Baskerville School is a foundation special school in Harborne, Birmingham. We offer provision for students with autism, aged between 11 and 19.
All of our students have an Education, Health, and Care Plan. Birmingham Local Authority manages the admission of students to the school. Students have been assessed by Birmingham Local Authority as needing a special school placement.
The school currently has 183 places, including 16 residential places.
The majority of students have multiple conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, attachment disorder, severe anxiety, mental health difficulties, sensory processing difficulties, epilepsy and other moderate health difficulties. As a result of the complexity of their learning needs, some students have difficulty managing their behaviour. When entering the school in Year 7 most students will be working at levels equivalent to mainstream students from Key Stage 1 onwards. A small proportion of students will be working close to national expectations in some or most subjects.
The population of Baskerville School reflects the social, ethnic and religious diversity of Birmingham and neighbouring authorities.
Parents are welcome to visit the school prior to contacting the Local Authority's Special Educational Needs Assessment and Review Service (SENAR) to request for a placement. Referrals for a placement is made by SENAR or neighbouring Local Authorities. A decision as to whether the school can meet the student's needs is based on an evaluation of the information received by the school from SENAR. Placements are made based on:
The placement being appropriate to the student's needs.
Their admission is compatible with the interests of other students in the school.
Their admission would reflect an efficient use of the Local Authority's resources.
The school is not able to offer a place to students unless they have been referred through SENAR. As soon as SENAR has agreed on the placement after Baskerville School has confirmed that it is able to meet the student's needs, parents/carers are invited to attend an informal meeting with the Assistant Head Teacher Pastoral. Students who join on secondary transfer will prior to the transfer be visited in the primary school by a member of the Senior Leadership Team and will be invited into school with their parents/carers and again on a visit to the school accompanied by a member of staff from their primary school.
Admissions to Baskerville School may take place throughout the academic year if there is a suitable vacancy and the school is able to meet the student's needs. These transfers are supported by a bespoke transition plan.
VISION STATEMENT
To provide outstanding educational provision, with students achieving
exceptional academic and social outcomes.
1 INTRODUCTION AND RATIONALE
At Baskerville School, students with exceptional needs are identified as
students with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Condition, additional multiple
and complex difficulties including developmental delay. Students experience
barriers to communication and learning.
Our bespoke complex provision offers students a bespoke curriculum for their
educational needs, which has been carefully considered following analysis of
their EHCP.
2 ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR A PLACE IN THE EXCEPTIONAL
NEEDS DEPARTMENT
members*
*For this reason we envisage students with significant medical needs, complex
mental health needs or daily episodes of aggressive or violent behaviour would be
hard to place in this provision.
3 ASSESSMENT OF SUITABILITY FOR THE EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS
DEPARTMENT (COMPLEX PROVISION)
On receipt of a referral from SENAR, the referral will be reviewed by the Head
Teacher in consultation with the Senior Leadership Team and the Complex
provision Faculty Leader. This will involve discussion of how well the entry
requirements are met by the referral, as well as scrutiny of all paperwork from
previous settings. This may involve contacting parent / carers for more
information.
4 FUNDING
Exceptional needs funding must be agreed for the duration that the student is
on roll at Baskerville School. This has been agreed as additional to the
banded funding and is currently approximately £18,000 per student per year.
In order to accept a student into the provision, the funding must be agreed in
writing at the time of acceptance of the referral.
5 ACCEPTANCE OF A REFERRAL TO THE BASKERVILLE SCHOOL
EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS DEPARTMENT (COMPLEX PROVISION)
6 ADMISSION PROCEDURE
On acceptance of a place in the Exceptional Needs Department, a student’s
place begins with a four to six-week bespoke integration programme overseen
by the Complex Provision Faculty Leader.
Prior to the student starting at Baskerville School, staff will gather and utilise
information, assessments and establish a relationship with the student and
family to prepare them for the transition to Baskerville school. In some cases,
this will require elements of teaching, for example, establishing a routine or
activities to reduce anxiety levels.
This will involve:
Occupational Therapist, Educational Psychologist, CAMHS etc.
This approach will ensure that appropriate teaching strategies, support,
learning environment modification and, where necessary, staff training in the
Exceptional Needs Department (including any changes to class routine) can
be put in place prior to starting Baskerville School.
7 INTEGRATION INTO SCHOOL
Students will have a gradual integration into their class. Time will be
increased each day over a 4-week period until they attend full time.
Students will have an individualised timetable. They may be integrated with
other groups according to age, ability or need.
All students will have a risk assessment, emotional support plan and a
communication plan devised and overseen by a qualified Speech and
Language Therapist.
8 INTEGRATION ACROSS THE WHOLE SCHOOL
Students may at times have access to a curriculum delivered across the
whole school. Bespoke timetables will be established once the student’s
needs and interests have been identified.
Staff from the class will offer guidance and support to other colleagues, which
will guide the teaching and support of the student, e.g. emotional regulation.
9 SUCCESS CRITERIA
We need to be able to measure success and monitor the effectiveness of
each individual placement. This will be measured in a number of ways and
indicators of progress will include:
10 MULTI-AGENCY SUPPORT
We have an established multi-agency team based in school to support the
admission and transition process throughout their schooling.
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