Mission Statement

Mission Statement
To provide the pupils in our care with the skills and knowledge to enable them to lead full, active and independent lives according to their capabilities.

Aims of Ashgrove School
The aims of Ashgrove School are:

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  To encourage each child to develop effective communication, social and independence skills and achieve his/her full academic potential.
  
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  To create a positive, safe, secure, caring environment in which children can flourish.
  
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  To recognise and reward achievement and appropriate behaviour, recognising individual differences and preferences.
  
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  To provide support and guidance for children, staff, parents and the wider community
  

Ashgrove School

Sully Road, Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan CF64 2TP

Tel [phone] 704841

Fax [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

Website: www.ashgroveschool.org.uk

Headteacher Mr C. D. Britten

Chairman of the Governors: Mr. T. Exell
The aim of this prospectus is to give parents information about Ashgrove School as required by the current Welsh Office regulations. This prospectus can be provided on request in a translated form. Please contact the school if a copy is required in any language other than English. Ashgrove School is a special day/residential school for children with autism from nursery age through to secondary age.

Ashgrove School

Holiday Dates 2009/2010

Term	Begins	Half Term Begins	Half Term Ends	Ends
Autumn 2009	Tuesday 1^st September 2009	Monday 29^th October 2009	Friday 30^th October 2009	Friday 18^th December 2009
Spring 2010	Monday 4^th January 2010	Monday 15^th February 2010	Friday 29^th February 2010	Friday 26^th March 2010
Summer 2010	Monday 12^th April 2010	Monday 31^st May 2010	Friday 4^th June 2010	*Tuesday 20^th July 2010

Tuesday 1^st September 2009, *Monday 19^th and Tuesday 20^th July 2010 will be designated INSET days.

Christmas Day Friday 25^th December 2009

Good Friday 2^nd April 2010

Easter Monday 5^th April 2010

Bank Holidays Monday 3^rd May 2010

Monday 31^st May 2010

Accommodation/Facilities

Ashgrove School is pleasantly situated in rural surroundings on the edge of the seaside town of Penarth within the Vale of Glamorgan. It is easily accessible by motorway and rail from the whole of South Wales. Pupils come to Ashgrove from the Vale of Glamorgan and its neighbouring counties, from West and Mid Wales and occasionally as far afield as The Midlands and Gloucester.
The school aims to provide a caring atmosphere in which each child is encouraged to develop effective communication, social and independence skills and achieve his/her full academic potential. These aims are pursued within a structured and stimulating environment with a well balanced and flexible curriculum meeting each child’s special needs. The curriculum has been developed and enhanced to enable students to leave with appropriate skills, knowledge and experience, which will help them to lead full and independent lives.
The school can provide classroom accommodation for up to 100 children and has excellent facilities including:

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  Pleasant, well furnished and recently decorated classrooms, many of which have adjoining “quiet” areas for individual work.
  
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  A hall for P.E., drama, music and assemblies.
  
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  Large tarmacked play areas with a variety of play equipment.
  
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  A school playing field.
  
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  A craft room with a wide range of equipment for craft, technology and art.
  
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  A science room.
  
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  A home economics room.
  
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  Resource areas for Mathematics, English, science, P.S.E., geography, history and I.T.
  
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  Numerous RM Nimbus computers, multimedia systems, concept keyboards, audio visual aids etc. to allow all children access to the benefits of I.C.T. We are connected to the Internet and have our own website.
  
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  School minibuses for educational visits.
  
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  A swimming pool, camping and canoeing equipment.
  
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  A purpose built sensory room.
  
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  A library.
  

The School Day

The school is open for 190 days per year. The school day starts at 9.00 am. and ends at 3.30pm. All pupils have a 15 minute break in the morning.

Pupils have a lunch break from 12.00 until 1.00 pm.

Residential Facilities

Currently Ashgrove School provides residential places for up to 14 pupils in modern pleasantly decorated accommodation. The accommodation consists of two three bed roomed houses and two four bed roomed flatlets. Each area has its own lounge, kitchen and dining area and each pupil has their own bedroom. Great emphasis is placed on making the children feel at home. Children are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms with personal effects such as toys, pictures and photographs brought from home.

