The Oaklands Centre is a specialist setting for pupils with social communication and emotional regulation needs. Pupils are placed at The Oaklands Centre by the Local Authority SEND Panel, not by the school admissions process. All pupils have an EHCP which names the setting. It is not possible to access a place in the Oaklands Centre by joining a class in the mainstream school. 

We are happy to give tours to prospective parents; we just ask that pupils have an EHCP in place, or due to be issued, before parents or carers book. Tours can be arranged by emailing or phoning the school office.   

The setting is designed for pupils for whom social communication (including autism) is a key area of need, but this is in the absence of significant cognition and learning needs. Children in the setting will be able to access a curriculum closer to age-related expectations, although this will be variable and will need to be tailored to each individual. The main barriers to learning for children in the setting are often linked to accessing large and busy spaces, regulating emotions and challenges with executive functioning. Some children will present as highly anxious and avoidant; others may display more externalising behavioural challenges when overwhelmed.

The setting provides: specialist, neurodivergent-friendly teaching approaches; a low-sensory environment and access to a broad and flexibly delivered curriculum.

The Oaklands Centre has some ‘placement indicators’ that help the Local Authority, School and parents identify whether the setting would be suitable for a child. We are always happy to discuss individual cases alongside the Local Authority.

Indicators For Placement in EYFS (Reception) and KS1:

• In EYFS and KS1, pupils may initially require access to a multi-sensory curriculum based on a pre-formal pathway, but pupils’ developmental trajectory will suggest that it is likely they will progress to access subject-specific study and will benefit from access to an adapted mainstream curriculum.
• For children entering Reception, they will typically be at or above Step 7 in the ‘thinking’ area of the Developmental Journal.
• In EYFS and KS1, pupils will have emerging verbal skills. They may be minimally-speaking but with evidence of developing receptive and expressive language skills. 
• For children entering Reception, they will typically be at or above Step 6 in the ‘communication’ strand of the Developmental Journal.

This means they will already have secured the following skills:

• Shows interest in new experiences – for example, when you show a new toy
• Repeats actions that have an effect – for example, kicking or batting a mobile to create movement including actions to make a sound again, for example, shaking a rattle
• Shows anticipation and enjoyment of familiar caring routines and simple games – for example, sucks or licks lips in response to sounds of preparation for feeding or gets excited upon seeing spoon or familiar toy
• Watches toy being hidden and tries to find it
• Struggles to get objects that are out of reach and pulls a mat towards them to make a toy or object come closer
• Engages in simple pretend play with soft toys – for example, hugs and kisses teddy or pretends to be asleep (covers self with a blanket and closes eyes)
• Matches shape of piece to hole – for example in a shape sorter
• Turns eyes and or head towards you when you speak
• Reacts by smiling, looking and moving when you interact
• Vocalises back when talked to (making own sounds) especially to familiar adult and when a smiling face is used
• Begins to babble by repeating a series of the same sounds – for example, ‘baba-ba’, ‘ma-ma-ma’
• Begins to point to objects and people, using index finger
• Uses approximately five different words without any help

Indicators For Placement in KS2:

• In KS2, pupils will have the capacity to access and benefit from subject-specific study on a semi-formal or formal pathway.
• For children entering KS2, they will typically be working at or above Pre-Key Stage Standard 3.
• In KS2, pupils will have receptive and expressive language skills that enable them to access teaching and benefit from learning in a primarily verbal medium with suitable total-communication support.

This means they will already have secured the following skills:

Reading:

• say a single sound for 20+ graphemes
• read accurately by blending the sounds in words with two and three known graphemes
• respond to questions that require simple recall about a story

• recount a short sequence of events from a story they have heard

Writing:

• make up their own phrases or short sentences to express their thoughts aloud about stories or their experiences
• write a caption or short phrase using the graphemes that they already know

• form correctly most of the 20+ lower-case letters in Reading Standard 3
• identify or write these 20+ graphemes on hearing the corresponding phonemes
• spell words (with known graphemes) by identifying the phonemes and representing the phonemes with graphemes (e.g. in, cat, pot)

Maths:

• identify how many objects there are in a group of up to 10 objects, recognising smaller groups on sight and counting the objects in larger groups up to 10
• demonstrate an understanding that the last number counted represents the total number of the count
• use real-life materials (e.g. apples or crayons) to add and subtract 1 from a group of objects and indicate how many are now present
• copy and continue more advanced patterns using real-life materials (e.g. apple, apple, orange, apple, apple, orange, etc.)

