Outreach
Who we are:
Ashgate Specialist Support School is a Primary School for children with Special Educational Needs based in Wythenshawe. We support children with ASC, PMLD, SLD, GLD and other associated difficulties including behaviour.
We have a Specialist Outreach and Inclusion Support Team who offer help to primary schools in the South Manchester and Wythenshawe district. Our service can be accessed in a variety of forms but we ask you to first look at our training package which offers a range of sessions to support SENDCOs, teachers and teaching assistants to help provide an inclusive and accessible environment for children with SEND.
If schools find that our training offer does not offer suffcient or relevant advice through our training programme, then we can offer further support through
- Virtual consultations via Teams
- Inreach visits to Ashgate to observe our specialist teachers and teaching assistants
- Classroom observations of children
- Setting advice for SEND classrooms
- Sharing of resources
- Signposting to other service
- In house training for schools
This is not an exhaustive list, so if there is other help that you require please send us an email request.
Core Offer
Our schools are able to access all of the training offered on our training schedule. All courses are free of charge to these schools unless we are providing specialist resources.
The 'Core Offer' is the provision of services funded through the Local Authority. It provides schools with 4 hours of support per academic year free of charge. Details of the level of support are covered below under the 'Core Offer.'
Your part:
- Complete the Outreach request for support form and provide all the necessary evidence. Please return via secure Egress only.
- Attend all appointments made.
- To build capacity within the mainstream school to support the needs of all pupils with SEND by cascading the information provided (if appropriate) throughout the school.
- To ensure parents are informed of Ashgate’s involvement with the pupil.
- Complete evaluation forms and share evidence of progress with Ashgate School within 3 weeks of notification, to provide data for the LA and to support further development of the outreach service A link will be emailed to you upon completion.
Please note further support will not be offered until all referral forms and evaluations are fully completed.
Outreach Support
Our Outreach Support Includes:
- Training
- Telephone, virtual meeting and email advice
- Observations and advice
- Next step and strategy advice
- Advice and pro-formas for specialist resources
- Assessment advice
- Support with Risk Assessments, Behaviour and Positive Handling Plans
- Support with communication and visual structures
- Support with planning, assessment and moderation
- Classroom setup and utilising space advice
Our Inreach Support Includes:
Opportunities for staff to visit classes and observe good practice and appropriate strategies
Opportunities for staff to have discussions with Ashgate staff
Peer mentoring and coaching to support capacity building in mainstream schools
Open Evenings once a year
Training Calendar 2026
Date |
Time |
Course |
Delivery Method |
Cost |
20th January
|
3.30–4.30pm |
Assessment and Target Setting for children with SEND. For teachers and SENDCO |
Virtual- Teams |
Free |
2nd February
|
3.30–4.30pm |
Introduction to Positive Behaviour Support / writing an individual support plan For teachers, TAs and SENDCO |
Virtual-Teams |
Free |
9th February
|
9.30-12.30 |
Understanding and using a specialist curriculum. For teachers and SENDCO |
Face to face at Ashgate |
£100 per person (£50 additional staff); Access to Ashgate Curriculum included
|
9th March
|
3.30–5pm |
Understanding Sensory Differences with Vicky Pinder OT For teachers, TAs and SENDCO |
Face to face at Ashgate |
Free |
24th March
|
9.30-12.30 |
Inreach visit — Morning in class + 60‑minute workshop For teachers, TAs and SENDCO |
Face to face at Ashgate |
Free |
20th April
|
3.30-4.30 |
Online drop‑in — Ask questions, share ideas, chat with teachers/SENDCO For SENDCO |
Virtual |
Free |
20th May
|
3.30-5pm |
Open Evening for all teaching staff from Wythenshawe/South Schools For teachers, TAs and SENDCO |
Face to face at Ashgate |
Free |
8th June |
9.30–12.30 |
Team Teach / Positive Behaviour Support Theory Session Only LA maintained schools may receive certificate, open to all for attendance For teachers, TAs and SENDCO |
Face to face at Ashgate |
Free |
15th June |
9.30–11.30 |
Team Teach Practical Session LA maintained schools only; must have attended Theory Session For teachers, TAs and SENDCO |
Face to face at Ashgate |
Free |
23rd June |
9.30–12.30 |
Inreach visit — Morning in class + 60‑minute workshop For teachers, TAs and SENDCO |
Face to face at Ashgate |
Free |
7th July |
3.30–4.30 |
Total Communication in the Classroom — 1 hour with SaLT For teachers and SENDCO |
Face to face at Ashgate |
Free |
13th July |
3.30–4.30 |
Online drop‑in — Ask questions, share ideas, chat with teachers/SENDCO For SENDCO |
Face to face at Ashgate |
Free |
If you require any further information or to book a place for any of the above, please contact us on:
outreach@ashgate.manchester.sch.uk
or 0161 359 5322
Ashgate Specialist Support School