Each area has its own team of childcare officers and for the majority of the time children are supported on a 1:1 basis. A team of staff, some who are on duty all night and others who ‘sleep in’, is available to support pupils at night. The Head Teacher and the Deputy Head Teacher are available in the case of emergencies.
All pupils in residence have an individually prepared care plan which focuses on areas for development. These plans are prepared by childcare staff in consultation with school staff and parents. Care plans are reviewed on a regular basis. Independence and life skills are encouraged and developed through a range of activities including outings to leisure centres, libraries, cinemas, cookery, craft and keep fit.
Staff hold daily meetings to discuss children’s progress. Close liaison exists between the staff working with the children during the school day and care staff and to ensure continuity and progression.
All staff are trained in areas such as child protection, positive behaviour management, first aid, P. E. C.’s, and working with children with autism. Training is regularly updated and is ongoing.
The residential provision is inspected on an annual basis by inspectors from the Care Standards Inspectorate of Wales. Reports of the previous inspections are available on request from school. The Care Standards Inspectorate can be contacted at:
Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales

Vale and Valley Regional Office

Unit 4/5 Charwood Court

Heol Billingsley

Parc Nantgarw

Nantgarw

CF15 7QZ

Tel: [phone]

The provision is also monitored by the Local Authority and unannounced visits to inspect provision is undertaken by representatives of the local authority take place on a regular basis.

Staffing

Highly motivated and experienced teaching staff are supported in the classroom by nursery nurses, teacher’s aides and child care staff. There is a favourable staff - pupil ratio which maximises opportunities for one-to-one working where necessary. Full advantage is taken of inset days and courses organised by the L.E.A. and other providers to ensure that staff training and awareness of new developments is a priority.
The local health authority provides specialist speech and language therapy support in school. The therapists work closely with staff, in and out of the classroom, to ensure consistency and continuity. A music therapist works for one day a week.
Headteacher Mr C. D. Britten

Deputy Headteacher Mr H. G. Roberts

Assistant Headteacher Mrs J. Watts
Teaching Staff -
Mr R. Boucher

Mrs C. Hartland

Mrs. E. Carver

Mrs. T. Comerford

Mrs. R. Jenkins

Mr D. Jenkins

Mr. C. Marsh

Miss E. Rowe

Mrs N. Morgan

Mr. P. Russ

Miss C. Sourlis

Mrs. K. Doorbar

Mrs. J. White

Miss S. O’Mahony

Mrs K. Cole

Miss L. Kirby

Miss A. Yarr

Miss C. Mullins

Mr W. Murphy
Support Staff

Miss T. Lewis Miss E. Barclay Miss S. Andriola

Miss Z. Britten Ms N. Britten Miss L. Stafford

Mrs. T. Clemett Miss S. Cooper Miss J. Kingston Mrs. S. Fox Mr I. Liddiart Mrs N. Burton

Mrs C. Galea Miss C. Fitzgerald Miss L. Paynter

Mrs L. Carpenter Mrs M. Flanagan Miss A. Baird

Miss B. Jones Mr. D. Howell Ms. F. Ibrahim

Miss J. Kingston Mrs. P. Kingston Mr J. Tilley

Miss M. Lester Miss S. Lewis Mrs L. Barrett

Ms K. Osborne Mrs E. Palmer Miss K. Angove

Mr C. Campbell Miss K. Coombs Miss R. Coombs

Mrs E. Parry Miss C. Savage Miss C. Coughlan

Mrs S. Gray Miss A. Williams Miss T. Davies

Mrs L. Emery Mrs C. Galea Miss A. Guy

Mr D. Howell Mr N. James Mrs C. Lyle

Mr B. Milne Mrs C. Moreton Miss S. Pietzka

Mrs D. Rees Miss L. Williams Miss C. Sellars

Head of Pupil Welfare and Care

Mrs S. Summers

Child Care Staff

Ms D. Ellis (Deputy Head of Care)

Mrs J. Eady Miss S. James

Mrs K. Sullivan Miss A. Roderick

Mrs M. John Mrs N. Dredge

Mrs S. Hartland Miss K. Sullivan

Mrs S. Horwood Ms M. Stringer

Mrs L. Perkins Mr N. Donnelly

Miss K. Walters Mr J. David

School Administration Staff

Mrs R. Webber

Mrs H. Raby
Specialist Speech & Language Therapists

Mrs J. Mullis

Miss N. Harrison

Miss H. Makepeace

Miss E. Logan

Mrs M. Davis (Assistant)

Music Therapist

Mr. C. Jones

Cook

Ms E. Elson / Mrs C. Rego

Caretaker

Mr. A. Purnell

Health Care

The school has a medical officer and a nurse who visit on a regular basis. Illnesses and minor injuries occurring during the school day are dealt with by qualified first aiders on the staff. Parents are informed immediately of any illness or accident occurring in school. Parents should contact school if they have concerns about their child’s health.

