Welcome to Elm

Instructor - Elm Rachel Sanders
Photo of Rachel Sanders

Welcome to Elm Class!! 😃

We are a group of 7 pupils aged from 8-19 years. We have  6/7 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  use the engagement model  which we follow alongside all of our own EHCP learning outcomes  to helps us to meet all of our learning needs. We have a  spacious classroom . Within this room we have a lovely sensory corner which we love to spend time in., an area to be out on the floor on mats , space to do our switch work and also an area to get very messy. 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.

Autumn Term 1 2021 Timetable

Autumn Term 1 2021 Curriculum Info for parents: Topic - Senses (focus on hands & feet)
Subject
CreativeUsing hands and feet, pupils will explore paint, salt dough and have massages with crafty items
Exploration/ Messy Play/ Problem Solving/ Light Work/Hearing Work. Messy play activities – tuff trays of items/material to explore. - Gloop- different spoons, sieves. - Shaving foam- finding hidden objects. (animals/shapes) Creative/smells Painting with homemade spices- vanilla, turmeric, ginger, chilli, cinnamon mixed spices in some paint and mark make on paper. Exploration- - finger paints with textures mixed – mark making on paper. - Playdough / saltdough or clay – exploring feel, texture, rolling out, squeezing, making ball, sausage shapes, using shape cutters. - Exploration tubs Problem solving - Puzzles- body, people., shapes - Shape sorters - Puzzle switch connected to switch toy. - Rice- pouring activities with cups, jugs . Light work Light box- exploring sand – mark making. Hearing - Exploring a range of instruments. - Different containers – using rice, pasta, lentils to make create different sounds.
MusicEach week we will be making music using our hands and feet, by using the sound beam and instruments
CookingIn cooking each week we will be making a different loaf of bread, from banana bread to cheese bread, letting pupils explore their senses whilst cooking
Stories & BooksSensory stories – in the sensory room – going on a bear hunt and peace at last. Massage stories - Bear in the Sunshine, The journey, We’re going on a bear hunt.
Ideas for at homeDo massage Explore different materials and textures with hands and feet. Paint with hands and feet. Use a foot spa Go out on walks to local parks, national trust places see what they can see, hear, smell , feel. Take home leaves, twigs and make collages, paint mark make with these. Add natural senses to paints and paint with these. Have different trays with rice, cooked rice, pasta, cooked pasta feel these with both hands and feet what reactions do you get. Make some sensory bags Hang balloons blown up with bells in them see if your child will reach out to them to hit, do they react when they hit them, hear the bells.