ASAP presents Specialist Classroom Provisions: Phoenix School

PAG and ASAP are immensely proud to present the first project to be accepted into the ASAP programme: Specialist Classroom Provisions: Phoenix School.

Based in Tower Hamlets, Phoenix is a Special School for over 500 autistic students aged 3–19. They provide students with an exemplary education and, since 2014, the Phoenix Outreach Service has supported mainstream schools across Tower Hamlets to provide free training, modelling, and advice for the increasing number of autistic students in the local authority.

Created for students working academically below their peers and who would otherwise be recommended for specialist settings, The Phoenix Specialist Classroom Provisions (SCPs) aim to provide an education better suited to students' strengths, needs, and abilities than what is typically available in mainstream settings. The SCPs provide low-arousal environments within its own classroom, a bespoke curriculum, and assessment framework all based on the Phoenix model. This supports inclusion through flexible access to mainstream activities, lessons, and social opportunities where appropriate.

A key pillar of the SCP model is its buddy system. As well as Outreach support, each SCP teacher has an ongoing partnership with a Phoenix Buddy - an experienced teacher based at Phoenix that can offer support, resources, and tailored advice. SCP teachers regularly visit Phoenix to learn from good practice, giving them a trusted, key point of contact, and the Phoenix Buddy in turn undertakes a return visit at least once a term, supporting teaching, modelling strategies, and helping to embed the framework. Phoenix has also supported with Specialist Speech and Language advice to offer advice and training to SCP teachers, ensuring there are always opportunities to encourage and support expressive and receptive communication and to provide ideas so that communication is embedded into the curriculum.

To date, Phoenix has worked with 22 schools across Tower Hamlets to develop SCPs with significant support through Phoenix and the Outreach Team. These classrooms enable students to remain in their respective schools whilst receiving a well-planned and effective education that meets their needs. The programme has been part of a funded two-year research project that will be published in the Autumn.

Phoenix's Executive Headteacher, Veronica Armson, had this to say about becoming part of The ASAP Programme: “Phoenix School is absolutely delighted to become the first official project taken on by the ASAP programme. We’ve worked incredibly hard to develop the SCPs and support the schools in Tower Hamlets and have been pleased with the outcomes. Now, by working with PAG and ASAP, we can begin to explore delivering the programme to a wider field, benefitting potentially hundreds more schools/trusts, children, and their families.”

PAG will now work in partnership with Phoenix to support and amplify the SCP project for sustainable scaling.

If you’d like to find out more about The ASAP Programme, including how you can get involved, please visit www.asapprogramme.co.uk