Medicines will be administered by staff but only if written parental consent is given. Tablets and medicines should not be entrusted to children to bring into school but should be given to the bus escort/driver to hand over to a member of staff on their arrival at school.

Integration

Integration programmes are well developed at local primary schools and at St. Cyres Comprehensive School. The individual needs of each pupil are carefully considered before an integration programme is considered. Pupils are integrated with support where this is necessary.

Outreach Support

Staff from Ashgrove School are involved in an outreach programme supporting children with autism in local schools.

Careers Education, Guidance and Work Experience

Careers education, guidance and work experience is an important curricular area within the whole school environment. Pupils with special needs can, for various reasons, have limited experience of the outside world and this may influence these pupils’ awareness of and attitudes to ideas about work and careers.

It is our aim to ensure that all pupils receive a programme of guidance which will prepare them for further education, training, employment and life as an adult member of society. All pupils will be encouraged to look outwards into life after school and to recognise the need to develop personal qualities and to develop a sense of social responsibility. Careers education, guidance and work experience plays an integral part in developing the person as a whole. All pupils, according to their ability and level of maturity will have the opportunity to follow a programme in careers education, guidance and work experience.
Destination of School Leavers

In July 2007 eight pupils left Ashgrove School at the end of the academic year all of them took up placements at college.

External Examinations

In Ashgrove School we are able to offer Certificate of Educational Achievement courses in a range of subjects, including geography, English, mathematics, science, art, food skills and design technology. We also offer General Certificate of Education courses in mathematics, art and other subjects as appropriate. Students are also entered for the A.S.D.A.N award scheme. Examination courses are not necessarily offered to all pupils but are dependent on the abilities and needs of the individual pupil.

Attendance and Punctuality

Attendance at school is a legal obligation and school attaches great importance to both the attendance and punctuality of pupils. Parents will no doubt appreciate that these are good habits which are essential for their child’s progress and for the continuity of education.

There are National Assembly regulations for the recording of pupil absences and whether these absences are “authorised” or “unauthorised”. Parents should notify school on the first day of absence either by letter or telephone. Written confirmation of the absence should accompany the child on his/her first day back.

These procedures ensure that your child is marked as “authorised absent” on the register. Where there is no note your child will be marked as being absent without authority. Persistent unauthorised absences could lead to the involvement of the education welfare officer.

Attendance Figures - September 2007 – July 2008

Percentage of unauthorised absence: 1%

Holidays Within Term Time

If a pupil’s attendance is normally good, permission may be given for an absence of up to two weeks during term time for family holidays which cannot be taken during the school holidays. Parental requests should be made in writing or by telephone beforehand. It is hoped that such requests will be made only in unavoidable circumstances and especially not at examination times.

Admission Arrangements

Parents of prospective pupils are always welcome to visit school by prior arrangement with the head teacher. In the majority of cases children admitted to Ashgrove School have a statement of special educational needs which indicates that the child would benefit from a place at Ashgrove. Some children are placed at Ashgrove for assessment. These children may then be offered a place following consultation with parents, the pupil support service and the child’s local education authority if this is not the Vale of Glamorgan. Only children with a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder will be considered for placement at Ashgrove.
Once admission has been agreed arrangements for a starting date are made by the head teacher in conjunction with the pupil support service and parents.

Transport

Each child is transported into school by either taxi or minibus. The responsibility for organising transport lies with the child’s own local education authority. School will attempt to deal with transport problems, but if we are unable to resolve the problem parents will be advised to make personal representation to their L.E.A.’s transport officer.

General Appearance

School rules exist to ensure the safety and well being of all pupils. There are strict rules for the wearing of jewellery. Girls may wear one small ring and a plain neck chain under their blouse. Children with pierced ears may wear studs or small sleepers (one pair only) - no hoops or drops are allowed. Both boys and girls may wear a wristwatch. No make-up or nail varnish is allowed.

