The Ark Enhanced Resource Provision (ERP) at Cherry Burton Primary School is a warm, nurturing and highly inclusive environment designed to support children with additional needs to thrive. Guided by the school’s vision, “Roots to grow, wings to fly”, the Ark provides a safe and compassionate space where children feel understood, valued and ready to learn.

Our ERP vision – “Learn anything, fly anywhere” – reflects our belief that every child has potential and that learning looks different for every individual. Through strong relationships, patience and care, we support children to build confidence, develop independence and take meaningful steps forward, both academically and socially.

Who We Are

The Ark ERP provides specialist support for a small cohort of pupils in the early years and Key Stage 1 who present with a range of additional needs, including autism and associated social, emotional, sensory and communication differences. Children access the ERP in different ways depending on their individual profile, with some pupils spending time learning alongside their mainstream peers and others accessing the provision more consistently.

Importantly, the Ark is not a separate school within a school. Our pupils are Cherry Burton pupils first. Inclusion, belonging and connection underpin everything we do, and children are supported to build relationships across the school, participate in shared experiences and feel part of the whole-school family.

The Ark Environment

The physical environment of the Ark has been carefully designed to support regulation, communication and learning. It is calm, welcoming and purposeful, allowing children to feel safe and ready to engage.

Key features of the Ark include:

• A dedicated sensory room, used to support sensory needs, emotional regulation and calm transitions
• A fully accessible disabled toilet with changing bed, ensuring pupils’ personal care needs are met with dignity
• A quiet, under-the-stairs area, offering a safe and contained space for children who need time to regulate or reduce stimulation
• A kitchen area with a horseshoe table, which supports shared meals, cooking activities, group learning, interaction and individual work tasks
• A classroom teaching area with an interactive whiteboard and mini trampoline, allowing pupils to learn through movement, play and interactive technology

The provision is intentionally stripped back and uncluttered, reducing sensory overload and helping children focus, engage and feel calm within their learning space.

Children also have excellent access to outdoor learning:

• A small garden area, accessed on an open-door basis to support regulation and choice
• A large outdoor area featuring a basket swing, climbing frame with slide, sensory circle, vegetable patch and greenhouse
• A concrete area for water and messy play
• A sandpit and mud kitchen, supporting sensory exploration, play and creativity

The indoor and outdoor environments work together to support children’s emotional wellbeing, curiosity and independence throughout the day.

Additional spaces within the Ark further strengthen our provision and support partnership working:

• A quiet snug room upstairs, used by external agencies such as Social Care and Speech and Language Therapists, offering a calm, dedicated and personalised space for individual work and professional support
• A meeting room, where SEND meetings, reviews and annual reviews are held in a private and welcoming environment
• A staff office, providing space for planning, collaboration and communication
• A resource store cupboard, ensuring specialist resources are well organised and readily available to meet pupils’ individual needs

Our Ethos: Relationships at the Heart of Everything

Relationships are the foundation of life in the Ark. We believe children learn best when they feel safe, calm and genuinely known by the adults around them. Staff take time to build trusting relationships with each child, learning what helps them feel secure, what they enjoy and how they communicate best.

Children are welcomed warmly each morning with breakfast and are supported to settle into the day in a way that meets their individual needs. Emotional regulation is prioritised, and children are taught that it is okay to feel overwhelmed and that support is always available. Over time, this helps children to develop trust, flexibility and confidence in themselves and in others.

We work closely with parents and carers, recognising them as experts in their child. Families regularly describe the Ark as a “home-from-home” and value the openness, care and consistency they experience from the team.

How We Support Children

A Bespoke, Child-Centred Curriculum

Learning in the Ark is carefully personalised and shaped around each child’s strengths, needs and interests. Planning is flexible and responsive, allowing staff to adapt the day to support emotional regulation while maintaining clear routines that help children feel secure.

Children take part in a balanced range of experiences, including:

• emotional regulation and sensory support
• communication and interaction work
• early academic learning
• play-based and hands-on activities
• independence and life skills

Daily sensory circuits support children to feel ready to learn, while consistent routines help them understand what to expect. Over time, children are gently supported to manage small changes and build confidence with flexibility.

Communication and Regulation

A wide range of visual and communication supports are used throughout the Ark, including visual timetables, choice boards, core boards and personalised planners. These tools help children understand their day, express their needs and make choices, supporting both communication and independence.

Children are encouraged to recognise and manage their emotions, with adults offering calm, consistent support and clear expectations. Progress is celebrated in small but meaningful steps, recognising that confidence, trust and self-regulation are just as important as academic outcomes.

Inclusion in Action

Children in the Ark are fully part of the Cherry Burton Primary School community. Where appropriate, pupils access mainstream classes and shared activities, supported to build positive relationships with peers and adults across the school.

Inclusion is visible in everyday practice, from shared celebrations and whole-school events to learning opportunities that encourage understanding, kindness and respect. Every success is noticed and celebrated, helping children to develop pride in themselves and a strong sense of belonging.

Learning Beyond the Classroom: Community and Real-Life Experiences

We believe learning should be meaningful, enjoyable and connected to the real world. Children in the Ark regularly take part in activities within the school and the wider community, helping them to build confidence, independence and social understanding.

These experiences include:

• Weekly baking sessions, where children prepare food together and share their creations with the school and local community in the community bake stand at the end of the drive
• Weekly shopping trips to the local supermarket, where pupils help choose and buy the food and snacks they need, developing independence, communication and real-life skills
• Visits from the mobile library van, encouraging a love of books and stories
• Trips to the school MUGA, supporting physical development, teamwork and regulation
• Swimming sessions at a local pool, helping children build confidence, physical skills and self-care routines
• Regular walks around the village, giving children opportunities to interact with the local community and practise social and road-safety skills
• Regular visits to the church community café, where children practise social skills, communication and independence in a welcoming environment
• Monthly visits to Cedar Grange Care Home, where pupils take part in shared musical and signing activities, building confidence, empathy and intergenerational connections

These opportunities help our children learn important life skills in a supportive and familiar way, while also strengthening their connection to the local community.

Working in Partnership with Families

Strong partnerships with parents and carers are central to the Ark ERP. We value open, honest communication and work closely with families to ensure children receive consistent support between home and school.

Parents are kept informed through regular updates, photographs and shared celebrations of their child’s progress through DOJO and home schoolbooks. Many families speak of the reassurance they feel knowing their child is happy, settled and understood at school, and that they can easily speak to staff if they have questions or concerns.

Our Commitment

The Ark Enhanced Resource Provision is proud to be part of Cherry Burton Primary School’s inclusive community. Through compassion, understanding and high expectations, we create an environment where children feel safe to explore, learn and grow.

Every child’s journey is unique, but our commitment remains the same: to ensure every pupil feels valued, supported and empowered to develop their confidence, independence and love of learning – giving them strong roots and the wings to fly.