What is an SRB? 

As part of their local offer, Norfolk County Council have commissioned the establishment of Specialist Resource Bases (SRBs) at mainstream schools across the county.  The aim of an SRB is to offer short term support and intervention or outreach support and advice to schools and children, or a combination of the two.   

Astra Base at Reffley 

At Reffley, we have two bases Astra Base 1 (KS1) and Astra Base 2 (KS2).  Each base is staffed by highly trained teachers and teaching assistants with the purpose of supporting children who are struggling to understand and manage their Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.   Our focus is to work collaboratively with the pupils, their home schools and their parents in order to ensure that children can cope with the expectations of their mainstream setting. 

What are SEMH needs? 

SEMH needs can stem from any experience that has a negative effect on a person’s ability to regulate their emotions and behaviour such as trauma or neurological conditions such as ADHD.  The effect of this can be attachment issues, anxiety, low self-esteem, disengagement with learning and overwhelm which in turn can lead to presentation of challenging behaviours. 

Children may also need support to understand big emotions such as anger, frustration, sadness or anxiety. They may find following instructions very difficult and they may avoid demands and learning, which then may lead to disruptive behaviour.  These are all things that Astra Base will support with through a personalised, holistic curriculum and programme of support. 

The Astra base offer 

At Astra Base we will offer the children a safe, trauma informed environment in which they can explore their feelings and emotions and begin to understand their needs.   During their time with us, pupils will have access to a wide range of support and specialist resources to enable them to develop their personal and social skills.  Our staff have received quality training in the following: 

• Norfolk Steps 

• Emotional Literacy 

• Emotion Coaching 

• Zones of Regulation 

• Dyslexia 

• Bereavement 

• Trauma and Attachment 

• Safeguarding 

• Lego Therapy 

• Precision Teaching 

Our Teams 

Astra Base 1 

Mrs Hayley Standen- Lead Teacher

Mrs Clare Kitchener- HLTA             

Mrs Sam Jay- TA

Mrs Steph Hubbard- TA 

Astra Base 2 

Mrs Rosie Walden- Lead Teacher 

Mr Ben Enefer- HLTA 

Mrs Jane Cox- TA 

Mrs Steph Hubbard- TA 

Our team is supported by an SEMH Base Advisor and an Educational Psychologist. 

Curriculum 

Pupils will have access to a curriculum built upon their needs.  Targeted interventions will support their development academically, socially and emotionally and each child will have their own personalised plan to support them with targets agreed at the start of the placement.   

Transition 

The SRB programme is a transitionary plan aimed at getting the children back into their mainstream setting and able to access learning.  A typical placement plan would see the children starting with us for four days a week, with the fifth day spent in their home school.  As the placement progresses, this balance would gradually shift until they are ready to return to their home school on a full- time basis. 

Referral Process 

Referrals to an SRB must be made to the local authority on their website.  Referrals are triaged by NCC advisors and passed onto the relevant bases.  At this point, Lead Teachers will arrange visits to schools to meet and observe the children to see their suitability for the base.