This month marks 10 years since Springfield Primary School officially opened its Enhanced Resource Facility building with ribbon cutting by the President of the National Autistic Society, Jane Asher.
The plan was for the facility, which provides specialist provision in small classes for children with special education needs or disabilities (SEND), the majority of whom have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Condition, to grow slowly, to a point where it would have up to 12 pupils after four years.
But during the decade it opened there was a 787% increase in the number of people being diagnosed with autism. The National Autistic Society now estimates one in every 100 children in the UK has autism.
So, what has the reality of 10 years of running an ERF been and how is it continuing to support children in their learning?
As we mark Autistic Pride Day on June 18, Kirstie Large, assistant head teacher and ERF Lead Teacher at Springfield Primary School, reflects on the changes…
“The purpose of our ERF is to provide enhanced provision and support and provide a calmer, quieter environment for children with significant communication and interaction needs, for whom a full-time mainstream placement is not suitable.
“All our children in the facility have an EHCP – a legal document which describes a child or young person’s aged up to 25 special educational needs, the support they need, and the outcomes they would like to achieve. Most have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis.
“Placements are allocated by Derby City Council as the local authority and the original plan was to have to have up to 12 children and a small, dedicated staff team, comprising a Lead Teacher, a Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) and a small number of Teaching Assistants.
“The ERF was meant to grow gradually over the four years after opening, with three new pupils to be admitted each year, up to the total of 12.
“However, by the September when we opened to children, we already had seven pupils and reached 11 children by January 2015. It was already clear in that first year that the level of need in the city greatly outstripped our capacity.
“We grew gradually over the next few years with our commissioned number of places being increased to 30 for September 2019.
“We adapted the ERF classrooms to be suitable for eight children each and also took over a classroom within the mainstream part of the school in order to be able to accommodate that many children. We also extended our playground by taking in some of the school field – which we recently had astro-turfed to make it suitable for play in all weathers and seasons.
“When the new school year starts in September 2024, we have 35 places commissioned by Derby City and we have 39 pupils on roll – that’s a 400 per cent increase in the past 10 years.
“We are now in a situation where we can’t possibly grow any more as all spaces throughout the whole school are fully in use.
“To accommodate the increase, we have had to grow our team, in fact our staff team is much bigger than it was when we opened. We have a team of eight TAs/apprentice TAs, five HLTAS and four teachers – one of whom is me, the ERF Lead Teacher/Assistant Headteacher and another is the recently appointed Deputy ERF Lead.
“Throughout the changes, it has always been really important to us that the facility is an integral part of our school, rather than something separate.
“That’s why children in our ERF classes have full access to the mainstream curriculum and opportunities but these are adapted to meet their specific needs and delivered at a level appropriate to each child’s stage of development, rather than their age.
“In last year’s Ofsted’s report, which found the school to be Good, inspectors stated the curriculum in the enhanced resource facility “is ambitious and tailored to the pupils’ needs”.
“We also have additional curriculum enhancements that are designed to meet the specific needs of the children in the ERF. These include community visits when the children go out into the community in small groups to practice social skills and life skills, such as road safety, visiting shops and visiting a cafe and park.
“We run swimming sessions at the Sensory Pool in Spondon, Aquathlete. As children get older, they can access swimming lessons run at the main pool at Moorways Sports Village and Water Park, alongside the mainstream children.
“For the last two years we’ve also run a Residential trip for Year 6 children in the ERF at an activity centre near Lichfield, where the children have tried climbing and zipwire and had a campfire!
“The change in 10 years has been huge. From seven to 39 children, two teachers and a handful of teaching assistants to a team of 17 staff. But, throughout those changes, we have remained committed to ensuring we stay true to the ambitions of the facility – to provide calm spaces with dedicated staff and a tailored curriculum for pupils to learn as part of the main school. We are proud we have been recognised by Ofsted as achieving this.
“Opening our ERF is the best thing we ever did as a school, and having the ERF onsite brings benefits to every child in the school, not just those in the ERF.
“Given all of the developments that have taken place within the facility during the past 10 years, it’s exciting to envisage what the next 10 might hold in store for the provision.”