School Uniform

School uniform is optional. The following is a detailed list of the recommended items and styles of clothing.

Boys Girls

Black or grey trousers Black, navy or grey knee length skirt

Blue or white shirt or pinafore

Blue polo shirt with school logo * Blue or white blouse

Black, navy or grey pullover Blue polo shirt with school logo*

Navy blue sweatshirt with school logo* Black, navy or grey pullover or

Plain black or grey socks cardigan

Plain black shoes Navy sweatshirt with school logo*

Black, grey or white socks

Black flat heeled shoes

Coats

Plain navy or black topcoats, anoraks or windcheaters

Navy blue fleece with school logo*

*All obtainable from the school office.
P.E. Kit

Black swimsuit Black tracksuit

Navy or black shorts (Winter) White T-shirt

White shorts (Summer) Training shoes (not black soled)

All items of uniform should be clearly marked with the owner’s name.

The School Charter

The successful education of each pupil depends upon a three way partnership between pupil, parent and school. Each has rights and responsibilities which should be agreed.
The School Commitment - to provide:

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  A broad and balanced education satisfying where appropriate the demands of the National Curriculum.
  
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  An education based on high expectations.
  
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  Work which is appropriate to the age and ability of each pupil.
  
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  A high standard of teaching, academic support, personal guidance and behaviour management.
  
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  Where appropriate, regular homework.
  
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  Regular and constructive marking of work.
  
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  An annual written report and termly parents evenings.
  
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  The use of textbooks, equipment, library facilities and I.T. to support teaching.
  
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  The opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities outside the classroom.
  
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  A caring, supportive and well disciplined working environment.
  
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  The treatment of pupils with care and respect.
  

The Pupil’s Commitment - to:

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  Attend school regularly.
  
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  Be punctual at all times.
  
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  Work hard and strive to meet all course requirements.
  
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  Complete any homework set on time.
  
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  Wear school uniform.
  
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  Share responsibility for maintaining the school environment.
  
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  Behave in a responsible way when travelling to and from school.
  
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  Look after and respect school property and the property of others.
  
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  Treat all members of the school community with respect.
  
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  Become involved in school activities.
  

The Parents’ Commitment To:

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  Ensure regular attendance and inform the school promptly of any absence.
  
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  Ensure punctuality.
  
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  Encourage and support the child’s learning and extra curricular activities.
  
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  Ensure that any homework set is completed punctually.
  
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  Support parents’ evenings and school functions and attend any special appointments if requested.
  
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  Provide correct uniform, including P.E. kit where required.
  
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  Reimburse the cost of any equipment or furniture damaged deliberately.
  
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  Support the policies of the school.
  
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  Consult with the school regarding any queries or concerns.
  

The Curriculum

The school curriculum aims to be broad, balanced and relevant to pupil needs to help each child realise his/her maximum potential. Our aims are to:

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  Create a happy school environment.
  

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  Help children learn to interact with other members of society in an appropriate manner and to realise that courtesy, good manners and consideration for others are very important qualities.
  

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  Help the children develop effective communication skills, where communication is understood to involve skills of perception, comprehension, expression of language and social interaction. For some children at Ashgrove School communication may involve the use of Makaton signs and symbols and The Picture Exchange Communication System (P.E.C.S.)
  

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  Encourage an enjoyment of reading.
  

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  Develop a knowledge and understanding of Mathematical concepts and operations.
  

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  Encourage scientific curiosity and organise observational studies, particularly through the local environment.
  

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  Awaken an awareness of our heritage through history, geography and religious education.
  

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  Teach skills in handwriting, handicrafts and other creative arts.
  

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  Provide an enjoyment of physical activities, drama and mime and to teach basic recreational and team game skills.
  

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  Organise and deliver the National Curriculum as appropriate with modifications where appropriate to meet the needs and abilities of each pupil.
  

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  Encourage children to develop independence and self-help skills.
  

So that these aims may be fulfilled Ashgrove School has established an environment within which teaching and support staff, specialist speech and language therapists, advisory colleagues, medical officers, psychologists, parents and governors can work together to promote the interests of each individual pupil.

