Willow – Sheringham Woodfields School

Welcome to Willow

Teacher Cate Sadler-Barker

Welcome to Willow Class!

We are a semi-formal KS3 class of eight pupils aged 11 – 14. We use a wide range of multi sensory approaches to support our learning. We also use a total communication approach, to support all our learners in understanding and expressing their hopes, wishes, needs and feelings. Alongside following a wide range of curriculum subjects, we are starting to learn more about independence and personal safety, especially whilst out and about in the community.

We go out on trips every Wednesday to support this. These include visits to the supermarket to buy our daily snacks, areas where we can improve upon our fine and gross motor skills, alongside keeping healthy, public places related to our specific interests, such as animal sanctuaries and cafes. During these trips we will work on our functional literacy and maths skills, including reading labels/signs, money and other measurement skills, alongside personal safety, e.g. road crossing, stranger danger, general hazards and risks, and communication.

Willow timetable – Spring 2 – 25/26

Spring Term 25/26	Curriculum Information for parents
Strand and Profile	Profiles in Class	Learning at home
Communication and Literacy	Our Talk4Writing text this term is ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’ by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe. We will immerse ourselves in lots of exciting experiences to support our learning around this book, including some goat/bridge crossing and building inspired adventures. We will also try to recall some parts of the story using our ‘5 sentence story’, including working on our total communication skills. We will continue 1:1 reading and selecting books to read for pleasure in our library session. We will be looking for books on to support our work in other lessons. We will also have our daily phonics sessions, many of which will support our sensory needs. This will be alongside our weekly Phonics story, where will be focus on our sound of the week. During our weekly trip we will be learning to develop our functional literacy skills by looking at signs that help us to keep safe and ones that give us information, e.g. roads signs, offers in the shops.	When you are out and about do you go over any bridges? Can you build at bridge at home for your toys to go over? How do the goats feel when they are going over the bridge in the story? How do your toys feel going over your bridge? All children will take a Twinkl Phonics reading book home. Please read it together and let me know when you would like to change it for another one (it is a good idea to read it a few times to encourage confidence). What signs do you see when you are out and about? How can this sign help us? Can you see any sounds when you are at home or out in the community? For example on car number plates, logos, brand names.
Mathematics and Problem Solving	We will be working on our number skills. Each lesson pupils will complete a carousel of practical activities to support their learning in these areas. During our weekly trips we will be counting items such as bananas, oranges. birds, steps etc. when at the playground and shops.	When shopping can you count some items? Or can you count your toys going over the bridge you have made? How many yellow cars can you spot when travelling in the car/on the bus/walking?
Personal Development	We will be learning we will be learning how to keep clean. This will include personal hygiene (hands, face & teeth) as well as our environment clean. It will included hoovering, sweeping up, washing & drying up.	At home encourage jobs that will help with keeping own personal space clean such as helping with the washing up, drying up, emptying bins, helping with the laundry,
Physical Development	We will be having swimming lessons at The Reef this half term. Pupils will be learning to build up their confidence and learning new skills when in the water.	Do you go swimming with your family? Can you show them the new skills you have learnt at The Reef? Can you get your swimming bag ready for our lessons at the Reef? What will you need?
Understanding the World - History	In History we will be looking at Voyages of Discovery (1509 – 1745). Our focus will be Francis Drake. It will give us the opportunity to understand how travel was different then to today & understand what Britain gained from voyages of discovery	When at home look at the variety of herbs & spices that you may have. Smell them & use them. Research which country did they originally come from & how long ago.
Understanding the World - RE	There will be an RE day linked with Christianity - Easter. We will be looking at the traditional story of Easter, as well as modern day symbolism and fun.	When at home think about the symbols that are linked with Easter. Can you make a list or collage? It could start with Spring chicks & flowers representing new life. Taste a hot cross bun.
Expression and Creativity - Art	In Art we will be taking inspiration from Kandinsky. We will be exploring colour and line in a variety of materials and learning to link colour with emotion.	What is your favourite colour? What colours do you notice in the home? When out and about? How do these colours make you feel?
Preparing for Adult Life	This half term we will be going on trips to support our understanding of how to be safe when out of school. We will also be working on our English and Maths functional skills. This will include shopping for our class snacks and paying for them. We will visit playgrounds to explore different exercise equipment and improve our general fitness and learn more about how to safe when in public places.	Can you help chose some health snacks when shopping? Can you help pay for them? Can you visit some playgrounds and explore some different fitness equipment. Can you cross the roads safely? Can you be a good pedestrian? What rules do you need to follow to keep safe when out and about?
Cooking	We will have the opportunity to use the Learning Kitchen on a regular basis. It will include health, safety & hygiene found within the kitchen. Life skills will include preparing self & area for cooking as well as cleaning up & tidying away.	When at home students can practise skills such as wiping down the kitchen surfaces; washing up, drying up, putting utensils & cutlery away – all linked with increasing independence.
Personalised Learning Goals	In this session we will be working on our EHCP targets. Pupils will have the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities to support their current PLGs (Personal Learning Goals).	Look at your current PLGs (please ask Miss S-B if you would like a copy of these to be sent home). Which ones could you work on at home? Do you need any resources to support you with this? Please ask the adults in class for anything that you may need.
	We would love to hear about anything that you have done at home and celebrate this with the class. Please email any photos to Miss S-B or pop a note in the diary.