[senco-forum] our base

Dear All

  Better late than never, here's what we now have, after 4 moves of base in 6 years, which has nearly killed us as we have grown to fill it each time....  We're Secondary.

  We have a large ex classroom, high ceiling because it once was the school kitchen, hence high window on one wall.  At the back we have converted a large cupboard into a small meeting room, with high window, with 7 padded chairs around 3 sides and a walkie talkie phone which allows us to speak in various parts of school which has its uses.  The table for our drinks means it is knees together but its smallness and cosiness is liked by majority of users, staff come in to ask to use it for seeing pupils and parents too, which is nice.  It is also used by visiting professionals eg Hearing Impaired teacher if they need quieter area.  I see parents there regularly.

  Both rooms are yellow, with blue doors (blue doors are school colour) and someone ordered blue blinds too!.  School would not build me a wall between the front and back so we begged borrowed etc 6 filing cabinets and a large old bookcase and made a physical barrier with gap in the middle.  On the top of the filing cabinets are a row of files with many of our in use worksheets, which makes for some sound barrier and some privacy.  

  The base is off a main corridor in the middle of school, not far from main visitor entrance.  As you enter, there are 7 soft chairs (again aquired, but now recovered in blue) and a small coffee table for pupils, a parked old tv and video which still work and get used occasionally, the bookcase with some pupils work, and some of our boxes for taking to lessons, various text books and resources.  To the other side of the entrance is a 'teaching end', used sometimes for groups or testing.  We have a whiteboard, 3 networked computers, very useful for homework, square table with padded chairs, like in the rest of school, shelves under whiteboard. 4 of the filing abinets open this side but 3 are kept locked due to their contents. We tend to have our groups in classrooms, because our base has too much coming and going and not enough enclosed areas.

  At the back is our end which leads to the back room for meetings already described.  Our end has 2 desks, a locked cupboard, 2 of the filing cabinets opening to us, my desk and networked computer and a staff square table by the sink , fridge and kettles.  Most of our LSAs have their breaks here and then we are available for any pupil or staff when necessary.  We do our preparation here, as well as all the other admin jobs.

  Pupils come in at all breaks or lunchtimes,though we ask for 20 mins peace while they eat elsewhere, and sometimes before school- .  It is carpetted so we say no eating/drinking in there.  They play games, do homework, chat, make friends, come for revision, help advice etc.  We specifically invite pupils with statements and the vulnerable, but everyone is welcome, and some lovely friendships have been made in the twelve months we have had this facility.

  We have display boards and the super BDA posters and plenty of Wallace and Gromit, because that it my favourite, also other topical or nice posters.  Recent display has been world cup and maps etc and facts about world cup countries.

  Parents, pupils and professionals all say how welcoming it is and we are glad to have it.

  Anne

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