Chiltern Class is our specialist autism provision, which opened in January 1999. The
ASC provision sits in a specialist, purpose-built unit within the mainstream school.
This building is designed to cater for our pupils whilst protecting the small and
nurturing feel of the unit through its carefully thought-out design.

The provision caters for up to 12 pupils between Years 5 and 8 and is staffed by a fully
qualified and highly experienced Provision Lead Teacher, an HLTA and a high
number of teaching assistants. The staff have a vast array of experience and
qualifications and are excellent at meeting the needs of our children with autistic
spectrum conditions, alongside often associated diagnoses.

To gain entry, all pupils must have an EHCP that clearly identifies autism as their
primary area of need or be on the health pathway to an autistic diagnosis. All pupils
are assessed for their suitability for the provision against agreed criteria by Central
Bedfordshire Local Authority. After consultation with us, pupils selected by the local
authority to attend are those who would have difficulty accessing a mainstream class
but have the potential to do so for at least some of the school day if they have a secure
base and sufficient structure and support in place to facilitate this.

The provision provides a calm, safe and nurturing environment where our children are
based, going out to mainstream lessons according to their needs. Chiltern prides
itself on an expectation that all children can access a growing amount of
mainstream lessons on entry in Year 5, and this amount of mainstream attendance is
expected to increase as they progress through the school. We prioritise mainstream
attendance in the core subjects wherever possible. Children start and end their day
with us, returning between lessons and being based here at break and lunchtime.

We offer a highly individualised approach. Individual timetables are adapted,
negotiated, developed and grown over time to meet each child’s needs, both social
and academic, ensuring a balance of access to mainstream learning with support
within the provision to develop other holistic areas of need. We place a strong focus
on supporting and developing the children’s ability to manage their emotions,
regulation, social skills and well-being. To further support this, we aim to access the
community for a variety of purposes on a regular basis.

We are very much an inclusive part of Arnold Academy, following school and trust
policies to create a consistent approach for our pupils. Pupils who join Chiltern Class
are expected, over their four years with us, to work towards attending most of their
subjects in mainstream lessons, being able to attend mainstream for at least some of
the time on entry. Staff work with pupils throughout the four years to assist them
in increasing their organisation and independence skills and to support them in
participating in as much of whole school life as possible, both academic and social.

Pupils are encouraged to join clubs, socialise with pupils outside of the provision,
participate in special events such as trips, discos, sports day and charity fundraising
events, and are highly supported to do so. Chiltern Class is always represented as
part of the school’s pupil council.

All pupils follow the National Curriculum programmes of study for both core and
foundation subjects.

For your child to be considered for entry to Chiltern Class, they should be able to:

1. Access the curriculum at an age-appropriate level or within normal class levels of
   differentiation.

2. Integrate successfully into mainstream classes within their year group for at least
   some of the school day.

3. Have mostly age appropriate language development.

Chiltern Class is not a classroom for full-time teaching or a place where children are
based full-time. Small group work and individual teaching within the provision are
seen as a means of developing the social, emotional and work skills needed to enable
successful integration into mainstream.