Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) and SEN Units Policy 2025

Presenting needs of the child

This ARP is designed to support children with the following presenting needs:

• may need some supervision for mobility and safe movement around school
• may need support for learning, recording and communicating 
• must be willing to communicate and interact (not necessarily verbally)
• there is evidence from professionals, such as STARS, that the young person will benefit from access to a mainstream environment and curriculum, alongside typically developing peers, given appropriate support
• the ability of the young person lies within the broad average range.  (The young person is able to access a broadly age-appropriate curriculum with suitable differentiation that is not young people whose abilities are significantly below their peers and who may need an alternative developmentally appropriate curriculum)
• the young person is able to access mainstream inclusion with an appropriate peer group

Specification of provision 

It is expected that the Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment (HI and VI) ARP will offer the following special educational needs provision to every child:

• staff trained in teaching children with hearing and vision difficulties or multi sensory impairment, including a Teacher of the Deaf or Teacher of the Visually Impaired to provide advice on curriculum access and communication
• ongoing training for staff both in the ARP and mainstream school in relation to HI and VI needs 
• opportunities for individualised learning away from the main classroom when appropriate.
• access to speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy according to individual needs (to be determined by Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)) 
• access to alternative and, or augmentative means of communication and recording, where appropriate
• an environment which minimises background noise and ensures good lighting
• seating at the front of the classroom
• extended transition to Post 16 should be planned at the notification of the placement
• for children who use sign or British Sign Language (BSL), appropriately trained staff (level 2 minimum) should be available at all times to aid communication
• modified resources with visual aids or braille text in line with advice from suitably trained professionals 
• use of tactile diagrams, audio versions of texts and screen readers
• consistent classroom layouts and minimal clutter
• access to an appropriate curriculum framework for children with HI and VI needs

Staffing

Staffing should include:

• one Teaching Assistant 
• one Qualified Teacher of Deaf
• one Qualified Teacher of Visually Impaired