Badger class

Meet the Team

Introduction

In Badgers class we have personal transactional support in all of our our six areas of teaching and learning.

Supporting Our Students to Learn

Termly themes are taught throughout the school. In Badgers, the curriculum is carefully sequenced and delivered through stories which are related to the school theme. We apply our reading skills to our spellings, sentence composition and to support our understanding of our learning. We use our communication skills to organise, sequence and clarify our ideas, feelings and support us to write for different purposefully to different audiences. We teach Maths skills applying the concrete, pictorial and abstract approach. This approach helps our pupils to develop a deep understanding of the concept they are learning. Alongside this, maths is also taught embedded across the curriculum purposefully, this will support our pupils to develop links whilst providing our pupils with as many opportunities throughout the school week to solve problems as real life skills. We travel to local outings to develop active engagement with buildings, parks, school and familiar places when we explore learning through ‘Our World.’ We explore practical activities and think about how things work around us when in our ‘STEM’ lessons. In Badgers class ‘creativity’ means we can be imaginative across all areas of our learning.

We follow our Personalised Learning Plan targets and build on our social, emotional and mental health strengths. We are currently exploring how to cope with the challenges as we grow.

We are taught different sensory and physical life skill targets throughout the curriculum so that we can practise and strengthen our gross and fine motor skills whilst developing our hand and eye co-ordination.

In Badgers class, we are taught how to be effective in our communication and value our interactions. There are plenty of opportunities throughout our school day where we learn how to interact with others and learn how to express our needs. Within our lessons, we focus on our personal communication targets so that we can developing simple problem-solving skills, turn taking, express our emotions and learn how to make good decisions. 

We experience engagement through ‘Exploring, Realising, Anticipating, Initiating and Persisting in our learning activities.

Interventions in Badgers class enable us to create a therapeutic atmosphere in our class. Interventions like, Identiplay’; ‘SALT’; ‘Total Communication’, ‘Lego Therapy’ and ‘Rebound Therapy’ to name a few. As a whole class we enjoy ‘Clever Fingers’ and ‘Social Group’ sessions. The Attention Building Programme helps us to develop our attention skills whilst turn taking, builds our vocabulary and increases our independence. We have specialist rooms to support our Social, Emotional and Mental Health experiences.

Secondary Ready Some of us in Badgers class are Year 6 and we have the time to experience this transition so that we begin to understand that that one day we will become secondary children too!

Topic for this half-term

Our Timetable

Timetables can now be found on Arbor. If you need a hard copy, please ask your child's class teacher.

	When is this the main focus?	How is this delivered in your class?
Individual Programmes /Key skills	Morning activities Tray task time Curriculum Learning School Routines	In Badgers class, key skills are the small steps pupils need, in order to achieve their specific targets. These include targets for within English, Maths, Reading, Sensory Physical Life Skills, Communication, and Interaction as well as their Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs. Every morning, pupils will complete their ‘tray tasks’ which provide pupils with additional opportunities to consolidate these specific skills that which are the focal point for that half term.
Reading and Phonics	Daily	In Badgers class, we understand the importance of a systematic approach to Reading and Phonics. Pupils are provided with graded weekly reading books which are sent home daily and are part of a phonics carousel of activities. Each week, pupils will revisit their previous learning and focus on a new sound. They will learn to read new words by applying this sound with their developing segmenting and blending skills. Each day children will apply their learning through participation in a carousel of phonics activities. Each activity is designed to support different reading and writing skills, such as fluency, comprehension, letter formation, spelling and sentence composition. In Badgers, children will develop their reading for understanding, comprehension, information, pleasure, and functional skills. To supplement Reading and Phonics we use the school Library. Weekly homework for Reading and Phonics is provided through Reading Eggs.
PSHE	Cross – Curricular Learning	In Badgers class, PSHE focuses on various values throughout the year such as Healthy Eating, Internet Safety and Friendship. PSHE values are at the core of each lesson, which enables our pupils to become confident, independent, healthy young people, whilst serving to develop their intellectual, moral, social and spiritual awareness. In Badgers class, we take pride in providing an supportive learning environment that reflects the diverse world around our pupils. We support our pupils in playing a positive role in contributing to Castle school and the wider community.
	English Maths Our World Cross- Curricular Learning	Termly themes are taught throughout the school. In Badgers, the curriculum is carefully sequenced and delivered through stories which are related to the school theme. We apply our reading skills to our spellings, sentence composition and to support our understanding of our learning. We use our communication skills to organise, sequence and clarify our ideas, feelings and support us to write for different purposefully to different audiences. We teach Maths skills applying the concrete, pictorial and abstract approach. This approach helps our pupils to develop a deep understanding of the concept they are learning. Alongside this, maths is also taught embedded across the curriculum purposefully, this will support our pupils to develop links whilst providing our pupils with as many opportunities throughout the school week to solve problems as real life skills.
	Cross- Curricular	In Badgers class, pupils learn how to recognise their communication and how they can interact with others. Learning how to express needs, wants and desires in ways that they are understood by others. Developing simple problem-solving skills, turn taking, expressing feelings and emotions though interventions such as Identiplay, Lego Therapy, Dough Disco and Attention Building.
	Cross- Curricular Therapeutic Rooms	In all teaching and learning contexts, pupils generalise their individual targets and build on their social, emotional and mental health strengths. Individual targeted SCERTS support is incorporated so that they explore how to cope with their own challenges and experiences, in the therapeutic rooms and school spaces.
	Curriculum Learning Community Learning Key Skills Break Times Lunch Times Class Routines	Pupils in Badgers are taught different sensory and physical life skill targets, mainly through practical experience as well as using their sensory skills. Spatial awareness is taught through a cross-curricular approach. For example, balance skills are taught through PE, Rebound Therapy, Cycling and Swimming lessons. Pupils practise and strengthen gross and fine motor skills and develop their hand and eye co-ordination during Clever Fingers. Life Skills are part of these experiences as well as the community learning.
Creativity		In Badgers class ‘creativity’ in teaching and learning is a process that uses thinking skills, curiosity and imagination. Creativity is about making connections between what pupils already know and how they can experience new ways of being creative and imaginative within Music, Dance and Art.
Our World	STEM Our World Community outings	Our aim in Badgers class is to build on and broaden pupils’ experiences and ideas. Our World Community Outings are related to their world. The understanding of the school as a community and to consider roles, responsibilities and of people in school life. Local outings enable pupils to develop a sense of familiarity and feel safe within their local surroundings.
Preparation for Adulthood	Café Curriculum Learning Community outings PSHE Our World	The cross curricular approach to learning in Badgers will provide pupils with the essential life skills they will need to flourish as an adult. Throughout the teaching of PSHE and through engaging with community outings pupils learn about their local community and how to navigate key places within their local community. The focus on Communication and Interaction and Social, emotional and mental health embedded within the curriculum will enable pupils within Badgers to communicate effectively to others and be understood by those around them. The learning in ‘Our World’ will support pupils to appreciate the world around them and to practically navigate it. Through the café children are provided with the opportunity to apply different life skills to support their transition to adulthood.

Useful Information