The curriculum includes the National Curriculum and religious education. It is the responsibility of the governing body and all staff to ensure that this is secured and delivered within the distinctive nature of this all age special school.
The National Curriculum forms the basis for the school’s planning and the teaching and learning which occurs in all subjects. Where it is appropriate, taking into account the special needs of the pupils, the school ensures that pupils receive their full entitlement to the National Curriculum.
The curriculum also includes the full network of experiences on which individuals draw within the educational environment. It includes planned and structured learning programmes as well as collective worship and the incidental experiences which occur as part of the daily life and routine of the school. In addition to this are the attitudes and values known as the “hidden curriculum” which pupils learn from both adults and peers and which are fundamental to their learning and development.
It is acknowledged that the curriculum encompasses all these elements in order to offer pupils an education for life in which all pupils are enabled to reach his/her full potential. The school also endeavours to accommodate within the delivery of the curriculum the special needs of the pupils in its care.
For our pupils we recognise that autism is a developmental disorder consisting of a triad of impairments:

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  a communication impairment
  
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  a social impairment
  
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  a rigidity and inflexibility
  

We also accommodate the particular style of pupils with autism acknowledging:

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  the effects on learning of extreme delay in attention switching
  

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  the way in which difficulties in understanding spoken language arise
  

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  the fundamental nature of communication problems in autism
  

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  the apparent lack of “common sense” which may appear in autism
  

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  the difference in the way in which the children use memory
  

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  the problems experienced by children with autism in intentionality
  

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  the different sources of stress and anxiety experienced by pupils with autism
  

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  the need to balance within the curriculum the practice and consolidation of skills against the danger of activities becoming compulsive, thus failing to extend the pupils
  

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  the need to use positive behaviour management strategies and to organise the curriculum delivery so that pupils with autism are given the opportunity to learn new skills, followed by the opportunity to rehearse old ones.
  

Curricular organisation and delivery varies from class to class. Underpinning the delivery of the curriculum in all areas however is the use of the TEACCH philosophy. There is therefore a high emphasis on individual programmes but opportunities for group and whole class working are not ignored.

We aim to ensure continuity and progression across the curriculum and this is achieved using a variety of methods. All teachers are involved in planning and teaching the curriculum. An overall scheme of work for each subject is developed by the subject co-ordinator in collaboration with the class teacher. Weekly staff meetings are held to discuss aspects of the curriculum and ensure consistency of approach and standards.
Complaints Procedure (Curricular and Worship)

The 1988 Education Act requires that schools establish a complaints procedure for parents on matters relating to the National Curriculum and collective worship. A copy of the complaints procedure is available at the school. Complaints under the procedure are concerned only with the actions of the governing body.

TEACCH Programme

(Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children)

It is the policy of Ashgrove School to incorporate elements of the TEACCH programme into the curriculum. The individual needs of the child will dictate which elements of the programme will be used with that child.

All teaching and support staff working with children with autism undergo training in the TEACCH system and parents are invited to visit school to learn more about the programme.
The primary aim of the TEACCH programme is to help to prepare people with autism to live or work more effectively at home, at school and in the community. Special emphasis is placed on helping people with autism and their families live together more effectively by reducing or removing “autistic behaviours”. The principles and concepts guiding the TEACCH system have been summarised as:

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  Improved adaptation: through the two strategies of improving skills by means of education and of modifying the environment to accommodate deficits;
  

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  Parent collaboration: parents work with professionals as co-therapists for their children so that techniques can be continued at home;
  

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  Assessment for individualised treatment: unique educational programmes are designed for all individuals on the basis of regular assessments of abilities;
  

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  Structured teaching: it has been found that children with autism benefit more from a structured educational environment than from free approaches;
  

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  Skill enhancement: assessment identifies “emerging” skills and work, then focuses upon these (this approach is also applied to staff and parent training);
  

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  Cognitive and behaviour therapy: educational procedures are guided by theories of cognition and behaviour, suggesting that difficult behaviour may result from underlying problems in perception and understanding;
  

Positive Behaviour Management

Within Ashgrove School we use a positive behaviour management approach. The aims of this are

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  to help each child receive maximum benefit educationally and socially
  
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  to create a positive, caring atmosphere
  
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  to provide a safe, secure environment
  
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  to recognise and reward achievement and appropriate behaviour
  
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  to acknowledge individual differences and preferences
  
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  to provide support for children, staff and parents
  

Parents are very welcome to come into school to learn more about the positive behaviour management approach.

Equality of Opportunity

The governors of Ashgrove School uphold a policy of equal opportunity and reject discrimination against anyone on the grounds of race, religion, gender or ability. They are pledged to maintain this policy for all staff and pupils within the school and for anyone involved with the activities of the school.

