Kaimes Special School Association

Kaimes School is an all through special school providing education for primary and secondary aged learners and is located in south east Edinburgh. Kaimes is a school for pupils who have complex, long term additional support needs where the presumption of mainstream cannot be met. Our learners require support with social and pragmatic communication needs associated with Autism Spectrum. Provision at Kaimes will be considered alongside other special provision in the authority, Language and Communication classes (Primary) and enhanced provision (Secondary) in order to identify the most appropriate specialist setting. The school serves a wide area with learners travelling from throughout the City of Edinburgh and the Lothians. Admission to the school is via the CMRG process.

The school has a roll of 96 (comprising of 78 boys and 18 girls) and currently has 6 classes in the Primary department and 11 in the Secondary department, each class based around groups of 6 learners. The school is situated close to local primary schools and Gracemount High School, thus facilitating joint working and opportunities for integration where appropriate. The links with all schools are evaluated and modified on a regular basis and integration, when appropriate, is recognised as beneficial for pupils and staff of all schools.

Pupils for whom Kaimes is suitable are likely to require:

1. A broad and balanced curriculum appropriate to the age and stage of each young person.
2. A safe, secure and autism specific environment providing a highly structured and predictable routine.
3. A supportive and flexible approach to learning and teaching.
4. An adapted and differentiated teaching approach appropriate for children and young people with pervasive communication difficulties.
5. A secondary curriculum leading to certification within the SQA framework.
6. A multi-disciplinary approach in which teaching and learning is facilitated as appropriate, by the assessment, advice, and intervention of Speech and Language 5 Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Educational Psychology and support of visiting specialists.
7. Explicit teaching of social, behavioural and life skills throughout the curriculum and in every area of school life.

Registration and enrolment

The Authority’s specialist advisers, in consultation with parents/carers, arrange admission to Kaimes School only after assessment and consideration through Core Management Review Group (CMRG) process involving professionals from multi agencies. Parents/Carers seeking advice or information should contact their child’s Educational Psychologist. Information concerning admissions is also available from the Parent
and Pupil Support Manager: at Waverley Court.

KAIMES SPECIAL SCHOOL ASSOCIATION (KSSA)

Kaimes Special School Association is a charitable association established to support and enhance the provision made by Kaimes to meet the needs of our pupils, particularly in terms of their social and life skills, self-esteem and initiative.

The specific areas to which the KSSA contributes are as follows:-

· Outdoor education facilities and opportunities
· Cultural facilities and opportunities
· Information technology facilities and opportunities
· Financial support for pupils who would otherwise be unable to access any of the above
· Facilities to allow pupils to access residential field centres
· Funding to support residential activities and facilities

Parents/Carers wishing to visit the school should contact the Head Teacher to arrange a suitable appointment.