Author: Philippa Moulson

CONFIDENTIAL

College Town Primary School

Inclusion for Better Outcomes

Volume 1

AutumnTerm-
Current Provision
There are on-going significant needs throughout the school, currently there are 5 children within the school who have EHCPs. We currently have 2 children both in Reception and Year 1 who require 1:1 support. 3 of the 4 pupils have EHCPs, however they are require a significant amount of differentiation and alternative curriculum activities. 1 EHCP pupil is taught out of his current year group and 1 EHCP pupil in Year 4-both of whom have 1:1 support. Pupils with additional needs in Year 4, 5 and 6 are demonstrating good progress in both cognition and learning and their social, emotional, mental health needs.
Spotlight on Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Children with Autism may demonstrate some/all of these traits. This is not an exclusive/exhaustive list.
have obsessions or intense interests.
show ritualistic or repetitive play and behaviour that affects their ability to take part in the school day.
have ‘inappropriate’ eye contact such as avoiding looking at you or staring have difficulty with communicating (some children may not talk at all)
be unaware of social niceties and talk at people rather than having reciprocal conversations.
take more time to process information.
have a rigid expectation that other children should adhere to the rules of play.
not draw others' attention to objects or events.
have difficulty relating to others - making and keeping friendships.
have difficulty with engaging in imaginative play (although this may not be the case for children with a demand avoidant profile).
dislike doing things differently, resist change, or need a lot of preparation for any changes.
enjoy spinning objects or flapping their hands (stimming).
behave in a self-injurious way, or display other forms of challenging
behaviour such as biting, pinching, kicking or pica.
behave aggressively towards other children due to underlying anxieties or sensory sensitivities.
experience anxiety.
have difficulty with organising, sequencing and prioritising.
lack awareness of danger.
appear to be of an average or above average intelligence, but unable to use it academically.

Triad of impairments
Children who are diagnosed with Autism usually have a triad of impairments. This means that they will have specific areas of difficulty. This could include sensory difficulties, social difficulties, communication difficulties. However many children may present with more than 3 areas of key difficulties. Children may not demonstrate any of these difficulties at school, this is known as ‘masking’. Children will then return home and be physically exhausted from this and they could either have a meltdown or a shutdown.
Girls and ASD
The percentage of girls being diagnosed with autism is significantly less to that of boys. It is thought that the differences that autistic women and girls experience are of a more subtle, or may appear so to others. Some autistic girls feel that they are masking their autism to try and hide the fact that they feel different. They may copy behaviour from others around them, and can be exhausted by the constant effort to appear similar to other people, or might be unaware they are ‘masking’ in the first place. This more subtle presentation of autism is also a major barrier to clinicians and other professionals recognising autism and understanding the experiences of autistic women and girls. Despite children masking their behaviour, there will always be indicators so sharpen your autism lens to look for unusual behaviours.
Autism-Friendly Educational Settings
As a school that supports children with autism every classroom should demonstrate:
An understanding of the needs of the students (including those with autism) and make reasonable adjustments
Inclusive practise for children with additional needs, to enable them to participate in activities and achieve their potential.
Provide visual learning and supports on a daily basis.
Provide quiet work stations or areas should children need it.
Provide structured break and lunch times that provide less sensory stimulation.
Teach a broad and balanced curriculum that caters to all the needs of the children.

Useful Websites
National Autistic Society: https://www.autism.org.uk/
Pathological Demand Avoidance: https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/
Parental Support: https://www.parentingspecialchildren.co.uk/
NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/