About Our Classes

Please see our Willow Yearly Planning Overview for a detailed half-termly breakdown of delivery.

The curriculum allows pupils to access their learning in an exploratory manner and promotes process-based learning. The curriculum includes and encourages sensory regulation opportunities and cognitive breaks – this as a result allows sensory barriers to learning to be reduced. The learning environment supports this as it reduces sensory overload and promotes opportunities to access activities. Pupils can access a sensory circuit area to self-regulate and prepare for learning. Children’s learning is mapped out against the four strands of their Education and Health Care plans. These strands are: Communication and Interaction; Cognition and Learning; Social, Emotional and Mental Health; and Sensory and/or Physical. All learning is assessed via the Engagement model.

A Total Communication approach is used within the classroom to support all pupils, and there is an emphasis on Makaton and visual symbol communication strategies. This is to support and encourage pupils to make requests and intentional choices. Children’s learning is supported through a variety of creative and motivating activities such as Attention Autism, Intensive Interaction, outdoor learning, music and art, as well as activities that are individualised for each pupil.

All pupils have access to a variety of sensory and physical development sessions including swimming, PE, sensory circuits, sensory diet programmes, bikes and Rebound Therapy. Pupils also have the opportunity to explore and go out into the community to develop their independence and life skills as part of the ‘My Shopping’ and ‘My Travel Training’ elements of the curriculum, working towards weekly visits on the bus to Aldi and walks to the local park.

Willow class poem
We are Willow class, we work hard all day,
We’re not all the same, we each have our own way.
But we all have each other, how lucky we are,
Each one of us is different, but each is a star!
Some love instruments and making a noise,
Some love to play with sensory toys,
Some like to swim, some like to dance,
Some like a tickle whenever there’s chance,
Some love massage or to relax for a while,
But most importantly we all love to smile.

The curriculum allows pupils to access their learning in an exploratory manner and promotes process-based learning. The curriculum includes and encourages sensory regulation opportunities and cognitive breaks – this as a result allows sensory barriers to learning to be reduced. The learning environment supports this as it reduces sensory overload and promotes opportunities to access activities. Pupils can access a sensory circuit area to self-regulate and prepare for learning.  Pupils also have access to a calming and immersive themed room, and a classroom sensory diet room to support self-regulation. Children’s learning is mapped out against the four strands of their Education and Health Care plans. These strands are: Communication and Interaction; Cognition and Learning; Social, Emotional and Mental Health; and Sensory and/or Physical.

A Total Communication approach is used within the classroom to support all pupils, and there is an emphasis on Makaton and visual symbol communication strategies. This is to support and encourage pupils to make requests and intentional choices. Children’s learning is supported through a variety of creative and motivating activities such as Attention Autism, Intensive Interaction, outdoor learning, music and art, as well as activities that are individualised for each pupils.

All pupils have access to a variety of sensory and physical development sessions including swimming, PE, sensory circuits, sensory diet programmes, bikes and Rebound Therapy. Pupils also have the opportunity to explore and go out into the community to develop their independence and life skills as part of the ‘My Shopping’ and ‘My Travel Training’ elements of the curriculum, including weekly visits on the bus to Asda and walks to the local park.

The learning environment, and staff within class, actively promote opportunities and activities for learners to develop skills from these strands in an individualised order. Staff in Maple class are versatile and skilled; at the beginning of each term they dedicate time to assessing and understanding each individual, their communication methods and regulation strategies.

High emphasis is placed on the development of functional communication skills through daily individualised sessions and throughout our daily routine. A Total Communication approach is used to help support all learners, which includes the use of body response, eye gaze, vocalisations, emerging words, gesture, objects of reference, Makaton or visual symbol.

Children’s learning is supported through a variety of creative and motivating activities including TAC PAC, Intensive Interaction, Cause and Effect, and Massage.

We work closely with Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, the VI team and Speech and Language Therapy to ensure that the pupils are able to develop skills in a highly personalised way and that all of their medical, physical and sensory needs are met.

Hazel