ARMS Unit
Our ARMS (Additionally Resourced Mainstream School) provision is a big part of Bede, specialising in giving children who are neurodivergent the very best school experiences while with us. Our children come from all over the borough to be educated here while they are assessed to find the appropriate places to meet their individual needs. Sometimes they will stay with us, but they may also move on either to specialist provision or will transition back into mainstream education.
Philosophy
Currently, we have four classes covering Reception to Y6, which have typical pupil staff ratios of 1 adult to 2-3 children. Although the classes are age grouped, the highly specialised staff all work as a team between classes so that support can always be given where needed most. Working in this way promotes the development of positive relationships between adults and children and ensures that the staff know all of the children extremely well and can respond to individual need using the best approaches for the individual. Our staff also have individual strengths and in the same way, this way of working allows for these to be best used. Just like Bede’s other classes, our emphasis is always on making every effort to help the children to feel safe, secure, cared for and calm so that they are happy and ready to apply themselves to learning. Throughout Bede, we promote the feeling of belonging and of everyone being able to contribute. Bede ARMs provision is no different. All of our children deserve to feel good about themselves and we strive tirelessly to help them to thrive and achieve. We love our children, always want the best for them, and will pursue every avenue to enable them to have the best possible future; maximising their confidence with everything that they do.
Our approach is simple – everyone ‘can-do and if they can’t, then they just can’t do it…YET!
We love our children, always want the best for them and will pursue every avenue to enable them to have the best possible future; maximising their confidence with everything that they do. Children are not their diagnosis, and, just like everyone else at Bede, no two children are the same. Our setting has been well thought out and designed in such a way that we are very able to act upon this, planning for and providing learning that is tailored exactly for each child. Much of our learning is saturated in experiences and teaching follows a stage not age system to ensure that everyone can make progress and develop good foundations in basic skills. Learning is a joyful and exciting journey, and we do all we can to ensure that our children enjoy the ride!
We are delighted when children make enough progress that they can reintegrate into mainstream classes, and they feel confident towards doing so. This transition is always phased in small steps in order to make sure that the children are ready and feel confident to make the move.
Everyday integration with the mainstream school classes and events at Bede happens as often as is possible and where it is appropriate. Some children access the mainstream at lunchtimes and for playtimes; when children excel at subjects, they may also be supported to join in with the mainstream classes in those areas. Whilst we encourage this to happen, we are always conscious of how the children feel and they are never forced into being in a situation that exacerbates their anxieties.
How our Days are Structured
A typical day starts with a relaxing transition into our school environment: game playing, jigsaws, or time to talk with an adult. As many of our children are taxied into school, and arrive at different times, this helps create a calm start to the day.
We follow the children’s interests, enabling curriculum subjects to be taught via a topic-based curriculum with an emphasis on personal, social and health care activities. Socialisation and communication are vitally important for our children and are therefore a huge part of everything we do. Now and next boards and visual timetables are used regularly so that children know exactly what to expect through their days, and PECS (picture exchange communication system) is also used for those children requiring a visual support alongside verbal communication.
In order to reduce anxiety for those who need it, timetables are often negotiated and set up on an individual basis so that children feel a deeper level of control over their own learning.
Monday mornings start with dedicated Lego Therapy. After a weekend without school routine, we want to ensure that everyone quickly manages to come in and regulate their feelings, deal with any anxieties and become ready for school and learning. Lego aids their social skills and provides a gentle start to the week. On a daily basis, children learn de- escalation strategies through brain gym and then take part in weekly yoga and music sessions, also taught to help calm and ease. Together, these activities help the children to develop a tool-box of coping strategies. Staff are skilled in assessing children’s ability and providing the correct level of specialised intervention when required. We celebrate small successes and have incorporated celebration gatherings at the end of each day. Following Bede’s approach to teaching and learning, we celebrate the efforts individual children make and their own personal achievements daily rather than aiming for particular long-term goals, which can often seem unattainable .
literacy and numeracy activities and aim to take the children out on trips twice a term to allow them to experience more of the local area in a safe way. Parents and carers are also welcomed into school on a regular basis. They take part in ‘craft activities’ with their children and take the opportunity to discuss their child’s progress in a relaxed situation. We recognise that we are a partnership with families and at all times work with them and other professionals to bring about the best results for every child.
