Enhanced Support Base

The aim of the Enhanced Support Base (ESB) is to provide a supportive educational environment where young people can achieve their potential and experience success. ESBs have been designed to meet the needs of secondary school pupils who would benefit from an individualised curriculum in a small class setting with a higher staff ratio than that of a mainstream school class. These young people have additional support needs often with single or multiple identifications including: Autism, Intellectual Disability or other types of neurodiversity.

The ESB is led by a Curriculum Leader who works closely with partners such as Educational Psychologists, Additional Support for Learning Service colleagues, and external agencies such as Health and the Third Sector. Each ESB also has a Pupil Support Assistant and Pupil Support Officer in their staff team.

The curriculum is tailored to learners’ individual needs with a focus on Literacy, Numeracy and Health and Wellbeing. We focus on adaptive skills for life including communication skills, social skills, self-care, self-direction, living skills, leisure skills, community skills, health and safety skills.

Every pupil attending the ESB has an Individual Education Plan in place. Young Person’s Planning Meetings are held during the school year and all those involved with the young person will be invited to attend.