Welcome to our Cognition and Learning Resource Base.

Here you will find information for parents of pupils who have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) and are interested further details.

At Bartley Green School, we are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment where all pupils can realise their full potential. This is underpinned by our whole school core values (Respect, Reward, Resilience, Acceptance, Achievement, Aspiration).

How are pupils admitted to our Cognition and Learning Resource Base?

All pupils in our Cognition and Learning Resource Base are allocated to Bartley Green School through the Local Authority (Birmingham).

A special panel decide whether a child’s needs can be met through a placement in our RB.

This is decided by a number of different professionals, including Educational Psychologists, Pupil and School Support, as well as Community

Autism Workers, the views of parents and other agencies that may be involved (such as Occupational Therapy – for example.)

All pupils in our Resource Base receive 70% of their school time in mainstream lessons and 30% within our specialist interventions and support groups.

All pupils MUST have an EHCP to be considered for a place in our Cognition and Learning Resource Base.

Our Resource Base cognition and learning curriculum overview

Intent

The intent of our Cognition and Learning Resource Base (CLRB) for pupils at Bartley Green School with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) is to provide a supportive and inclusive learning environment that caters to the learning needs of our pupils.  Our resource base aims to facilitate learning, promote social inclusion, and enhance the overall educational experience for pupils with SEND.

Our intent for our Cognition and Learning Resource Base is to create a nurturing and inclusive education that empowers pupils with SEND to reach their full potential, with a profound and lasting impact on their education and well-being.

Implementation

1.Identification and Assessment

We identify pupils with SEND through a series of comprehensive assessment processes, considering their cognitive and learning profiles, and working with a range of professionals to provide expert opinion and guidance.

2. Our CLRB Hub provision

We offer the ‘Hub’ where pupils in the Resource Base can access a range of different interventions designed to meet their individual and small group needs.

3. Specialist Staffing

We employ qualified and experienced teaching staff and teaching assistants, including Educational Psychologists, speech and language therapists, Pupil School Support (PSS) and Community Autism Team (CAT) to support pupils with SEND to achieve their full potential. In addition, we offer a key member of staff to oversee the Resource Base who is a specialist in the delivery of Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (Mrs J. Dawson).

4. Pupil Profiles

We co-create with the child and parent ‘Pupil Profiles’ for each pupil in the CLRB. These are designed to outline the child’s specific learning and pastoral targets, as well as provide updates and important information about the child’s individual needs.

5. Curriculum adaptions

Where appropriate or necessary, we will modify our curriculum to meet the needs of our pupils with SEND, for example, through assistive technologies or multisensory approaches to enable the pupils to achieve. At Key Stage 4, this may include ASDAN or Entry Level courses.

6. Monitoring and assessment

We provide regular and ongoing assessment and progress reviews for the pupil and the parent, in order to adjust and adapt targets and interventions as necessary.

7. Parental involvement

We collaborate with parents and carers to ensure a holistic approach to supporting our pupils learning and well-being through regular communication and a ‘partnership' approach.

8. Professional Development:

We provide continuous training and professional development opportunities for all of our staff at Bartley Green School, in order to share ‘best practice’ and strengthen our expertise.

Impact

1. Improved outcomes

Pupils in our CLRB will experience improved academic and pastoral achievements, as their learning needs are met more effectively through the additional provision and interventions offered.

2. Developing social skills

Through participation in our inclusive practices, our pupils with SEND will develop stronger social skills, enabling them to develop friendships and reducing potential feelings of isolation.

3. Increased self-esteem, resilience and ability to self-regulate

We offer a supportive and personalised learning environment designed to boost pupils’ self-esteem and confidence.

4. Community inclusion

The CLRB will contribute to a more inclusive school culture, reducing any perceived stigma associated with SEND.

5. Improved transition

Pupils in our CLRB will be better prepared for transition to Bartley Green School in Year 7. At Key Stage 4, our CLRB pupils will be supported to fully consider their post-16 options, equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to successfully participate in the next stage of their careers.

6.. Positive parental involvement

Our Parents and carers will feel and be valued as a partner in their child’s education and well-being, resulting in stronger and more positive outcomes for our pupils.

7. Professional Development

Staff in the CLRB will gain valuable expertise in special education, benefitting not only our resource base pupils but the school community as a whole.

8. Bartley Green’s Reputation for inclusive approaches

Our school’s reputation for inclusivity will attract and celebrate our diverse student population, benefiting the school in variety of ways.

What do we offer our Year 7 Resource Base pupils?

We aim to ensure a smooth transition to Bartley Green Cognition and Learning Resource Base, by communicating closely with a range of stakeholders, including;

  • Primary school

  • Educational Psychologists, Pupil School Support, Community Autism Team (where appropriate.)

  • Meetings with AHT/SENDCo and parents/carers

  • Attendance at EHCP reviews for pupils in Yr 6 (Summer Term) at Primary School

  • Provide relevant staff (including teaching, pastoral and teaching assistants) with detailed information on EHCP CLRB pupils, including pupil profiles, EHCP, professionals reports.

  • ‘Welcome Afternoon’ for all parents and carers to meet the Assistant Head Teacher (SEND) and SENCO.

  • ELSA and Social Skills for pupils (where appropriate and necessary)

  • Mentoring

  • Termly and half termly review meetings with leader of Resource Base (Mrs J. Dawson)

What do we offer our Year 8 & 9 Resource Base pupils?

  • Continuation of support and target/review setting for each individual Resource Base pupil.

  • Support CLRB to develop social and emotional skills, helping develop self-esteem, resilience and communication skills (in development of the skills learnt in Year 7).

  • Ongoing specialist interventions in numeracy, literacy, phonics, Speech and Language, and social/friendship skills (ELSA)

What do we offer our Year 10 and 11 Resource Base pupils?

Preparation for post 16 including

  • Specialist careers advice from external agencies

  • College visits

  • Preparation for college application and preference forms

  • Careers interviews (supported by TAs – where appropriate)

Frequently asked questions about Bartley Green School Cognition and Learning Resource Base.

Q1. What is Cognition and Learning?

Within the code of practice, cognition and learning is defined as follows:

Paragraph 6.30

‘Support for learning difficulties may be required when children and young people learn at a slower pace than their peers, even with appropriate differentiation.  Learning difficulties cover a wide range of needs, including moderate learning difficulties (MLD), severe learning difficulties (SLD),where children are likely to need support in all areas of the curriculum and associated difficulties with mobility and communication, through to profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), where children are likely to have severe and complex learning difficulties as well as a physical disability or sensory impairment.’

Paragraph 6.31

‘Specific learning difficulties (SpLD) affect one or more specific aspects of learning. This encompasses a range of conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia.’

Cognition and learning needs may encompass most of the curriculum, such as for pupils with MLD or SLD.  However, cognition and learning needs may only impact on specific areas such as reading, writing, spelling and mental calculations. Cognition and learning needs generally account for difficulties in curriculum-related areas such as;

  • reading, writing and spelling

  • numerosity 

  • comprehension

  • processing difficulties such as sequencing, inference, coherence and elaboration

  • working memory

  • short term verbal memory 

  • other types of executive function difficulties