Timetable of a typical week
Trauma Informed Approach
Classrooms are designed to ensure that transitions are fluid and not scary: children have been consulted on classroom design using a trauma informed approach (where we take into consideration the impact that past traumas can have on children’s development in all areas. Within this, there are six key principles: safety, 
trustworthiness and transparency, peer support, collaboration, self-empowerment and cultural, historical and gender issues). Through this, we are confident that each child will recognise that they are in a safe space with understanding and caring adults.
In KS1 and 2, children have their very own learning area in class, which they choose, and within it they have a ‘special box’ of assorted items. These items enable them to take charge of their own emotions, identify their own stress levels and to encourage
independence in de-escalation. There are many different resources offered to the children to help them regulate independently. Their area also contains personalised learning resources to aid independent learning skills, which they will need to help them develop throughout their learning journey. It is quite amazing how well the children begin to express independence and learn to use these tools to bring about positive outcomes for themselves.
Children are always encouraged to talk about how they feel and, as they do so, they learn vocabulary that will help them vocalise their feelings outside of our environment also. We always aim for our children to know how to be the best possible versions of themselves wherever they are.
Because of our set-up, we are able to personalise everything to the child, so our rewards systems are also created for individuals so as not to add any extra pressure or worry. Stars are earned for each completed activity and are then ‘spent’ during shine time on a Friday afternoon. Shine time consists of special activities of the children’s choosing, which are fun and engaging, but the children also know that they are doing them because of how well they have done during the week. The reward system is consistently and systematically applied by all staff.
We all need places and time to relax where and when we can deal with our emotions. Bede Arms has several of these ‘calm spaces’, which children can choose to access especially when they feel dysregulated. The dedicated sensory room, Mrs Bell’s Room, is just one of these provisions, providing exactly the right kind of experience at the right time for children who may be highly sensitive or who need particular stimulation. We also have a therapy room; peanut balls, vestibular swing and a ball pool. Occupational therapists guide us in how these are best used.
Small group teaching ensures that children
always have a ‘safe’ adult to talk to when needed, to validate feelings and to ensure that they are ready to learn. Adults always stay calm and authenticate feelings. We don’t care where children learn; whether it is in the tent, under their table or on the sofa. They learn where they feel safe and secure, and that’s the environment we provide.
Classes and staffing
Class 7
This is an assessment provision for KS1 children who have struggled within a mainstream school. Here, children are assessed to see whether they need a more specialist provision in the future or whether, with our support, we can help them to get to a point where they are able to reintegrate into mainstream.
Teachers:
Felicity Dickinson
Cheryl Fenwick
Teaching assistants:
Sarah Tate
Sarah Clarke
Class 8
Class 8 is a KS2 class for children who have an EHCP for ASD. Children in this class are from year 3 to y6. They often stay with us until transition to secondary school and find the small class, individualised setting particularly conducive to their learning.
Teacher:
Claire Simpson
Teaching assistants:
Hannah Cairns
Sarah Clarke
Linda Hope
Class 9
Class 9 is a KS1 class( Y1 and 2) for children who have an EHCP where their primary need is ASD.
Teacher:
Judith Mc Connell
Teaching Assistants:
Courtney Hodkinson
Linda Scott
Class 10
Class 10 is an assessment class for children who find it challenging in their mainstream reception class. These children need a smaller class size to enable an assessment of their needs to be undertaken.
Teacher:
Charlotte Simpson
Teaching assistants:
Abbie Ridley
Joanne Walker