Sex Education

Sex education is included within the personal and social education and science programme and covers the normal emotional, social and biological aspects of personal relationships. Children are taught an awareness of their own bodies, personal hygiene and are helped to behave appropriately in social situations. The school’s smaller groups and less formal atmosphere allow for informal discussion and teachers are available for individual counselling where necessary. Parents are encouraged to visit school to discuss matters concerning their child’s sex education programme.

Religious Education

Ashgrove School has no affiliation with a particular religious denomination and the programme of study follows that recommended by the L.E.A. The ethos of the school is based on mutual trust and respect for others and the establishment of positive attitudes plays an important part in school life. Much of the work in this area is achieved by personal example in providing a trusting and caring environment.
Assemblies and religious education themes provide more formal opportunities for children to develop an awareness of and respect for the different religious and spiritual denominations in life. Parents have the right to withdraw their children from assemblies and/or R. E. lessons.
P.E. and Sports

All pupils are actively encouraged to participate in a variety of disciplines and sports such as football, netball, cricket, rounders and baseball. There is a variety of P. E. equipment, climbing frames etc. available.

Bullying

All children placed at Ashgrove School are entitled to an education free from humiliation, oppression and abuse. Education is a compulsory experience and it is therefore the responsibility of all staff to ensure that it takes place in an atmosphere which is caring and protective.
Parents should feel confident that when they send their children to Ashgrove they will be protected from bullies. Bullying may be defined as a wilful, conscious desire to hurt, threaten or frighten somebody physically, verbally or mentally.
The purpose of an anti-bullying policy is to ensure that:

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  Pupils clearly understand what constitutes bullying.
  
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  Pupils understand that any form of bullying will not be tolerated by the headteacher, staff and governors.
  
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  Parents feel confident that bullying will be firmly dealt with by the school.
  
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  A non-violent ethos is promoted in school.
  
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  Staff awareness to the presence of bullying is raised.
  

Guidelines:

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  All pupils are made aware that instances of bullying will be considered as serious breaches of the school rules.
  
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  All pupils receive, as part of their training in social education, instruction and information regarding the unacceptable nature of bullying on the premise that prevention is better than cure.
  
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  All pupils are encouraged to understand that failure to notify staff of incidents of bullying is to both condone and encourage it.
  
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  All staff are issued with information regarding the school’s policy on the identification of bullying and recommended strategies for countering it. A copy of the schools anti bullying is available on request from the school office.
  

Charging Policy

School supports and actively encourages all activities and visits which broaden and enrich the curriculum and school life. No charge may be made for participation in trips and visits undertaken in school time (or outside school time if in pursuit of the National Curriculum, a prescribed examination syllabus or statutory duties relating to R.E.), but the school may ask for voluntary contributions towards the cost of entry etc.

Inability or refusal to make such a contribution will NOT preclude a pupil from participation but where the activity cannot take place without sufficient voluntary contributions this will be made clear in the letter.
In all other cases of out of school activities other than those mentioned in the first paragraph there will be a charge and parents will always be given details of the charges in advance. All out of county trips and visits involving a voluntary contribution will require written parental consent.

Parents Meetings

It is important that parents are kept fully informed of the progress of their child through the school. Parents evenings are held for all pupils at least once a term. The dates for these evenings will be published at the beginning of each term and a letter will be sent to parents before the meeting takes place reminding them of the time and date of the meeting.

Parental Visits to School

The school applies an “open door” policy and parents are welcome to come into school at any time throughout the day or evening in the case of pupils in residence. The headteacher will see parents at most times, but because of his many commitments a pre-arranged appointment is advisable.

The Parents and Friends Association

The parents and friends association is a registered charity which supports the work of the school by fund raising and organising social events. Since the formation of the P.F.A. many children and parents have benefited directly from its work. In these times of economic necessity school could not flourish without this good will and practical help. A well supported P.F.A. enhances the ethos of the school and helps to contribute to a good rapport between parent, child and teacher.
It is hoped that parents will find it possible to take an active interest in the association and help wherever they can by supporting the activities arranged.
The committee meets on a regular basis and everyone is welcome to attend. An annual general meeting is held to which all parents are invited and notification of this, as with all functions, is sent home in the weekly newsletter. The committee is always glad to hear from parents who would be willing to assist in their work. The committee can be contacted via school.
Newsletter

A weekly newsletter is sent home with pupils each Friday. This contains details of the work the children have been doing in school that week, notices of forthcoming events and in service training days.

