Above and Beyond

Mabel – our school dog

Arlesdene is very lucky to have a school dog, Mabel, a Cockapoo has been with us since she was 14 weeks old. She comes to school every day and spends most of her time in the Headteacher’s office. Mabel is very friendly and is at her happiest when she is with people. She loves children, especially when they come to visit her to bring her pictures or read her a story. Mabel sits in the garden at the end of the session to say goodbye to the parents and children. She enjoys playing in the garden while the children are at lunch, where she can run around playing with her ball. Mabel has a very close bond to all the staff and has a big impact on the well-being of staff and children.

Rainbow Groups

Rainbow 1 and 2 groups are set up for children who have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, mainly for children with communication and interaction needs, however all of our staff are now also trained in complex medical needs. We know that children can often find large, noisy rooms overwhelming, therefore our Rainbow rooms are much smaller, calmer and quieter to avoid sensory overload.  Rainbow groups consists of a maximum of 8 children at one time, with 4/5 staff. A visual timetable is followed, which allows the children to engage in activities which are suited to their current level of development and attention span. Sensory profiles are completed for all children which allows staff to understand children's sensory needs and make adaptions as necessary. Rainbow group children also benefit from their own dedicated garden space and newly developed sensory garden. 
If you wish to find out more about our Rainbow Groups, please arrange to speak to the Headteacher or the school’s SENCo.

Sensory Spaces

We have small sensory rooms/spaces, situated in both our Rainbow rooms and and a dedicated outdoor sensory garden. 

Nurture

A Nurture group is a small group which is run twice weekly to support children, boost their confidence, make new friends and develop social skills. Little Acorns is a fantastic opportunity for children to participate in a learning environment which consists of 6 children and 2 members of staff who are nurture trained. Children are assessed using The Boxhall Profile and set specific small targets to work on. Children are able to explore and learn from different resources and share their thoughts and feelings within the safety of the group.
If you have any questions, please arrange to speak to the Nurture staff.

Treetops time

‘Treetops’ is a quiet, additional room attached to the main Pre-school room. This space is used for smaller group times, curiosity approaches and attention bucket activities. Please speak to our Pre-school team to find out more. 

Speech & Language

We are extremely fortunate to have our own Speech & Language Therapist here at Arlesdene. The Orchid Practice sends us a Therapist who works with us, supporting children’s speech & language needs, writing reports and documents and provides training for our staff. If you would like more information please speak to the school's Headteacher or SENCo.

Wellcomm

Wellcomm is a speech and language toolkit which the school buys into. All children in Nursery are screened using the toolkit, screening comprises of a series of questions and activities which determine children’s speech and language ability. The toolkit often identifies speech and language problems before they become more serious, staff are then able to carry out activities which can support children. If necessary, the SENCo will meet with you and suggest a referral to a Speech and Language therapist where your child can receive a more comprehensive assessment and then therapy if required.