Grange School

Here at Grange we offer a unique service to the children of Manchester by providing a rich, stimulating and engaging learning environment for those children and young people who would most benefit from our autism specific approaches.

We have developed a holistic approach to working with our pupils, their families and with the wider community and offer a range of therapeutic interventions based on best practice and current knowledge .We are a whole school community, we value close partnership working and encourage tolerance and respect while celebrating and supporting difference.

Grange School aims to create and maintain a safe learning environment where all children and adults feel safe, secure and valued and know they will be listened to and taken seriously. Our school is committed to the principles outlined in ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ and implements policies, practices and procedures which promote safeguarding and the emotional and physical well-being of children, young people and staff.

Each Pathway follows a curriculum designed for the pupils in each area. While we are mindful of the National Curriculum and have an obligation to teach this, our approach to delivery is focused on the needs and abilities of our learners.

The school is committed to supporting the delivery of effective early help using The Multi- Agency Levels of Need and Response Framework .The children have access to appropriate curriculum opportunities, including emotional health and well- being, to support the development of the skills needed to help them stay safe and healthy, develop their self-esteem and understand the responsibilities of adult life, particularly in regard to child care and parenting skills.

Grange School exists to provide the “Autism Community” of Manchester and beyond with an outstanding education service. As part of that role, we offer a city-wide outreach service.Outreach support and advice is available to all Manchester schools to help you develop autism awareness and autism specific approaches. The aim of the Outreach Team is to raise your capacity to meet the needs of the autistic children and young people in your care.

The ELE room or Extended Learning Environment provides opportunities for our children and young people to explore and interact with the world through the use of sight, sound, touch and movement. we adapt this peaceful space to suit each child’s communication and sensory likes and goals. This may be equipment using the 'ladder lights'; operated by sound or touch, or moving projected images; to engage and practise early pointing and communication skills.Other children and young people use the room as a space to talk or be still.It is also a favourite place for our mindful movement sessions.

Assessment across the department is based on clear, concise observations of children that show development against the Early Learning Goals as well as the whole school assessment tool, B Squared. This will frequently highlight the very spiky development profile of young learners with autism.

Children who start in the First Steps Pathway are also base lined against an autism specific tool that establishes how children best learn, how a child’s autism presents itself and identifies strategies that will help a child’s overall development.

All children in the First Steps Pathway have a communication tool box, individual targets and plans, and a behaviour support programme if appropriate. These are reviewed regularly in conjunction with Speech and Language Therapy and or Occupational Therapy input as appropriate.

Learning walls are being developed across the key stage. These will highlight priorities for learning each half term. They are supported by regular and close observations of children engaging in their learning journey.