ACE Base

Information

Introduction

The ACE Base in Brediland Primary is one of two bases in Renfrewshire providing support for primary aged pupils with social, emotional and behavioural needs.

The ACE Base supports children from Primary 3 to Primary 7 from schools across Renfrewshire. Children usually attend on a part time basis and spend the rest of their week in their mainstream school. Some children are also supported in their mainstream school only through our Outreach service, provided by the Key Workers.

Staff

Head TeacherMrs MC Temple

Principal TeacherGerard McGauley

Class TeachersMichael McClelland

Laura Milligan

ASNAPamela Docherty

Laura McAuley

Alison Weir

KeyworkersBarry McLaughlan

Vicki Riley

Fiona Callaghan

Assessment

All children attending the ACE Base are assessed using the Boxall Profile which identifies social, emotional and behavioural needs.

Assessment of progress in literacy and numeracy may also be carried out, if required.

The results of all assessment are shared with parents/carers and the mainstream school.

What Support Do We Offer?

  • Each pupil has an individual package of support designed to meet their social, emotional and behavioural needs. Targets are set and reviewed termly to help us track their progress. These targets are shared with parents/carers and mainstream schools.
  • Pupils can attend the Base for anything from one session (half day) to full time.
  • ACE staff liaise regularly with mainstream staff and parents/carers. Each child has a home/school link jotter and ACE staff use this to provide written feedback of every session the child attends.
  • Our Key Workers enable our children to access activities out of school such as: sports activities, visits to parks & museums, hill walking etc. They also support parents/carers and ensures all agencies and mainstream colleagues are kept up to date with each child’s progress.
  • ACE staff will provide written reports for inter agency meetings and we will also do our best to ensure someone from the ACE Base attends.

What Does Our Curriculum Look Like?

Our week is divided into 10 sessions (5mornings/5 afternoons). Pupils attending in the mornings follow individual programmes of work in literacy and numeracy. The high staffing levels mean we can provide additional support with learning, if needed. Tasks are individualised to each pupil’s preferred learning style to encourage motivation and a sense of achievement, as well as ensuring pupils are appropriately challenged.

ACE Base teachers meet regularly with each child’s mainstream teacher to agree the next steps in learning and share strategies.

In the afternoons, as well as topic work, our children take part in Masterclass Sessions which last for 6-8 weeks. Our Masterclasses have included Cooking, Gardening, Road Safety. Healthy Lifestyles etc. We often link our Masterclasses to share our skills, for example our “gardeners” grew tomatoes and other vegetables which our “cooks” used to make some tasty snacks!

Each term we also have an interdisciplinary/cross curricular Social Subjects topic as a focus for our learning. These have included Superheroes, Space, Rights of the Child and many more.

Throughout each session we encourage children to develop the skills required to:

  • express and manage their emotions
  • reflect on and manage their behaviour
  • develop their confidence and self esteem

Support for Parents/Carers

Parents and carers are always welcome in the ACE Base.

The Key Workers areour point of contact as they will keep in touch regularly by telephone and also makes home visits.Our Key Workers also provide advice and support with strategies for challenging behaviour when at home which parents generally find useful.

We have regular informal Coffee and Chat Afternoons which give our parents/carers a chance to meet and share concerns and successes with others who have similar experiences.

Our Open Afternoons, Christmas Fayre and Strawberry Tea are always very well attended and our children thoroughly enjoy entertaining their visitors and proudly show them all their hard work!

Support for Mainstream Schools

ACE Base staff can provide advice and training to schools in Positive Behaviour Management and De escalation Techniques. We can also carry out observations and assessment of individual pupils and suggest appropriate strategies and supports.

If your school has a pupil attending the Base we will provide:

  • Assessment and target setting using the Boxall Profile
  • Liaise regularly to plan support and offer advice and strategies
  • Provide regular reports on progress

General Information

  • Transport is provided, if necessary, to bring children to and from the ACE Base. This is usually a taxi and may be shared by other pupils. An escort accompanies the children.
  • Morning playtimes are at a different time from the mainstream school. This enables our children to participate in structured activities led by an adult. We focus on building friendship skills which the children can use when they return to the mainstream playground.
  • Our children eat lunch together in our Social Room. We encourage good table manners and conversation.

I hope this has helped you understand the support offered by the ACE Base. If you would like to visit the Base or find out more about us please contact Gerard McGauley on 0300 300 1442

1