Type of service: Day schools, Nursery and pre-schools, Schools

Fellgate Autistic Unit is a resource base at Fellgate Primary School which offers holistic education to 30 pupils, from ages 3-11 years with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Pupils are referred through a panel of professionals from within the Borough of South Tyneside. The Unit is in a self-contained building but there are close links with the mainstream pupils, including opportunities for two-way integration, in both social and academic situations. The Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication handicapped Children (TEACCH) principle forms the basis of the Unit’s philosophy, supported by both the Social Communication/ Emotional Regulation/ Transactional Support (SCERTS) framework to promote communication and a positive behaviour management approach underpinned by Team Teach advice and training. The Communication Champion is an additional member of staff who works with all pupils weekly. There are five age-banded classes within the Unit with a teacher and two Senior Educational Practitioners in each class. The curriculum is topic based but each child has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) Planning Document which sets out the individual, differentiated, long, medium and short term targets planned to meet their holistic needs and set a level of challenge for progress. Staff at the Unit do offer advice to others within the borough regarding pupils with ASD and occasionally staff come to shadow Unit staff as a means of sharing good practice.

Aimed at: Child

Specialisms: Has autism-specific elements