Resource Bases at Kentish Town CE Primary School
A Resource Base is an additional provision in a mainstream school which is designed to support a group of children with a particular special educational need. These children are fully included in school alongside their mainstream peers. They are not educated separately from the other children but may be withdrawn for specialised support and additional therapies.
At Kentish Town CE Primary School we are in the unique position of having two additional Resource Bases. We have one base for children with autism and one for children with physical disabilities.
Physical Disability Resource Base (PD Base).
The PD Base has been a long standing part of life at Kentish Town CE Primary and the current base has been in place since 2001. The layout of the school building is highly accessible with all entrances/exits being available to children with wheelchairs. Specialised facilities such as adapted toilets and a fully functioning therapy room have also been implemented to support the children with physical disabilities.
The children in the base are fully included in the life of the school and are educated alongside their mainstream peers. All children are supported on a 1:1 basis as outlined in their Education Health Care Plan or Statement of SEN. The base is set up to support up to 6 children across the school.
We work closely with Speech and Language Therapists, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Educational Psychologists on site, as outlined in the child’s EHCP/Statement. The curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of the individual child.
Here is a link that shows some of the excellent work that Occupational Therapists do with some of the children in our school.
Admission into the base is via the Camden SEND Panel as not all children with physical disabilities will be best placed in the PD base. Children with significant and highly complex learning and developmental needs, alongside a physical or sensory disability may be best placed in a special school environment.
Physical Disability Resource Base Admission Criteria
Any queries, please contact Grant Jacobson on 0207 485 1279 or deputyhead@kentishtown.camden.sch.uk
Autism Resource Base (ARB)
Kentish Town CE Primary School opened its Autism Resource Base in September 2011. Every classroom and shared space in the school was redesigned to ensure children with autism could be fully included in all aspects of school life.
The Autism Resource Base (ARB) has 15 places, across the whole primary age range, with one assessment place in Nursery. All pupils have a statement of special educational needs or Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) and a diagnosis of autism.
There are 2 Resource Base teachers who oversee and support classroom provision and teach individuals or groups as required. In the classroom, there is a 1:2 ratio with two children being supported by 1 teaching assistant, who have training and experience in working with pupils with autism. Pupils also benefit from the support of Speech and Language Therapists, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Educational Psychologists, as outlined in their statement or EHCP.
Pupils within the resource base spend the majority of time in the mainstream class learning alongside their peers. The Early Years and National Curriculum is differentiated and adapted to meet their needs and ensure they can make progress in all areas. The structured teaching approach from the TEACCH programme forms the basis of how pupils work, with teachers and teaching assistants also using visual, auditory and kinaesthetic resources to support learning. Turn-taking, social interaction and other communication skills are embedded into mainstream teaching, as well as being a focus for small group work. Each pupil has an individual sensory programme, designed with Occupational Therapists, to support their sensory regulation throughout the school day. These programmes are well supported by our sensory and therapy rooms which all Resource Base pupils have access to as required.
We work very closely with families to maintain a consistent approach between home and school wherever possible and to share successful strategies and resources. We have a lending library of books and resources which all families are welcome to use.
Admission into the base is via the Camden ASD Panel which considers the strengths and needs of each pupil before deciding whether to offer a place in a mainstream school, a resource base provision or a specialist school. One assessment place is offered for the Nursery class and two places are offered for the Reception class. In the unlikely event of places becoming available after this time, they will still be allocated by the panel and not by the school.
Autism Resource Base Admission Criteria
Any queries, please contact Miriam Nadarajah or Marcia Freixeiro, Teachers in Charge of the Autism Resource Base on m.nadarajah@kentishtown.camden.sch.uk / m.freixeira@kentishtown.camden.sch.uk or 0207 485 1279.
