Welcome to Elm

Instructor - Elm Rachel Sanders
Photo of Rachel Sanders

Welcome to Elm Class!! 😃

We are a group of 6 pupils aged from 14-19 years. We have 5/6 members of staff working with us each day as we all have very high medical, physical and sensory needs. All our learning is done via a total sensory and communication approach. We have our own tailored PMLD curriculum and assessment which we follow that helps us to meet all of our learning needs. We have a very spacious classroom which is sectioned into different learning areas. Within this room we have a lovely sensory corner which we love to spend time in. We love to get out and about in the community and mixing around the school with others, we have lots of fun and our staff members help us to feel very happy, relaxed and safe when we are with them. We enjoy activities such as trips out, Hydrotherapy, switch work, rebound therapy, sensory stories, Art, Cooking, music, sensory room sessions, massage sessions, problem solving, exploration and communication work.

Spring term 1 Timetable

 

Spring Term 1Curriculum Info for parents
SubjectSession focus for this half-term - Weather
Community Awareness All depending on the weather this half term- The pupils will head out on some planned trips which will be linked to our topic Weather. They will visit a local café for some socialising in the community and smelling all the hot food and drinks and engaging in a activity which you can do on a cold winters day, They will head to a local park to fly kites/windsocks and go for a walk along the prom to listen to the rough sea. We will also visit a local adult day care setting for some social time and to join in some indoor activities.
CommunicationThe pupils will be encouraged to make choices and take turns in a group session. They will use big mack switches to take part in a weather report this will mean going outside unless the weather is absolutely ghastly, so please send in warm outer clothing on a Tuesday this half term. Inside we will continue to use a range of communication approaches including on body signing. The pupils will hear stories read aloud about weather and the affects of weather, these will have sensory experiences to go with them linking to other lessons.
Problem SolvingThe pupils will be exploring a range of activities this half term based on tracking skills/fine motor skills and exploring sounds. Room darkened - some tracking activities with light up objects/Shiny objects/visual objects. Using the Beactive box/ A frame set up with some items linked to weather eg wind socks, rainsticks, colourful rainbow ribbons etc to reach out to and explore with their hands. . Exploring a range of Musical instruments/ boxes of junk with rice/lentils in to make instruments or sounds that sound like the weather eg hail Boxes with lids that are different shape and sizes, lids with handles etc. that pupils can explore and open.
Social and Emotional The pupils will be exploring some simple yoga and relaxation routines during sensory time on a Friday.
CreativeThe pupils will be making a weather mobile, rainsticks, windsocks, windmills, kites and snow pictures etc. The pupils will use a range of collage materials, art mediums to make a range of different pieces of art worked linked to the weather.
Exploration The pupils will explore a range of everyday items associated with different weathers, woolly hats and sunhats, gloves, scarves and sunglasses. They will also be experiencing different warm and cold things such as hot water bottles, wheat pillows and hot chocolate or ice cream, iced drinks and cool blocks.
MusicThe pupils will be listening to weather songs and joining in with singing using instruments and switches. The class will go to the music room for lessons so that pupils experience working in different areas of the school.
CookingThis half term the pupils will explore making different flavoured homemade soups and using switches linked to blenders to blend up the soup. They will Explore a range of different vegetables cooked/uncooked/ solid / mashed/ pureed textures of the vegetables. The pupils will experience the movement of cutting and peeling vegetables. They will also explore different sizes, weights of vegetables.
Ideas for at home - To wrap up and head out for a walk in your local parks/towns. - Make a rainstick/ wind sock. - Make some homemade soup – Let your child to feel the ingredients / let them to cut/grate chop up the food. - Read stories based on weather. - Visit a local café.