Mainstream Autism Base (MAB)

Waseley Hills High School benefits from a purpose-designed Mainstream Autism Base (MAB), that provides a safe, predictable and desirable environment with specialist support for autistic young people.

The MAB has capacity for up to ten pupils. Places are allocated in accordance with the Worcestershire County Council Admissions Policy and any enquiries should be directed through Worcestershire SEND Services.

Our primary goals as a MAB are:

· To support our pupils in accessing mainstream education and reaching their full academic potential. This includes, where appropriate, a tailored Preparing for Adulthood curriculum and access to Functional Skills courses, to ensure that our pupils gain qualifications that will benefit them when they move on from Waseley.

· To develop our pupils’ social and emotional communication skills in contextual settings that they will be able to transfer to wider areas of life.

· To foster positive relationships and provide social opportunities in a safe environment.

· To provide opportunities for our pupils to learn and practise key life skills, so that they may live as independently as possible in the future.

· To ensure that our pupils understand what being autistic means for their personal identity, including developing their self-esteem and confidence, and learning self-regulation skills that enable our pupils to have as regulated a day at school as possible – we understand that this, in turn, helps pupils to stay regulated at home.

· To support our pupils’ sensory and physical needs and to empower our pupils with strategies to support their own social, emotional and mental health and their day-to-day well-being.

· To encourage our pupils to reach their full potential and make a positive contribution in their school and communities, and, ultimately live healthy happy and fulfilled lives.

Our MAB is an open-plan, autism-friendly environment with designated spaces:

· Our MAB Learning Room has full teaching facilities for small group and 1:1 work, including desktop PCs, a groupwork table and individual desks, a whiteboard and projector.

· Our MAB Common Room is a spacious area with a fully equipped kitchenette, ample tables and seating for activities such as craft and games, personal ‘workstations’ for pupils to make their own, and many other smaller facilities such as individual pegs and lockers.

· Both our Learning Room and our Common Room are fully equipped with extensive learning and leisure resources and equipment.

· Our Chillout Room is a calming, low arousal space that can be used by pupils to regulate their energy and sensory input levels. It includes a range of sensory resources and equipment. 

Staff

The MAB is led by Mrs Coalter, a qualified teacher and autism-experienced staff member. Mrs Coalter is supported by Mrs Preston, a higher-level teaching assistant and qualified Level 3 Lead Practitioner in Autism and Mrs Court, Level 3 SEN teaching assistant.

The MAB is an integral part of the wider SEND department and as such benefits from the support of the whole SEND team, all of which is overseen by Mrs Craciun, our SENDCO. The SEND team are trained and experienced in supporting autistic young people, and the SEND department at Waseley promotes a friendly, nurturing environment where pupils feel supported and valued. Within the wider school context, staff across the school receive regular training and CPD to promote an understanding of the challenges that autistic young people can face within a mainstream setting. The MAB team work closely with teachers across the school to ensure that staff understand pupils’ needs and the strategies that they can use to support them. 

MAB pupils are encouraged and supported to access a high percentage of their time within a mainstream timetable, which is enhanced by access to the following (dependant on each student’s EHCP):

· A tailored Preparing for Adulthood curriculum with specialist support

o For young people in Key Stage 3 this will cover Employment, Community Inclusion and Personal Development, Relationships, Health & Wellbeing

o For young people in Key Stage 4 they will achieve national recognised qualifications WJEC ‘Pathways to Employment’ qualifications at either Entry Level 3 or Level 1, dependent on their academic ability. Students

can complete either or both Preparing For Employment and/or Self Development and Wellbeing qualifications.

· For both Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 the provision is flexible and adaptable so that it can be tailored to meet their individual needs and interests.

· Functional Skills English and/or Maths can also be offered, at the appropriate level for the young person, if required. This will be determined through baseline assessments.

· Evidence-based interventions (for example, Talkabout for Teenagers) delivered in small groups or 1:1.

· An Educational Psychologist.

· A Specialist Teacher from the Autism and Complex Communication Needs team at Worcestershire Children First.

· A Speech and Language Therapist.

· A dedicated Key Worker within the Waseley MAB/SEND team, available to support any day-to-day anxieties that a MAB student may have, and to support pupils with organisational and time management skills.

· Support from the dedicted team with the Waseley MAB/SEND department, available to support any day-to-day anxieties that a MAB student may have, and to support pupils with organisational and time management skills.

 

One of our interventions is Lego Therapy; this is the display area for our creations! 

Another of our interventions is Art to Support SEMH; this is some of the work that our students have done and which they have chosen to display proudly!

The MAB Common Room is fully equipped with resources to support SEMH, a Games Cupboard and an Arts and Crafts Station.

 

This is our MAB Common Room; it is used for SEMH interventions and as a social space at break and lunchtime.

The MAB Common Room has a kitchenette and includes a microwave for students’ use. 

Welcome to our Chillout Room! This is a safe space for students to use when they need a calm, quiet place. The Chillout Room has lots of resources including a Sensory Wall, a Worry Monster, bean bags and blankets. Photos 2-7