The Unity Centre is a 35 place Local Authority Resourced inclusive provision for students with Autism (ASD), where all students have an Educational Health Care Plan. The aim is to promote the development of students with Autism/Aspergers as both individuals and communicators, by providing a special educational service within a mainstream environment.
As a specialist provision, we aim to create a safe and happy environment for our students, while maintaining their sense of whole school inclusion. We pride ourselves on focussing on the individual needs of each student and creating opportunities for them to succeed both academically and socially.
To allow our students to overcome any barriers within the Academy and achieve their full potential we employ a range of individual and bespoke strategies:
- Specialist ASD support within mainstream curriculum lessons that allows students to access learning and fulfil their academic potential
- Differentiation of materials used for teaching and learning within lessons.
- Collaboration between support staff and teachers, enabling students to reach their full potential and enhance their learning through sharing of individual personal EHCP outcomes.
- Access to a specialist social skills curriculum, helping students with their social awareness and encouraging peer friendships that can be maintained.
- Supported social time within the Unity Centre to facilitate peer interaction and develop social skills
- Preparation for the challenges and opportunities of a complex and technologically advanced society through creative, innovative and motivating approaches to teaching and learning.
- Work closely with parents/carers and external agencies to allow students to achieve full potential.
The key to the outstanding success of the Unity Centre is working in partnership with various stakeholders. The Unity Centre has close links with primary schools, other secondary schools, local colleges and parents and carers.
Students who join us in Year 7 will have the benefit of additional transition in the months prior to leaving primary school. This helps to alleviate any anxieties relating to the transition process and allows students to form relationships with provision staff and peers.
In order to support our young people, we feel and value that the partnership between home and school is and we have close relationships with parents/carers.
Some of our tools for home-school partnership include:
- Allocated key worker each term
- Home-school liaison diary or email agreement with parents/carers
- A weekly flyer to inform of any upcoming events or changes
- Parents/carers groups that take place every half term, focusing on key academy priorities.
Our current parents value the partnership work with staff within the Unity Centre and the offer that a Unity placement brings.
Please see below some testimonials from current parents:
“My child is made to feel safe, valued and respected” Year 9 Parent
“The school has changed mine and my family’s lives, as he is just so happy and content” Year 10 Parent
“My child has already achieved more than we thought possible and I can’t wait to see what the future holds” Year 7 Parent
“The communication I get from staff is excellent and I know what is going on in school, as my child tells me very little” Year 8 Parent
We welcome visits from parents/carers who would like to see the Unity Centre in action. Visits can be arranged by contacting Mrs Scott, please see contact details below:
Mrs Samantha Scott (Assistant Headteacher – SENDCo)
Email address: scott.s@biddickacademy.com