Emotional Regulation Placement Indicators

• Pupils may have difficulties self-regulating related to their neurodivergence, but pupils will not have SEMH identified as their primary need and will not require ongoing 1:1 support for severe regulation difficulties. They will be able to learn in a group alongside peers safely.
• Pupils will not require a high level of access to a therapeutic, alternative or entirely personalised curriculum to be able to progress.

 

 

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Frequently Asked Questions:

My child doesn’t have an autism/ neurodivergence diagnosis (yet), are they eligible for placement?

Yes. With waiting lists so long, we do not expect pupils to have any diagnosis prior to placement. The setting is designed for neurodivergent pupils, so a child does need to thrive on repeated routines, predictability and a calm, low-sensory environment to benefit from the setting.

My child has ADHD, are they eligible for placement?

Yes, many of our pupils are diagnosed with ADHD.

Will my child have to go into mainstream classes?

No. Each base class is taught on a full-time basis by a specialist teacher and the base delivers the full National Curriculum from EYFS to Year 6. If a pupil needs to access all of their education within the base, they will not miss out on any educational opportunities. For children who do not access a mainstream class, this does not mean they are excluded from the wider school community. They will be involved in assemblies, whole school events, sports days, and they will see visitors that come into school to talk to pupils. They will represent the base on committees such as School Council and the E Safety Committee, and they will be welcome to attend all events with the community, such as fairs and discos.

Will my child be able to go into mainstream classes?

Yes, if it is right for them. Where a pupil would benefit from or enjoy integrating into mainstream, they will be allocated to one of their year group classes. The pupil will be taken to meet the class teacher and see the classroom at a quiet time before integration begins, and base staff will share information with the mainstream class teacher to help them include the pupil. Over time, the pupil will be supported to make friends in the class. Base staff will directly support pupils in mainstream for as long as they need it. Some pupils increase their integration until they are almost full time in mainstream. Others have an individual timetable of selected subjects or activities that they enjoy.

I know my child is able, but they can’t read and/or write yet, is that OK?

Yes. We know that specific literacy difficulties often go hand-in-hand with neurodivergence. Many of our pupils arrive lacking confidence in reading and/ or writing and with significant gaps in their knowledge and skills in these areas. Specialist teaching strategies will be used to help them close these gaps and increase their confidence.

My child has severe learning difficulties, would the setting be suitable for them?

Probably not. The Centre is commissioned by the Local Authority to cater for pupils who can (or will eventually) access subject-specific study and an adapted mainstream curriculum. However, we are always happy to consider and discuss individual cases alongside the Local Authority.

Can you support PDA?

Yes, many of our pupils have a demand-avoidant profile. We have many strategies to support this built into our practise. We use declarative language and avoid direct instructions. We give time to respond to demands and avoid repeating instructions. We rely on visual modelling and routine to guide pupils through their activities rather than repeated adult instructions. We do not put demand-avoidant pupils 'on the spot' or insist that they answer questions. We use feedback and praise very carefully as we understand that both can feel like a demand to repeat an effort. We don’t use standard strategies such as ‘now and next’ or visual timetables in cases where they are not working because a pupil is experiencing them as a demand. The primary tool we use is a calm environment with calm adults and a highly predictable routine, which we often find can lower anxiety enough to reduce resistance to demands over time.

Do you have a Speech Therapist?

