Welcome to Alder

Instructor - Elm Rachel Sanders
Photo of Rachel Sanders

        Welcome to Alder Class!! 😃

We are a small PMLD unit which consists of 10 pupils aged from 4 years to 17 years, we have 8 staff members working with us each day. We all have very high sensory, physical and medical needs. All of our learning is done via a total sensory and communication approach. We have our own tailored PMLD curriculum and use the engagement model which we follow alongside all of our own EHCP learning outcomes to help us to meet all of our learning.  We spend some of our day as a whole group for some key session’s within in the day such as morning and home time routine, physio, massage, dance, parachute sessions as well as snack and dinner time. We have two classrooms next to each other with our own outdoor space to extend or learning into the outdoor area. During times in the day we split into the two classes into two smaller mixed ability groups to focus on some key skills. Some of these sessions include communication, switch work, stories, problem solving and interaction sessions. Alongside all of this we like to go out in the community on trips, mix with other classes around school for focused play sessions and key SMSC days, we have 2 hydro sessions a week and 1 rebound session. We are very busy throughout the week and love to learn through having lots of fun, learning through play and exploration.

Spring Term 2 25/26Curriculum Info for parents: Topic - Seasons/weather/celebrations
Strand and ProfileProfiles in ClassIdeas for Home
Communication and Literacy As a class in Talk for Writing we will be exploring the book- We’re Going On A Bear Hunt. Also We’re Going On A Easter Egg Hunt book for Easter. We will continue to do some individual sharing of books, story time in small groups with story sacks, bag books and listening to stories on the interactive screen. Pupils will also join in whole school World Book Day- our focus and theme for the day will be the story of The Gruffalo’s Child. All pupils will have their own tailored communication 1-1 sessions, which link to their EHCP outcomes. Listen to the stories read by different people on you tube- We’re Going On A Bear Hunt. iPlayer- you will find the film of The Gruffalo’s Child to watch/listen too. Share stories with your child at home of weather/ seasons. Use instruments to take turns making sounds, turn take rolling balls to each other, sharing a toy to turn take.
Mathematics and Problem SolvingSome Activities that Alder class will be focusing on this half term will be as follows: - exploring a range of pouring and filling activities - puzzles - shape sorters - posting boxes - stacking cups/building towers - fine motor skill boxes - Posting Easter eggs into boxes - Explore groups of colours, placing all the same colour eggs onto a plate. -Cooking- pouring, measuring, ingredients
Personal DevelopmentMassage- Exploring “We’re Going On A Bear Hunt” massage story; weather and Spring massage stories. You Tube- massage stories to explore at home. -Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head, sensory massage. -A weather massage story
Physical DevelopmentAll pupils will receive daily physio, twice-weekly hydro, one Rebound session and daily standing frame time. All pupils will have a focused session around their own individual physical targets, which link to their PLGs/EHCP outcomes. These may involve things such as wedge work, walkers, sit to stand work, laying in prone pushing upper trunk up, exploring a frames on back, physio bench time.- Build in some leg stretches during routine daily dressing / undressing routines. - Explore some tummy time on the floor: roll up thick towels to place under your child’s chest to encourage them to lift up head, push through arms.
Understanding the WorldWe will explore these key celebrations throughout this half term in lessons or as day topics and go out on class trips. - Exploring Chinese new year as a whole school. --Easter activities/Easter egg hunt. - Trip- Easter themed- Easter egg hunt – Local park -Exploring We’re Going On A Bear Hunt story over at The Patch - Taste, make and explore Chinese food, listening to Chinese music. - Explore stories about Easter. - Go on a Easter egg hunt in the garden or hunt Easter eggs under /in pots for your child to find.
Expression and CreativityWithin in our Creative sessions this half term we shall be exploring: Weather dance- creating movement through the exploration of weather/weather songs. Creating the story of we’re going on a bear hunt through sounds , actions and instruments. Pupils will create bear collage pictures, creating weather hanging decorations for our topic tree, making kites. Easter crafts. -Make a kite at home- Try to fly it in the garden. -Make family and friends Easter cards.
Personalised LearningThroughout the week, we will have timetabled time to do some focused sessions around pupils’ individual learning. Keys areas will be switch skills, physical development, communication and social skills.