The Surrey County Council Special Needs Development Plan addresses the fact that the population of children and young people with ASD is growing.
Accordingly, over the past several years, Freemantles has grown to become an all-age school, providing for pupils aged 4–19 with ASD. Our new purpose-built premises are adjacent to Ruth House, which will provide extended learning programmes for our students in a residential setting.
Freemantles closely monitors developments in research into Autism, and in new teaching methods that emerge. These are evaluated and, if they are considered beneficial, incorporated into our practice to improve our delivery of an appropriate curriculum.
All school staff members are committed to the progress of our children. The Senior Management Team seek to ensure that staff are enabled to support children’s progress by arranging to provide adequate and appropriate training.
Staff receive training in:
Curriculum management
Specific curriculum areas
TEACCH
PECS
Intensive Interaction
ICT
Child Protection
Behaviour management and physical intervention (Positive Options)
First Aid
Research into autism
Approaches and interventions into autism from eminent professionals
As well as attending courses off site, all staff members attend a varied programme of in-service (INSET) training sessions arranged on designated INSET days. Where members of staff have a particular skill or strength, or wish to pursue a particular area of development, the Senior Management Team will make every effort to provide training for them.
