Jan 31, 2025, Wales Online: New permanent classes for pupils with autism in Merthyr Tydfil
Wales
Classes to cater for increasing numbers of pupils with autism spectrum disorder could soon be made permanent at two Merthyr Tydfil schools. A proposal going to the council’s cabinet on Wednesday, February 5, looks to formally establish the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) learning resource base (LRB) at Dowlais Primary School and a key stage three and four complex ASD learning resource base at Cyfarthfa High School.
The report said this was to cater for increasing numbers of pupils with ASD. The council proposes to establish a 10-place foundation learning resource base for pupils with autism spectrum disorder at Dowlais Primary School.
It will accommodate pupils with ALN requiring a specialist class placement and cater for pupils with a primary need of ASD. The council also proposes to establish an eight-place key stage three and four learning resource base for pupils between years seven and 11 with complex ASD at Cyfarthfa High School.
The LRB will accommodate pupils with ALN requiring a specialist class placement and cater for pupils with complex ASD. Places in both LRBs will be available to pupils across Merthyr Tydfil and will not be limited to catchment pupils alone. . .
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Pupil admission to both LRB classes will be based on an assessment of need by the council’s ALN Panel. The ethos of the LRBs is to provide specialist support to the individual pupil based on their level of need with the intention, in some instances, of reintegrating the individual back into a mainstream class where appropriate.
There are currently 11 learning resource bases (LRBs) in mainstream primary schools across the county borough, providing places for up to 118 pupils with a range of needs, and one LRB in a mainstream secondary school, providing places for up to 25 pupils with ASD needs that require more specialist provision than can be provided in mainstream. The report said that the capacity of primary-age LRB provision had increased over the last three years due to an increase in the number of pupils with needs that required a more specialist provision.
There has been a specific increase in the number of younger pupils, in foundation phase, with ALN related to ASD and this is why a pilot provision was set up in Dowlais Primary School from September 2023. Dowlais Primary School is currently a single-form entry primary school with capacity for 158 pupils of statutory school age with a pupil admission number of 22 and a nursery class able to accommodate 28 full-time equivalent pupils. . . .
But there been a specific increase in the number of pupils with complex ASD needs requiring more bespoke specialist provision, within a smaller setting and a higher staffing ratio than the existing provision can provide or accommodate and this is why a pilot provision was set up in Cyfarthfa High School from September 2023. Cyfarthfa High School currently has a capacity of 890 pupils of statutory school age and has a pupil admission number of 178.
The school had available space within the school’s overall capacity that could be used for an LRB provision, the report said. With the support of both schools suitable areas were identified to accommodate the LRB provisions within each school and arrangements were agreed to start both pilots in September 2023.
The report said that the pilots had been considered successful leading to the conclusion that the provisions were effective, correctly sited, and staffed. To make these arrangements permanent the council is required to formally consult on the establishment of both provisions.
If approved by cabinet a statutory notice detailing the proposal would be published followed by a 28-day objection period. Following this a final report will be brought to cabinet for a final decision with the idea being that they take effect from April 2025.
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