The Discovery Zone - ASD Resource Base
"It takes a village to raise a child. It takes a child with autism to raise the consciousness of a village." - Coach Elaine Hall
Hello and Welcome to the Discovery Zone ASD Resource Base at Tooting Primary School.
The Base at Tooting is a provision that caters for up to 21 pupils with a diagnosis of Autism from Reception to Year 6, with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Admission is via Wandsworth SNAS (Special Needs Assessment Service- https://fis.wandsworth.gov.uk/kb5/wandsworth/fsd/service.page?id=hCgcP_O3IRo)
The Discovery Zone is made up of two class:
- - Little Explorers (Reception – Year 2) – Class Teacher, Ms Dimitra Makrynori
- - Galaxy Class (Year 3 – Year 6) – Class Teacher, Miss Caitriona Mitchell
In the Discovery Zone children are supported to by a teacher and a group of support staff in each class, all of whom have received training in the understanding the needs of children with autism and social communication differences. There is a high ratio of staff to children to provide personalised support.
Children are supported to develop their emotional regulation, social interaction and communication skills integrated with academic learning at an appropriate level for each individual. Much of the learning is personalised taking account of outcomes in pupil’s EHCPs and individual progress towards these as well as their learning and communication style and emotional regulation needs.
Staff work closely with our Occupational Therapist and Speech and Language Therapist. Their expertise is embedded in all we do. Therapists provide regular targeted 1:1 as well as group support, share and model strategies and resources with staff and provide regular training. Therapists will provide updated outcomes with related strategies as part of the annual review process as well as meeting with parents to discuss children’s progress.
The Discovery Zone learning environment provides a low arousal space providing clear, visual structures to minimise distraction to help increase focus and learning opportunities. We have dedicated sensory spaces for both classes and a range of equipment to support sensory processing.
All teaching and learning within the Discovery Zone, uses strategies that are suitable for children with autism and/or social communication differences including:
- Visuals
- Picture Exchange Communication (PECS)
- Makaton
- Proloquo2Go and other IT Programmes to support communication
- TEACCH
- Small group and individual learning activities
- Sensory Circuits and movement breaks
- Zones of regulation to support understanding of and managing emotional regulation
Integration
In the Discovery Zone we aim to facilitate pupils in integrating into mainstream classes as appropriate to access elements of our taught curriculum.
Integration is considered on an individual basis and is dependent on a child’s individual learning needs, social emotional and mental health and in collaboration with parents and school staff.
At Tooting Primary School, we understand that integration may not be appropriate for all pupils and encourage parents to discuss any concerns or ideas they may have around integration for their child, with the Head of Base/SENCo.
Therapies:
At Tooting Primary School, Galaxy Class and Little Explorers are supported by a number of adults including classroom assistants, a speech and language therapist (2 days p/w) and an Occupational Therapist (1 day p/w).
Contact can be made with therapists via, senco@tootingprimary.org FAO: Base OT or BASE SaLT
Enquiries:
If you have further questions or queries about the Discovery Zone, please contact Ms Karen Stewart, Head of Base via: senco@tootingprimary.org.
Please be advised that admissions to our base is not through the general admissions process as with the mainstream school but is strictly through the Wandsworth Special Needs Assessment Service (SNAS) only.