No, we do not directly employ a Speech Therapist at present. Where children are open to SaLT, therapists will come and visit them in school and provide a care plan which experienced base staff will then deliver. We have a range of evidence-based intervention programmes that children can access according to need, such as: Attention Autism, Colourful Semantics, Word Aware, Black Sheep, Language Steps, Language for Thinking, Talkabout and Lego Therapy. We hope to have more contact with therapists in the future as a result of the 'Experts at Hand' initiative. 

Do you offer Forest School?

No. We spend a lot of time outdoors and, for our youngest children, a lot of learning through play happens in the outdoor environment, but we do not offer structured Forest School lessons. We do not have any animals on site.

My child is not yet toilet trained, is that OK?

Yes. Base staff are experienced at supporting toilet training and are able to help families with this. We have contact with the School Continence Team who offer invaluable help with tricky cases.

What is the staff ratio?

Each class has a full-time specialist teacher and 3 specialist TAs. Classes have 6-8 pupils so the general ratio is around 1:2.

Do you have any girls?

Yes, increasingly we have a balance of girls and boys.

What is the uniform like?

Base pupils can wear an adapted uniform. Bottoms need to be grey or black and tops need to be white, but jogging bottoms/ soft trousers or shorts and any type of t-shirt are accepted. Shoes must be completely black, but they can be of any type, including crocs. We would rather pupils wore clothes they are comfortable enough to learn in. All pupils will need to wear the purple, logoed school jumper or cardigan.

What happens at play time?

Base pupils can join their mainstream peers for play time if they enjoy the busier, more dynamic environment. If they do not like the busier environment, they can join in with base play times in our forest play area. The base pupils have slightly extended play times compared to mainstream as we know our pupils have a strong need for movement, time in a natural environment and opportunities to practise their social skills. As a result, it is sometimes possible to spend some play time with mainstream classes and some with the base.

What happens at lunchtime?

Base pupils can go and eat in the school hall with their mainstream class if they want to. If they do not want to do that, they can eat in the base. School meals are brought up to the base, so pupils do not have to queue at the serving hatch. Pupils are allowed to watch cartoons, children’s films or documentaries while they eat to reduce social demands and encourage eating. Pupils can eat in an individual space if they find food smells or eating sounds difficult to tolerate. Pupils can bring packed lunches with their ‘safe’ foods, including where these would not meet traditional 'lunchbox codes', if they have a restricted diet. We aim towards a healthy diet, and base staff can support with diet diversification in collaboration with families if this is wanted.

When does the day start and finish?

We stagger our day with mainstream so that our pupils can arrive and leave while the site is quieter. Pupils are welcome to arrive between 8.30am and 8.50am. We begin the day with a soft-start to support pupils to transition in. There is time to check in with staff and engage in self-chosen activities before lessons begin at 9am. The day ends at 3pm. Pupils in taxis are met directly from their car in the morning and handed back to their crew in the afternoon by base staff.

How do you communicate with parents?

We have regular contact with all parents. This will be in the form that suits each parent best: through contact with staff at the doors, phone calls or emails. We welcome and encourage partnership with parents and aim for open, two-way sharing of information between home and school. We use the Tapestry app to share children's learning and activities with parents on a day-to-day basis and love to receive posts from parents about children's activities at home. Parents can make appointments at any time to talk to class teachers or the Inclusion Base Lead if a longer conversation is needed. 

What happens about SATs?

Pupils usually sit their SATs (and other statutory tests) in the base in an individual space with 1:1 support from a trusted adult. Tests are treated in a very low-key way to reduce stress. Pupils with an EHCP all have extra time, and they can have readers and scribes where this is normal classroom provision for them. Pupils will only be disapplied from SATs if they would not be able to access any of the questions or the emotional impact of attempting the tests would be too severe. This would always be discussed with parents.

Where do pupils go after the Oaklands Centre?

Pupils may go on to the Albert Einstein Preston Centre at Preston School Academy, Fairmead or to one of the Independent Non-Maintained Schools in the area. The amount of specialist provision in the area is increasing rapidly, which we hope will open up a greater range of options in the future. Discussions about next placements begin in Year 5 and families are fully supported through the transition process.