of communication boards and books with pictorial symbols or objects of reference

We plan the layout of each classroom carefully so that it is clear to the children which activities take place in which areas. We use these areas for teaching new skills to individuals or small groups of children.

If a child absolutely cannot cope with the ordinary classroom environment for any activities, we will provide him or her with access for as long as necessary to Class 10 – a specialist classroom where the children are taught in a carefully controlled environment.

Class 10 has its own small outside fenced seating and play area. There is also an outside ‘chill-out area’ which has benching and a rubber safety surface. However, the children usually join all of the other children on the main playground to use the apparatus and play equipment.

Class 10 is taught by an assistant head, a senior teacher, who is a specialist in autism. This teacher has a responsibility for advising the other staff throughout the school so that they can make their classrooms and activities ‘friendly’ for children with autism.

SPECIALIST PROVISION FOR CHILDREN WITH MULTIPLE DISABILITIES

Some children have serious physical disabilities. Some children also have significant medical needs and/or a sensory problem such as blindness or deafness.

We teach mobility skills in the classrooms and corridors and do much physiotherapy in the classrooms. Each classroom has specialist hoist facilities for the safe moving and handling of children with physical disabilities. There are specially equipped hygiene areas nearby.

Each child is seated or stood in recommended positions using specialist furniture both for his or her health and for engaging in class activities. There are regular changes of position to avoid boredom, cramps or fatigue.

Each classroom has an area which can be used for physiotherapy and developing sensory perception and exploratory skills using specialist equipment and computers.

All staff are skilled in using specialist communication techniques such as communication boards and books with pictorial symbols or objects for reference.

If a child cannot cope with the ordinary classroom environment for any activities, he or she will have access to Class 2 - a specialist classroom in the school where there is a carefully controlled learning environment.

Class 2 is taught by an assistant head, a senior teacher, who is a specialist in teaching pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties. She has a responsibility for advising the staff in the other classes and for the arrangements for use of the mobility trail, the hydrotherapy pool and the multi-sensory studio.

Specialist assessment and therapy will be carried out by physiotherapists and occupational therapists in Class 2, in the other classrooms and a specially equipped therapy room. The therapists will work in close consultation with parents and with the class teams.

There are some important facilities for these children in the school:

• a pool for warm water activities
• computers with specialist switches and software
• the ‘multi-sensory studio’ with its specialist auditory and visual stimulation equipment
• sensory garden and horticultural benches in the inner courtyard
• a mobility trail

DISCLAIMER

The information given on this page was valid in the Spring of 2007. It is possible that there could be changes affecting either the arrangements generally described on this page or any particular part of them before the start of the school year 2007/2008 or in the subsequent years. Parents wishing to contact the individual members of staff or governors named on this page are advised to check the details with the school for any changes beforehand.