Our Den

The Den (ARP) at Hetton Lyons Primary School

In September 2025 we were delighted to open ‘The Den’, our new additionally resourced provision (ARP) at Hetton Lyons Primary School. The Den is a nurturing, supportive space designed for children with a diagnosis of Autism who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and meet the criteria set by Together for Children. For a child to join The Den, it needs to be named on their EHCP.  We are proud to be able to offer places for up to 16 children. You will find information relating to our entry and exit criteria, as set by Together for Children. If you have spoken with a caseworker and you’d like a visit to the ARP, please contact Sarah Young (SENDCo) at Hetton Lyons Primary School on 0191 563 4200. 

The Den – Autism Resource Provision (ARP): Attendance and Wraparound Care

The Den is our specialist Autism Resource Provision (ARP), offering tailored support to children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) who meet the Local Authority's admission criteria, including a diagnosis of autism.

Our priority is to ensure that every child receives the support, care and learning opportunities they need to thrive. Staffing arrangements, adult-to-child ratios and the learning environment are carefully planned around the individual needs and provision specified in each child's EHCP.

Attendance and support

The Den is staffed and resourced to meet children's identified needs throughout the school day. Our provision is designed to ensure that children have access to the appropriate levels of support, supervision and specialist teaching during their agreed school hours.

Before and after-school provision

We recognise that wraparound childcare is important to many families and understand the challenges that can arise when this is not readily available.

From September 2026, children attending The Den will be able to access the school's free breakfast club from 8.25am. We will work with families to consider individual needs and identify any reasonable adjustments or additional support required to enable children to access this provision safely and successfully.

We also recognise that some families may require support beyond the normal school day. Where this is needed, we are happy to meet with parents and carers to discuss individual circumstances and explore whether arrangements can be made to support children until 4.30pm.

As The Den is a specialist provision, our usual staffing ratios, specialist support and carefully structured environment cannot automatically be replicated within our general breakfast and after-school clubs. Any arrangements must therefore be carefully considered to ensure that children's individual needs can be met and that they remain safe, supported and comfortable.

Working in partnership with families

We are committed to working closely with parents and carers to understand each child's needs and to explore appropriate arrangements wherever possible. Decisions about additional provision will be made on an individual basis, taking account of the child's EHCP, support requirements, safety and wellbeing.

Our aim is always to provide an inclusive, nurturing environment in which every child feels safe, valued and able to achieve their full potential.