Core Offer

ACE Tiverton: Our Designation, Our Students

“Learning for Lifelong Success”

When we are assessing a student for a place at ACE Tiverton, we look first for evidence of these key criteria:

Primary Need/Diagnosis: Identified Social, Communication and Interaction needs including a primary diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Condition and/or related social, emotional and mental health needs.

Cognition & Learning:

  • Our students are at least of broadly average cognitive ability and can access, with scaffolding and support, an age-appropriate curriculum in most subject areas.
  • Our students, with the right strategies and scaffolding, can learn independently with the aspiration to achieve level two qualifications in some or all subjects by the end of Year 11.

Social Communication & Interaction:

  • Our students can successfully interact independently in a range of learning and social situations with suitable adult support and structure as needed.
  • Our students, with access to appropriate information and strategies, aspire to be an independent member of society.

Physical & Sensory:

  • Our students are independent regarding their intimate and personal care.
  • Our students have sensory need(s) that can only be met with specialist adaptation or resourcing. 

Social, Emotional and Mental Health:

  • Our students can regulate themselves in some structured situations but with significant effort or adult support.
  • Our students can be empowered to manage their emotions to maintain socially appropriate interactions and communication in a range of situations and setting. 

This is not an exhaustive or fully comprehensive list but communicates the focus of our school setting:

  • We educate pre-teen and teenage students with social communication needs linked to Autistic Spectrum Condition alongside the challenge presented by puberty and teenage development.
  • We follow the national curriculum and KS4 qualification syllabi for all subjects offered in our curriculum.
  • We teach students who are on a pathway to independent or supported post 16 learning, employment, or training.
  • We offer a blended academic and therapeutic curriculum personalised to the needs of each student, within the context of the year and school cohort.
  • We educate students in groups with a minimum adult/student ratio of 1:5.
  • We make all possible adjustments to our physical environment and learning resources to meet the needs of students to access and achieve within the framework of the national curriculum and KS4 qualification requirements.

A full-time place at ACE Tiverton will provide:

  • A school day from 8am to 2pm that provides a range of social, academic and personal development opportunities to stretch, challenge and engage students with a range of educational needs and areas of interest.
  • Students are taught in groups of between 8 to 10 based upon their learning levels, needs and social interaction skills.
  • The timetable is built to enable access to sensory breaks, withdrawal space and adult support outside of the classroom as required.
  • Specialist classrooms for secondary science, design technology, cooking and art will be an integral part of the curriculum delivery.
  • High expectations regarding learning and social behaviours with a focus on developing skills and strategies to thrive independently in a real-world setting.
  • Social language and interaction strategies in the context of a cohort of pre-teen and teenage students with social communication needs linked to ASC alongside the challenge presented by puberty and teenage development.
  • A regular and consistent input focused on wellbeing, physical and mental health, relationships, safety and citizenship is threaded throughout every curriculum area.
  • Targeted provision to support students throughout their time at ACE Tiverton includes access to ELSA therapy, Talk Time, Breakfast Club, Student Leadership roles and the support of trained peer mentors.
  • A broad and balanced curriculum that follows the national curriculum and KS4 qualification syllabi for all subjects offered.
  • A personalised curriculum model that enhances skills, deepens knowledge and enables students to have a comprehensive range of qualifications, that prepares them successfully for adulthood.
  • We teach students on a pathway to participate in mainstream post 16 learning, employment or training.
  • A blended academic and therapeutic curriculum personalised to the needs of each student to include expert input from Occupational Health, Speech and Language Therapists; Educational Psychologists and Communication & Interaction Specialists.
  • Therapeutic specialist environment and learning resources with all staff trained in de-escalation and specialist support strategies for students with additional needs related to an ASC diagnosis.
  • We educate students in groups with a minimum adult/student ratio of 1:5.
  • We make all possible adjustments to our physical environment and learning resources to meet the needs of students within the framework of the national curriculum and KS4 qualification requirements.
  • Personalised and individual IT access for all students.
  • If eligible for school transport, this will be provided by Devon County Council.