This term applies to specialist educational settings that you might also know as: Learning Centres or Bases, Children’s Centres, or other centres with specific names such as Queensberry Learning Centre. We have 15 Learning Centres across Dumfries and Galloway.

These are located in the towns of Stranraer, Newton Stewart, Kirkcudbright, Castle Douglas, Dumfries, Sanquhar, Lochmaben, Lockerbie, and Annan. To access a Learning Centre, an application is completed and submitted to the Resourced Provision Panel (RPP).

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We recognise that learning can happen in many different ways, and our approach is to work with each child as an individual. Learning Centres exist to support children who need a more individualised learning environment.

Every child who accesses a Learning Centre is unique and have been assessed as at Stage 4 in the Stages of Intervention (Framework for Inclusion). Learning Centres are defined as “Severe and Complex” or “Moderate”.

Severe and Complex (S&C): Children who have complicated health and care needs due to multiple learning disabilities. A combination of, for example: sight loss, hearing loss, significant speech delay, non-verbal communication, requiring assistance to move, significant developmental delay (2 or more years).

Moderate: Children who have social, emotional and cognitive needs (but less likely to have significant and ongoing medical needs), due to profound and multiple learning disabilities. This may present as significant challenges in meeting milestones. A combination of, for example: neurodiversity, significant speech delay, non-verbal communication, significant developmental delay (2 or more years).

View Stages of Intervention Booklet

Each individual Centre has a combination of Teaching and Non-teaching staff. They have specialist knowledge, experience and training. Visiting specialists and Allied Health Professionals provide support. Learning Centres are part of the wider school community. This allows for seamless movement within the school.

Common to all Learning Centres is that they all offer education in a classroom-based setting. Many also have other facilities, e.g. sensory space/room, tracking, hoists, slings and other handling equipment, specialist intimate care facilities, hydrotherapy pool.

The resources and features of each Centre differ, but every one provides an individualised learning environment for pupils.

To see some examples of these spaces click the links below:

Belmont Children’s Centre – Stranraer

Castle Douglas Primary Learning Centre

Parent experiences

Having your child attend a Learning Centre is a very unfamiliar process for parents. The same can be said for understanding what Learning Centres offer. Here you can access comments from parents who have gone through the experience:

Nicola Henry – Archie’s Mum

Will my child always attend a Learning Centre?

The time a child spends in Children’s Centre is dictated by their needs, not a diagnosis. It can be short term, temporary or for a longer time.

1: Pre-Application Process

Prior to any request for a place at a Learning Centre, discussions will have taken place with parents or carers and may include a multi-disciplinary team who have knowledge of each child to agree the identified level of need. This may be through the Child’s Planning process, shared meetings or Request for Assistance.

Ultimately it is the parent or carer who consents to an application being made. Once agreement has been reached that the child’s needs would be met, most appropriately, within a Learning Centre, the Nursery Manager will begin the process for application.

Parents or carers will be asked to give consent for an individual observation to take place.

2: Application

Each child will be individually observed in their Early Learning and Childcare Setting by an Educational Visitor and a Principal Teacher. Parents or carers will be invited to share their views in the application to the Resourced Provision Panel (RPP).

ELC settings will complete the application that will include parent or carer views and comments from the Educational Visitor, Nursery Manager and Principal Teacher in relation to the child and educational need.

The application will be forwarded to a Panel selected from Senior Management within Education. The Panel meets to consider all applications region-wide. While waiting on a decision please enrol your child in their catchment school.

3: Post Application Process

Once determined, the outcomes of applications will be made known to parents or carers and the Learning Centres. It is the parent or carer who subsequently decides whether to accept the offer of a place.

4: Appeals Process

An appeal process exists for parents or carers who are not satisfied with the outcome. This is referenced in the decision letter parent or carer will receive.

Between September – October

Your Nursery Manager will contact you to discuss possible options for Primary 1. This may include other professionals already involved with your child.

Between October – December

You will be involved in further discussions to reach agreement about applying for a learning centre placement.

December

The Nursery Manager will request your views for inclusion on the application form. You will also be asked to give consent for an independent observation to take place. The Nursery Manager will collate information from all other professionals involved.

December

The Nursery Manager will submit the completed application form to the Resourced Provision Panel.

January

The Resources Provision Panel meet and decide the outcome of the application for your child.

Between February – March

You will be advised of the decision made by the Resources Provision Panel.