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.

Rowan,Alder timetable Sum 1

Summer Term 1 24/25Curriculum Info for parents: Topic - Animals
Rowan/Alder class will be learning through some topic based sessions alongside this all of their learning will be focused on the engagement model assessment stages – Exploration, persistence, anticipation, initiation and realisation and the Woodfields assessment step levels for English, Maths, communication, personal development , pre subject specific – Expression and understanding the worlds plus their own individual PLG’S/EHCP outcomes, Communication, switch work/computer skills, intensive interaction, physical development will be focused on throughout the week on an individual basis and these sessions will have a huge focus around the pupils own PLGS and will be planned to each individual need. Pupils will also get weekly therapy sessions which involve 1 rebound individual session, 2 Hydrotherapy swims as well as an hour each day to focus on physio and other additional physical needs such as walkers/ standers/wedge/roll work. Below is an outline of some of the class group session Rowan/Alder class will be doing together throughout the week- Within these sessions we will try to focus on our half termly topic. When the weather is nice or even dry the pupils will also be doing some of their learning in our outdoor area which is located outside our classroom.
SubjectSession focus this half term
Creative / CookingWk1- Butterfly cakes Wk2- Horse shoe biscuits/ hedgehog bread rolls. Wk 3-Bug hotels Wk 4- paper plate animal masks
Problem Solving / ExplorationBelow are some of the activities the pupils will be exploring – Artic animals in a snow/ice scene in a tuff tray- animals, snow, ice, glacier ice blocks, silver foil Farm animals tuff tray=- mud, grass , straw with farm animals / tractors in Posting animals into different sized boxes Animal puzzles Exploring animals in messy play trays- spaghetti, sand, jelly, rice, lentils ,mud, straw, grass Duplo/mega blocks – creating enclosure to place animals inside. Using nets to catch sealife animals in a bucket Using foam construction bricks/blocks to create bigger enclosures with sift cuddle jungle / zoo animals. Using the natural wooden construction set to create a habitat for woodland/wildlife small world animals. Water stands and guttering pouring water down guttering into tray with water and sealife animals. Using some cups/ jugs to pour water
PATCH Exploring the PATCH, Collecting items to bring back to school to support art lessons with making tings such as the bug hotel.
Stories Sensory stories- Week 1 – How the elephant got his trunk sensory story/Dear Zoo Week 2 – Little blue fish sensory story/ Snore Week 3 – Owl babies sensory story Week 4 – Jungle sensory story/ Tiger who came to tea. Week 5 – The farm journey sensory story
Other events/ sessions / SMSC days / Trips Trips-West Runton animal sanctuary. Lighthouse café Race for life- Walk round the big field at the back of the school with the whole school together.
Ideas to do at home:- Free of charge places to visit with the family- Alysham horse sanctuary, West Runton animal sanctuary - Go pond dipping at a local pond- if not Sheringham park has a small accessible pond. - Head out on some walks, see if you can find some animals on your travels- eg dogs, cows, sheep, horses. - If you don’t own a dog, see if you have any friend or family member that have a dog and go for a walk with them. - Read animal stories to your child- - If you have any plastic animals – hide these in different messy play items in trays to find and explore eg pasta, shaving foam, rice, water. Find some boxes and so some posting skills.