Windy Arbor ARC is one of Solihull's specialist provisions for autism. We opened in September 2018 and have space for 14 children who can access mainstream schooling with our support. Once a pupil is diagnosed with ASD and has an EHCP, the EHCP Officer will consult with us for that child. We will aim to visit the child in their current school, and if we feel we can meet their needs, we then offer the child a place (if we have one). See our ARC Policy on the school website for more details.

Vision

We recognise that every child is an individual; therefore, our approach is personalised and bespoke. We aim to support children in the ARC to develop strategies that enable them to access mainstream schooling.  For every child, the goal is to gradually integrate into their mainstream class 80% of the time. 

The Team

Mrs. Hobbs - Lead teacher and teacher of Lavender Class

Miss Field - SEN teacher and teacher of Thyme Class

Mrs Dempster - Higher Level Teaching Assistant

Miss Billingsley – Teaching Assistant

Mrs Skapars - Teaching Assistant

Mrs Daniel - Cover Teacher

Ms Edwards - SENCO and Cover Teacher

Interventions/teaching approaches

In the ARC, we offer a range of bespoke teaching strategies to support the children in their target areas of development. These include:

• Zones of Regulation intervention to support a better understanding of emotions
• The Colour Monster book is used to explore emotions with the younger children.
• Social skills interventions such as the Talkabout series
• Wellbeing interventions to reduce anxiety
• BEAM - exercises to support core strength and motor planning
• TEACCH - an approach to allow children to manage independent tasks
• Therapeutic play - activities and games to promote turn-taking and improve self-esteem
• Regulation and Mentoring - teaching children to recognise their emotions and then regulate themselves
• Sensory Circuits - to help children use their senses to regulate
• Motor Breaks - Children are given time out in the Snug Room or Sensory Room
• Soft start - Every transition into learning is supported with a soft start so that children are ready to learn