The DSP Learning Habitat: Part of Our School Ecosystem

Our school is an ecosystem.  A vibrant, interconnected community where every learner plays an important role. Within this system, the Designated Special Provision (DSP) functions as a specialised learning habitat.  This habitat provides more than just shelter. It is a safe and nurturing environment where children can develop at their own pace, building the fundamental skills, confidence, and resilience they need to thrive. Just as in nature, some learners need longer in protected conditions to establish strong roots before they can grow, explore, and flourish in the wider ecosystem of the school and beyond.

In the Badgers Learning Habitat, every element - relationships, routines, environment, and experiences is carefully designed to support each child’s developmental journey. Our aim is to nurture three core principles that underpin all learning and growth:

• Communication: Fostering self-advocacy and helping children find their voice, in whatever form of communication that may be.
• Independence: Developing a strong sense of autonomy, where children gain confidence in making choices and taking responsibility.
• Wellbeing: Supporting self-regulation through emotional safety, consistent routines, and trusting relationships.

As children grow within the Badgers Habitat, they develop a deep sense of belonging, not only in the safety and familiarity of their immediate environment but also within the wider school ecosystem. Over time, the skills they have nurtured (communication, independence, and wellbeing) enable them to build meaningful relationships, participate confidently in the life of the school, and recognise the important role they play in the wider community. Together, these principles ensure that every child is valued and ready to flourish, first within their learning habitat and ultimately throughout the whole school ecosystem and beyond.

The DSP will support children with the following Special Educational Needs:

Each room within the Oakham Primary School DSP is designed to cater for a distinct profile of need.

All children will have Communication and Interaction Needs and/or diagnosis falling under the other areas of SEND including Sensory and Physical and Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. Children with a co-morbid needs profile will be applicable for support through Oakham DSP, where the Education Health and Care Needs Assessment identifies that their learning levels and support needs can be met within this type of provision. However, the facility is not intended to provide support to children who have severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties, who are likely to have significant levels of support requirements across all areas of special educational needs and daily care.  The facility is not intended for those children requiring 1:1 adult support throughout the majority of the day. 

The provision may support children whose special educational needs might also require emotional and behavioural support and wider adaptation. This includes children with low to moderate behavioural support and sensory needs.  However, the provision is not suitable for children who frequently display dangerous and/or challenging behaviours.

Our DSP Pathways

The colour-coded rooms ensure that pupils are taught within environments that are best suited to their communication, interaction, sensory, and developmental needs.

🟣 Violet Room - adapted formal curriculum

For pupils with Autism, ADHD/SEMH features whose barriers are mainly social communication, anxiety and language processing. Learners understand best with visuals, chunked instructions and extra processing time. They require low-stimulus, structured classrooms with predictable routines and clear expectations. Pupils may become overwhelmed by sensory load, unpredictability, or ambiguous communication, leading to anxiety or withdrawal. They need scaffolded peer interaction, emotional regulation support (e.g. Zones of Regulation), language-light teaching approaches, and consistent adults. With support, they can access group learning and begin to generalise communication and regulation skills.

🔵 Indigo Room – adapted semi formal curriculum

Caters for pupils with autism and significant developmental and/or speech-language delay whose communication is at an early/emerging stage. Learners typically need simple 1–2 step language, repeated modelling and intensive interaction to build functional communication. They show immature play and social reciprocity (parallel play, mimicry, limited joint play) and require structured opportunities to generalise interaction skills. They present sensory modulation and safety-awareness needs (impulsivity, exploring/bolting risks, need for close supervision and clear routines) alongside developing self-care such as toileting and feeding.

🟪 Purple Room – Informal curriculum

For children with autism and ADHD features, with delayed speech/language and significant regulation needs. Pupils may use emerging words/phrases, echolalia, or jargon, but expressive communication is often unclear or inconsistent. Receptive language is delayed; pupils need visuals, now/next boards, structured routines, and repeated modelling. They can find transitions very distressing, leading to meltdowns, aggression or self-harm. They need daily access to speech and language therapy approaches, structured social communication opportunities, and regulation supports. Pupils show restricted eating, sensory modulation difficulties, high activity levels and may present with sleep/health concerns. They often prefer adult-led or solitary play and require careful scaffolding to access group learning.

🟧 Orange Room – Informal curriculum

For children with profound communication and interaction needs. Pupils are usually non-verbal or pre-verbal, with minimal or inconsistent use of words or symbols. They need objects of reference, hand-over-hand support, Makaton/signs, physical demonstration and intensive adult scaffolding to understand routines. They rarely initiate social interaction and often play alone, sometimes using non-conventional play (mouthing, carrying objects, repetitive exploration). They are highly reliant on adults to interpret cues, regulate distress, and maintain safety. Self-help skills (toileting, feeding, dressing) require full adult support. Many present with sensory-seeking behaviours (mouthing, climbing, water play, textures) and safety risks (bolting, no danger awareness). Strong routines and consistent adult presence are essential.

💗 Pink Room – Informal curriculum

Designed for pupils with global developmental delay and autism. Learners are often pre-verbal or have very limited inconsistent communication. They rely on total communication approaches, objects of reference, sensory cues and constant adult supervision. They usually have very limited awareness of peers, show solitary or repetitive play, and are dependent on adults for regulation and safety. Intensive support is needed for toileting, feeding, dressing and daily routines. Pupils are highly vulnerable to environmental and sensory factors, and require structured, predictable, nurturing environments to reduce anxiety and promote engagement. Most learning is through intensive interaction, sensory exploration and 1:1 adult support.

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Curriculum outline:

The DSP will offer ambitious curriculum pathways which are appropriate to the individualised needs of the children. The three curriculum pathways are designed to meet the needs of a wide range of children with an EHCP. The DSP provides a bespoke approach to our children’s individual needs and so movement between pathways can be fluid.

Children will be grouped by the pathway they are able to access.  The curriculum in each class is differentiated to meet the needs of the cohort.  The curriculum is not linear and does not assume that children will progress from one class to another.  All pupils will have Individual Education Plans (IEPs) that outline the targets related to the Outcomes in their EHCP and specify strategies to be used in teaching these.   

We use a thematic approach as an overarching focus to provide relevant learning context and ensure a breadth of experiences for children.  National Curriculum subjects and objectives will still be used where appropriate and where they support and extend the skills children need to develop.