At Richard Challoner School, we are dedicated to supporting our learners with a range of needs.  One arrangement in place is our Enhanced Specialist Teaching Arrangement (ESTA) for students with a main presenting need of Autism.  The aim of the ESTA is to ensure that students with a diagnosis of ASD are fully integrated to life in a mainstream school.  The arrangement works to foster a culture of high quality inclusion throughout the school and allows the students, attached to the ESTA, to have equal access to a broad and balanced curriculum that is relevant and differentiated to meet both the academic and Autism specific needs of each child. 

 

The ESTA exists to provide a wrap around environment that supports learning and wellbeing.  The arrangement enables pupils to be fully included in a mainstream setting and to progress in their learning, speech, language and communication and social skills and to reduce any anxieties and inappropriate behaviour.  

 

The purpose of the ESTA is to offer high quality teaching, through a mainstream placement, with access to specialist intervention from specialist staff and in-class support to access educational and social opportunities.  As such, students attend all of their lessons in a mainstream setting, with no small group teaching thus allowing the student to remain with the subject teacher/expert in that field.

 

The ESTA is for students in years 7 – 11, with an EHCP and a main presenting need of ASD.