Changes from September 2014 to AS Team working practice.

Please note that there will some alterations to the way that the Autism Spectrum Team will work with schools from September 2014.

There will be no changes to the offer that we make to secondary schools.

Early Years referrals will be referred to specialist teachers, Sarah Gates and Mo Collins. Referrals are made by colleagues in Health who share information about diagnoses with us where families agree to this. Sarah and Mo will ask you to complete a short information sheet which you will bring to an Early Years forum. You will receive training for staff in your setting through this initial group meeting and places will be reserved on the Core Training (see below) for staff in your setting. You are welcome to nominate additional members of staff to attend later Core Training days should you wish to take advantage of this free training. You may also be offered places on the Managing Feelings course should this be appropriate to your setting.

Where additional support for settings is required, following discussions with the specialist teachers, you can request this by using our existing re-referral form.

Referrals for children in primary settings will continue to be allocated to specialist teachers on a monthly basis. Referrals are made by colleagues in Health who share information about diagnoses with us where families agree to this. The teacher will make an initial visit to school to observe individual children and will also meet with the SENCo and other relevant staff. The specialist teacher will leave you with some preliminary advice. You will follow this up at a drop-in appointment with a specialist teacher in one of the Hub schools. This will be made with the teacher during the initial visit. You will be offered places on the Core Training (see below) for staff in school. Additional staff may attend the training if you wish and you may be offered places on the Managing Feelings course.

Where additional support is required by a school after this process has been implemented, you will be able to make a referral to the team for additional support. This can be done on our re-referral form.

Drop- in sessions in our Autism Hub Schools

As you'll know, we now have a small number of schools who have developed their expertise by undertaking the Elkan Communication Friendly Status Accreditation. These schools have, very generously, hosted our drop-in sessions over the last year where we have explored a wide range of issues that you've brought to us.

We are altering the way that the drop-ins work this year. From September we will be running an appointment system in most of the drop-ins. Teachers from the AS Team will make these appointments with colleagues following their visits into schools. Some Hubs will still be able to host an informal drop-in system but this will not always be the case so please read the following information about each Hub school carefully:

Denholme Primary. Denholme have agreed to use their drop-in sessions to enable staff in Bradford schools to learn more about the specialist approaches that they employ when working with children in the DSP. Their drop-in sessions will enable you to see what they do and how they do it. If you want to take advantage of their expertise, please book a place directly with the school or by emailing (Please note that these sessions will replace other informal tours round the DSP made by professionals)

Crossflatts Primary is our newest DSP. The drop-in sessions will continue to run as an informal coffee and chat session where you will be able to talk about all things autism. We will also offer formal appointments which we will organise as a follow on from our visits to school to assess how well things are going.

All Saints (Ilkley) continues to be one of very special mainstream schools who have extended their specialist skills, led by Lisa King, to incorporate SCERTS into planning for some children. We are happy to be able to announce that Debbie Marshall (Speech and Language Therapist) will be attending many of the sessions. This means that you will have an amazing resource at your fingertips. Formal appointments will be organised for you to catch up with the specialist teachers from the AS Team.

Knowleswood has been one of our busiest drop-ins. We hope to continue to offer you a chance to drop in informally for coffee and autism-talk and to meet with the staff from school who have supported the sessions with amazing enthusiasm. Again there will be an appointment system for you to catch up with specialists from the AS Team.

Saltaire Primary has welcomed us with open arms over the last year and has generously shared their skills and knowledge with us during drop-in sessions. This year we hope to continue to offer to share innovatie ideas with people who would like to drop-in. We will also make appointments with some of you to ensure that we can keep up to date with how you are getting on with the plans that we've made together.

Nessfield Primary has been filled with regulars who come to share ideas and resources over the last year. SENCo Katie Walker always attends and shares her wisdom. Because of the high number of new diagnoses within the Keighley area we have had to make the decision to make this an appointment only drop-in until further notice. Regular 'hubbers' please keep an eye on this site so that you will know when we are able to offer additional chatting sessions again.

There have been staffing changes at the DSP at Carwood. We welcome Dawn Paton who will take the role of the Lead Teacher in the DSP from September. We are going to give Dawn some time to settle into the role. We'll let you know when she is able to offer drop-in sessions again. Watch this space.

