High Grange School

High Grange School’s multi-disciplinary approach incorporates best practices and autism-friendly strategies and supports in order to meet the educational needs of students who have ASD.

Our students learn how to develop and use effective compensatory strategies to overcome difficulties in social and emotional processing, communication and flexibility in thinking and behaviour, all of which can combine to have a negative impact on their learning.

The design of the school; its environment and facilities; and the structure and delivery of our educational programmes are created to reduce the stress and anxieties often associated with an autism spectrum condition.

Our enabling teaching approach provides multiple physical and practical opportunities as well as visual supports for learning. This helps students to achieve their full potential by understanding and dealing with personal challenges while making the most of their abilities and strengths. Managing expectations realistically is a core part of our educational programme.

Individualised Learning Plans are created for all students with input from the school’s specialist therapists. These plans include strategies to enable students to manage their anxieties; to regulate their emotional responses; and to reduce or eliminate negative and inappropriate behaviours which are preventing effective learning and positive social interactions.

In the residential setting, young people have access to a wide range of physical and social environments and they are supported by skilled staff to develop and generalise concepts, attitudes, knowledge and skills.

During the school day students have access to a varied and stimulating curriculum which is complemented by enrichment and extension activities, offered during the school day as well as in the Children’s Home for residential students.

The Classes are grouped by Key Stage and students are taught in small groups of up to 6. Teachers use detailed planning to ensure each individual is enabled to achieve in all areas.

Classrooms are well-equipped and include specialist facilities for Music, Art & Design, D&T, Science, Computer Science and ICT, Food Technology and Performing Arts. High Grange has excellent PE facilities, including a swimming pool, large gymnasium, hard court areas and extensive grassed areas.

Parents and carers are kept well informed of their child’s welfare and progress through: Home – school diaries, regular telephone calls / e-mails, Review meetings, School Open Days.

 At High Grange School, the multi-disciplinary team around the young person collaborates with families and specialists from external agencies to ensure that all individual needs are met.

We also have a dedicated family liaison person, who, along with nominated key-workers, plays a pivotal role in students’ overall well-being as well as in home-school communication and liaison.

Medical oversight is provided by the school’s full-time nurse.

Residential and education staff attend twice daily hand-over meetings with senior staff and specialist therapists to exchange information on each student’s welfare.

The school has designated staff with specific responsibilities in Health and Safety, family liaison and safeguarding.

If necessary, students are also able to access support from specialist therapists, counsellors and the school’s Clinical Psychologist.

Students are able to voice concerns and to make suggestions for school improvement to senior staff through the Student Council which meets regularly.

The school has a large team of well-qualified and experienced staff, all of whom have received induction on working with students who have ASD and additional training on specialist ASD topics delivered by Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Educational Psychology.

Staff have also completed a series of training workshops on mental health issues and other conditions associated with ASD, led by the school’s Consulting Clinical Psychologist.

All Residential and Education staff have been trained in Team Teach de-escalation strategies. The school has 2 advanced Team Teach trainers on staff.

Medical oversight of students is provided by a full-time school nurse.

All Residential and Education staff are able to consult with or seek advice from these specialists, as needed.

Where required, specialist staff are registered with professional associations and licensing bodies such as The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

To meet individual needs and to facilitate access to the curriculum, students have direct access to a range of therapies, as required. These include: Speech, Language and Communication Therapy, Occupational Therapy (including Sensory Integration), Clinical Psychology support and Individual Counselling

The school has a large team of well-qualified and experienced staff, all of whom have received induction on working with students who have ASD and additional training on specialist ASD topics delivered by Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Educational Psychology.

Staff have also completed a series of training workshops on mental health issues and other conditions associated with ASD, led by the school’s Consulting Clinical Psychologist.

All Residential and Education staff have been trained in Team Teach de-escalation strategies. The school has 2 advanced Team Teach trainers on staff.

Medical oversight of students is provided by a full-time school nurse.

The school opened in June 2011 and has been purpose-built to meet the needs of children and young people who have ASD.

Classrooms are well-equipped and include specialist facilities for Music, Art & Design, D&T, Science, Computer Science and ICT, Food Technology and Performing Arts. High Grange has excellent PE facilities, including a swimming pool, large gymnasium, hard court areas and extensive grassed areas.

High Grange Children’s Home offers modern, home-style living accommodation for up to 36 young people in 6 attractively furnished, purpose-built houses situated within the school grounds. Each house offers spacious accommodation including fully equipped kitchen, dining areas, lounges and quiet rooms. Each young person will have his or her own bedroom with  en-suite facilities and ample built-in storage space.

The school site provides security in a safe and tranquil semi-rural setting. Its environment and its facilities are fully accessible in accordance with modern building regulations.

Transport is provided for day students on established routes subject to the student maintaining safe and appropriate behaviour.

 High Grange School provides a specialised environment and opportunities for students with ASD to enjoy, achieve, grow and develop the skills they need in order to live as independently as possible, make real life choices and lead enriched and happy lives.

High Grange School prides itself on its transition planning. The school has a proven track record of re-engaging students in learning and improving their school attendance. Following admission, it places special emphasis on raising students’ awareness of their emotional and behavioural responses and on developing their social and life-skills.

Through regular progress reviews, student views and aspirations are discussed and strategies and supports are developed in order to enable them to make plans for the future.

Students learn important self-advocacy skills, receive careers advice and guidance, and are supported to participate in: Vocational courses, Local College courses, Work-related Learning (in-house & external job sites), Leisure Skills programmes, Personal & Self-help skills programmes,The Duke of Edinburgh and Prince’s Trust Award schemes and The Certificate of Personal Effectiveness.

During the school day students have access to a varied and stimulating curriculum which is complemented by enrichment and extension activities, offered during the school day as well as in the Children’s Home for residential students.

The Classes are grouped by Key Stage and students are taught in small groups of up to 6. Teachers use detailed planning to ensure each individual is enabled to achieve in all areas.

Classrooms are well-equipped and include specialist facilities for Music, Art & Design, D&T, Science, Computer Science and ICT, Food Technology and Performing Arts. High Grange has excellent PE facilities, including a swimming pool, large gymnasium, hard court areas and extensive grassed areas.

We work closely with families, Local  Authorities and other agencies to arrange admissions into High Grange School. Usually, we consider all the referral information sent to us by the  Local Authority; then we would ask you to visit us to meet with the Principal and tour the school. The next stage would involve working together to plan the student’s transition into school so that the assessment process can begin.

High Grange School values close working partnerships with parents and expects a reasonable level of family commitment to supporting and maintaining its programmes and approach in order to help maximise student progression.

School reports, detailing student progress, are produced at the end of each academic year. Parents are encouraged to have input into target setting and to give their views on progress at regular review meetings with staff.