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 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 2015’ 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 must 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 regarding 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 are available to all Manchester schools to help you develop autism awareness and autism-specific approaches. The Outreach Team aims 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.
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 baselined 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 toolbox, individual targets and plans, and a behavior support program 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.
The Key stage has standardized Learning Journeys that collect evidence of learning across the seven areas of the curriculum. Evidence is collected each half term for the prime areas of the curriculum. Evidence for the specific areas is collected across each term. These represent each child’s skill level against the whole school assessment tool B squared. Alongside this is the Assessment for Learning observation which aims to inform future planning according to each child’s unique interests. We encourage self-evaluation through daily celebration times were ‘WOW’ moments are recorded and celebrated for each child. These also form part of the individual child’s learning journey evidence. Snapshots of children at play are annotated by the child wherever possible through the use of our pupil voice ‘smiley face’ system. These are added to the Learning Journey each term. The next steps are identified. Parents are also encouraged to celebrate their child’s good news and contribute to the Learning Journey.
We closely adhere to the statutory framework of EYFS provision whilst adapting the delivery of that curriculum to the autism-specific needs of our children.