We very pleased to be able to welcome Lapage Primary to the Team. Andrea Gray is, as I'm sure those of you who meet her will notice, a real mover and shaker. Andrea has, with All Saints, developed specialist knowledge of SCERTS within her school and she is generously sharing her knowledge with colleagues in the city. Andrea has organised for the drop-in to take place in BD3 where specialist colleagues from Delius will be able to join us. For those who have appointments we've got a quiet area to talk with colleagues from the AS Team. There will also be the opportunity for informal chats.

Thank you to our fabulous Hub schools for continuing to support us!

The dates for the drop-ins are as follows:

Autumn Term: 1

Centre / Date / Time
Knowleswood Primary / 16th September / 1.30 – 4.00
Denholme Primary / 16th September / 2.00 – 4.00
Nessfield Primary / 6th October / 1.30 – 4.00
Lapage Primary / 9th October / 1.30 – 4.00
Crossflatts Primary / 16th October / 1.30 – 4.00

Autumn Term 2:

Centre / Date / Time
All Saints Primary (Ilkley) / 4th November / 1.30 – 4.00
Saltaire Primary / 5th November / 1.30 – 4.00
Denholme Primary / 11th November / 2.00 – 4.00
Knolweswood Primary / 18th November / 1.30 – 4.00
Crossflatts Primary / 20th November / 1.30 – 4.00
Nessfield Primary / 24th November / 1.30 – 4.00
Saltaire Primary / 3rd December / 1.30 – 4.00
Lapage Primary / 4th December / 1.30 – 4.00

Spring Term 1:

Centre / Date / Time
All Saints Primary (Ilkley) / 13th January / 1.30 – 4.00
Nessfield Primary / 19th January / 1.30 – 4.00
Knowleswood Primary / 29th January / 1.30 – 4.00
Denholme Primary / 29th January / 2.00 – 4.00
Crossflatts Primary / 22nd January / 1.30 – 4.00
Lapage Primary / 29th January / 1.30 – 4.00
Saltaire Primary / 4th February / 1.30 – 4.00

Spring Term 2:

Centre / Date / Time
All Saints Primary (Ilkley) / 24th February / 1.30 – 4.00
Knowleswood Primary / 10th March / 1.30 – 4.00
Crossflatts Primary / 12th March / 1.30 – 4.00
Lapage Primary / 12th March / 1.30 – 4.00
Nessfield Primary / 16th March / 1.30 – 4.00
Denholme Primary / 17th March / 2.00 – 4.00
Saltaire Primary / 18th March / 1.30 – 4.00

Summer Term 1:

Centre / Date / Time
Crossflatts Primary / 23rd April / 1.30 – 4.00
All Saints Primary (Ilkley) / 28th April / 1.30 – 4.00
Denholme Primary / 28th April / 2.00 – 4.00
Saltaire Primary / 29th April / 1.30 – 4.00
Lapage Primary / 30th April / 1.30 – 4.00
Nessfield Primary / 11th May / 1.30 – 4.00
Knowleswood Primary / 12th May / 1.30 – 4.00

Summer Term 2:

Centre / Date / Time
All Saints Primary (Ilkley) / 9th June / 1.30 – 4.00
Saltaire Primary / 10th June / 1.30 – 4.00
Crossflatts Primary / 11th June / 1.30 – 4.00
Denholme Primary / 16th June / 2.00 – 4.00
Lapage Primary / 18th June / 1.30 – 4.00
Nessfield Primary / 29th June / 1.30 – 4.00
Knowleswood Primary / 7th July / 1.30 – 4.00

Training Programme

We will be offering the following free training programmes this year. The programmes are open to anyone who is interested and we will also book places for colleagues as we work with you in your settings. Priority places

will be given to people working with newly diagnosed children.

Course Title / Venue / Date / Time
Managing Feelings / Future House / 21st October / 9.30 – 3.00
Managing Feelings / Future House / 2nd February / 9.30 – 3.00
Core Training (Early Years) / Future House / 27th November / 9.30 – 3.00
Core Training Primary / Future House / 13th / 9.30 – 3.00
Core Training (Early Years) / Future House / 5th February / 9.30 – 3.00
Core Training Primary / Future House / 12th March / 9.30 – 3.00
Core Training / Future House / 7th May / 9.30 – 3.00
Core Training / Future House / 21st May / 9.30 – 3.00