Smoking

Ashgrove School has a no smoking policy and smoking is not allowed anywhere on the school premises.

Speech and Language Therapy in Ashgrove School
The speech and language therapists work within the class collaboratively with the teacher and other support staff. This model of service delivery is based on research into best practice with children with autism and is suited to the way that they think and learn. It enables all people working with the child to work on agreed communication targets at the most appropriate times of day in the most naturalistic and meaningful settings.
The speech and language therapist will:

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  liaise with any previous speech and language therapists that the child has seen.
  
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  assess the child’s abilities and needs on entry to the school.
  
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  set termly targets jointly with the classteacher to work on social interaction, social communication and social imagination/flexible thinking skills.
  
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  advise and train staff on how to work on the targets throughout the school day to aid generalisation.
  
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  monitor and review progress.
  
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  contribute to the annual review process.
  
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  liaise with, inform and advise parents about their child’s progress.
  

The Speech and Language Therapy Team at Ashgrove currently consists of three specialist therapists with a total of 21 sessions per week within the school. They are:

Mrs. Julie Mullis, Dip CST, Cert RCSLT, MA(Autism)

Clinical Lead Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (ASD)

Julie qualified as a speech and language therapist in 1984. She has worked as a specialist with children with autism since 1998, having previously worked as a specialist with children with specific speech and language disorders. She has 5 sessions allocated to Ashgrove and is generally in the school every afternoon. She also works as part of the Cardiff & Vale Autism Diagnostic Team, visits children with autism at home and in mainstream schools, is a founder member of the Cardiff and Vale NAS EarlyBird Parent Programme team, and is a Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists adviser on autism.
Miss Lynette Hutchings, BSc(Hons) Human Communication(SLT), Cert RCSLT

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (ASD)

Lynette qualified as a speech and language therapist in 2001. She started to work as a specialist with children with ASD in Nov’03, having previously worked in community clinics with children with a variety of communication difficulties. She works full-time in Ashgrove.
Mrs. Jane Hanna. BSc(Hons) Speech & Language Therapy, Cert RCSLT

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (ASD)

Jane qualified as a speech and language therapist in 1998. She started work as a specialist with children with ASD in Nov’04 and has previously worked with children with Asperger’s Syndrome in mainstream school, children with ASD in units, and with children with other communication difficulties. She has 6 sessions per week allocated to Ashgrove School and 4 sessions to The Hollies School (ASD Department).
All therapists can be contacted on [phone]

Julie Mullis (Apr. 2005)

C
We have a statutory duty under the Children Act 1989 and the Education Act 2002 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

hild Protection Policy Statement
“We at Ashgrove School are committed to practice which protects children from harm. Staff and volunteers in this organisation accept and recognise our responsibilities to develop awareness of the issues which cause children harm”

“We will endeavour to safeguard children by:

• 
  Adopting child protection guidelines through procedures and a code of conduct for staff and volunteers
  

• 
  Sharing information about child protection and good practice with children, parents and carers, staff and volunteers
  

• 
  Sharing information about concerns with agencies who need to know, making a referral to Children’s Services where necessary, and involving parents and children appropriately
  

• 
  Following carefully the procedures for recruitment and selection of staff and volunteers
  

• 
  Providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support and training.
  

We are also committed to reviewing our policy and good practice at regular intervals”.

The member of staff responsible for child protection is Mr H. G. Roberts
Health and Pastoral Care
The school has policies covering the health and welfare and pastoral care of all pupils and these are obtained from school on request.
Useful Addresses & Telephone Numbers
Care Standards Inspectorate For Wales

Vale and Valley Regional Office

Unit 4/5 Charwood Court

Heol Billingsley

Parc Nantgarw

Nantgarw

CF15 7QZ
Tel: [phone]
Vale of Glamorgan Finance Department

Civic Offices

Holton Road

Barry

CF63 4RU
Tel: [phone]
Cardiff Education Department

County Hall

Atlantic Wharf

Cardiff

CF10 4UW
Tel: [phone]
Newport Education Department

Civic Centre

Newport

South Wales

NP20 4UR
Tel: [phone]
Vale Social Services

Haydock House

Holton Road

Barry
Tel: [phone]

