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7. Training
What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND
had or are having?
An exceptionally strong focus on training means staff are experienced in using a
range of strategies to support young people's individual needs and development
in all settings throughout the Waking Day. Regular staff training from induction
onwards ensures the highest levels of knowledge and expertise.
From the initial induction (which includes multiple observational shifts) to
ongoing training through the year, the aim is to ensure that staff are trained in
the autism methodologies and best practice on which the school's specialist
approach is based as well as medical, health, safeguarding and mandatory
training.
Training is led by experienced practitioners within the School Leadership team as
well as the onsite multi-disciplinary teams and supported by expertise from
external professionals.
Our strong, established internal training programmes nurture a strong team of
well-qualified and highly trained staff across all areas. Where necessary additional
specific training is undertaken to support particular roles and the specific needs
of our individual young people.
TEACCH is at the heart
of our approach. The
aim of the TEACCH
programme is to enable
autistic people to
function as
meaningfully and as
independently as
possible in the
community. We are
dedicated to ensuring
our staff our trained in
the methodology.
Staff attend structured teaching courses and regular TEACCH training sessions
run by Prior's Court staff and the University of North Carolina where the TEACCH
programme was established. A number of staff are qualified to TEACCH
Advanced Consultant trainer levels. of the leadership team, Learning & Wellbeing
Managers, Team Managers and Learning Specialists are encouraged to complete
a 5-day TEACCH course, while Team Managers and Learning Facilitators are
encouraged to complete a 3-day Structured Teaching course. This provides Prior's
Court School with a very high level of autism expertise.