Criteria for Admission to and Exit from Additionally Resourced Provision in Mainstream Schools for Children with Physical Disability

Provision

Additionally Resources Provision (ARP) in mainstream schools aims to support the development of children with physical disability by providing specialist provision within a mainstream school.

ARP in mainstream schools for children with physical disability supports individuals through:

• Higher than normal/enhanced staffing ratios.
• Support (eg: staff trained in Moving and Handling techniques and the use of specialist equipment).
• Individualised learning, when appropriate.
• Access to Speech and Language Therapy/Occupational Therapy/Physiotherapy according to individual needs.
• Flexible teaching arrangements.
• Access to alternative and/or augmentative means of communication and recording, where appropriate.

All of the above is with the aim to support individuals in accessing mainstream inclusion.  ARP should not be seen as a class in itself but the mechanism to supporting access to mainstream classes and inclusion with peers.

Pupils will be expected to access the mainstream curriculum.  It may be that the National Curriculum requires modification and differentiation.

An ARP placement is reviewed annually.  The appropriateness of the placement must be considered at each Annual Review of the EHCP.

Presenting Needs

If a child’s physical disability is a barrier to learning, then an ARP placement may be considered.  Placement of the child in the ARP should not result in any significant Health and Safety risks.

The child:

• May need some supervision for mobility/safe movement around school.
• May need some assistance with toileting/personal care.
• May need support for learning/recording/communicating.
• Must be willing to communicate/interact (not necessarily verbally).
• Could be educated inclusively in mainstream classes.

Entry Criteria

A child is eligible to be offered an ARP placement if they meet ALL of the following criteria.  The nearest appropriate ARP with an available place will be considered first.

1. The child has an EHCP or is currently undergoing a statutory assessment of their needs.
2. The child has (or is likely to have, if undergoing assessment) a physical disability as the primary need on their EHCP as confirmed by a multi professional assessment.
3. There is evidence from professionals that the child will benefit from access to a mainstream environment and curriculum alongside typically developing peers given appropriate support from the ARP.
4. The ability of the child lies within the broad average range.  (The child is able to access a broadly age-appropriate curriculum with suitable differentiation, ie: not children whose abilities are significantly below their peers and who may need an alternative developmentally appropriate curriculum).
5. The child is able to access mainstream inclusion with an appropriate peer group.

In exceptional cases a child, who does not fully meet the criteria, may be considered for an ARP placement.  Individual cases will be discussed by a panel and in such cases the final decision will rest with the Local Authority who will explain the basis for such a decision.

Placement in one ARP does not guarantee automatic transition to another.  The entry/exit criteria in this document will be considered at each Annual Review of the child’s EHCP.

Exit Criteria

A child will be considered for full-time mainstream provision (which may include varying levels of additional support) when:

• Their physical disability is no longer a barrier to learning.
• They no longer need support for learning/recording/communicating.
• They no longer need support for mobility/safe movement around school.
• They no longer need assistance with toileting/personal care needs.
• There is evidence from professionals across the agencies involved that the child will benefit from a mainstream placement and no longer requires the support of the ARP.

Special school or alternative provision will be considered when:

• The ARP is no longer able to meet the child’s special educational needs.
• Inclusion has been consistently limited and it has not been deemed appropriate to increase it.  This must be evidenced and well documented.
• Management of the medical/physical condition means that it is impossible to comply with Health and Safety guidelines.

Procedure for Placement

Requests for an ARP placement will be considered by the Provision Panel.

If the panel considers that the child meets the criteria for a place, an application will be made to the nearest provision to the home address with an available place.  Should parents state a preference for a place which is not at the nearest available school, parents would be responsible for the home to school transport.

The school receiving the application will respond to the Local Authority indicating if they feel that they can meet the pupil’s needs as per Schedule 27.  Schedule 27 of the Education Act 1996 requires the LA to comply with parental preference unless:

• The school is unsuitable to the child’s age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs.
• The placement would be incompatible with the efficient education of other children with whom the child would be educated.
• The placement would be incompatible with the efficient use of resources.

In consideration of a parental request for a placement the LA must consider the entry criteria.