Cardiff Social Services

County Hall

Atlantic Wharf

Cardiff

CF10 4UW
Tel: [phone]
Newport Social Services

Civic Centre

Newport

NP20 4UR
Tel: [phone]

Speech & Language Therapy for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders - Information for Parents
Autism is a Pervasive Developmental Disorder. This means that it affects all aspects of the child’s functioning including communication, socialisation, behaviour and learning, not just speech and language. Intervention for communication difficulties cannot, therefore, be addressed in isolation.
Children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) have difficulties with communication, social interaction and the ability to think flexibly and imaginatively. Speech and language therapists can help children develop skills in these areas by:
- carrying out an assessment of the child’s abilities and needs. This will consist of gathering information regarding any previous assessments or treatment, observing the child, discussion with the classteacher and parents, and formal and informal assessments as appropriate.

- liaising with the classteacher and parents in setting short term targets.

- advising teaching staff and parents on how to achieve the targets.

- monitoring progress on a regular basis and updating targets as necessary.

- providing written reports, for example, for the annual review.
The way that speech and language therapists work with children with ASD is based on research into best practice over the last twenty years. It takes into account the learning styles of children with ASD and their particular difficulties with generalisation. Work on developing communication skills needs to be part of the daily life and curriculum of each child and not a separate ‘activity’ (Peeters, 1997). This is relevant for all children with ASD across the spectrum, i.e. those who present as ‘high functioning’ as well as those with accompanying learning difficulties, verbal and non-verbal children.
It has been shown that children with ASD learn best in environments in which they are familiar and with people with whom they are familiar. The most effective way of developing the communication skills of children with ASD is to ensure that targets are worked on throughout the day within the home or classroom setting and wherever else the child is during the day, e.g. playground, dining hall, school trips, etc (Schopler & Mesibov, 1985). Targets are most successfully achieved when they are meaningful to the child and are associated with activities that are part of the child’s regular routines. Targets should be worked on at times that are appropriate to the task, e.g. requesting at snack-time, learning concepts in science, etc. Work in one-to-one individual sessions in a separate ‘therapy’ room will not be generalised into functional settings.
As well as taking into account the appropriate teaching environments it has also been shown that children with ASD learn most effectively with the people with whom they are most familiar and with whom they come into contact on a regular basis, i.e. the teaching and support staff, parents and carers. These people are in the best position to capitalise on the times when each child is most receptive to working on particular tasks rather than working on specific skills at set times only. It is recognised that these key people will require support, advice and training in order to be confident in working on communication skills with these children and this will be provided by the speech and language therapist.

This model of service delivery is sometimes referred to as ‘consultative’. It does not mean that the speech and language therapist will never have direct contact with children. Direct contact may be needed in order to assess children, to demonstrate how teaching staff or parents can work on particular targets, or to monitor and assess progress, but it is not effective for regular therapy/teaching to be delivered by a therapist.

The ‘consultative’ model of therapy, therefore, ensures that everyone that comes into contact with a child is delivering therapy to that child in a meaningful way throughout the day.
This method of working with children with ASD is encouraged and supported by the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists (1996). It is also advocated by the government health and education departments:

“There is an emphasis on the interventions adopting the indirect model where the SLT shares their knowledge and findings with staff who work with the child rather than concentrating on individual one-to-one therapy” (DfES & DoH, 2002).

“Most early years staff, working with children with ASDs, should be working alongside a speech and language therapist (SLT) with expertise in ASDs. Their role is to help early years staff make the appropriate assessments and plan and monitor the programmes put in place. There is no point in SLTs working in isolation with children with ASDs, although some parents may believe that this is what ‘speech and language therapy’ means and may press for their child to have individual time with the SLT. That can be useful, especially at the beginning, to assess the child’s understanding and formal production, but the child needs to understand about communication in real meaningful contexts, or any skill will remain an isolated ‘trick’. SLTs need to work across home and school settings to monitor the agreed programme and to maximise the child’s opportunities to learn.” (Rita Jordan, 2002)
Mrs. Julie Mullis, M.A.(Autism)

Clinical Lead Specialist Speech & Language Therapist (ASD)

RCSLT Adviser on Autism

Cardiff & Vale NHS Trust

Julie Mullis. June 2005