The ASD Centre at Kingsdown has now been in existence for over 8 years, with students spread across all five year groups. The last four years have seen all twelve students supported by the centre successfully gaining GCSEs along with similar qualifications such as Entry Pathways and ASDAN Personal Social Development. All students have successfully moved on to further education colleges.



The aim of the centre is to integrate students on the Autistic Spectrum into a school setting where they can access a mainstream curriculum while enriching their social skills. The centre also provides a safe and anxiety free environment for the students to access during break and lunch times. We offer trips and day activities to provide students an opportunity to develop social skills outside of a classroom context.

Students based in the centre are expected to attend 90% of lessons in mainstream with varying support depending on their needs. This support will include a mixture of academic and social skills. Normally our students are withdrawn from modern foreign languages and use this time in order to complete homework, work on social skills, understanding their autism and further skills recognised on the student's statement of educational needs.

On Wednesday afternoons a speech and language therapist leads sessions aimed at improving the students social, communication and interaction skills. Wednesdays are also used to improve fine and gross motor skills in the centre while students complete art, craft and cooking activities. This gives the students an arena to put their new found social skills into practice.

The aim of the centre is to help students gain independence, offer safe opportunities to socialise and be included in all aspects of the school life. Inclusion is paramount to the social, emotional, educational and personal development of the students.

A number of students in the ASD Centre are working on a website to offer more insight into autism and the day to day workings of the centre. This is a work in progress and will develop over the academic year :

http://www.asdcentre.org.uk/

If you require any further information regarding the ASD Centre please contact :

Mrs L Winsbury
ASD Centre Co-ordinator

Mr W Rosier
ASD Teacher