Welcome to Shells

Teacher - Rowan Victoria Gotts
Photo of Victoria Gotts

Welcome to Shells!

We are a class of 6 energetic children and 6 adults who love to play!  We use total communication throughout the day and are learning how to express our needs and wishes.

We learn best through hands on experiences, including outside learning, finding out about food and sensory play.

We really enjoy the routine of our day,  and the individual sensory input that is so important to each of us.

Shells symbol timetable – Spring Term 1 – 25/26

 

Spring Term 1 25/26Topic: We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
Strand and ProfileProfiles in ClassIdeas for Home
Communication and LiteracyOur Talk for Writing text this half term will be We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. In our literacy session in the sensory room we will be doing a Bear Hunt sensory story. After a few weeks, some pupils will start work on the imitation phase in a small group in the classroom. We will continue to have a weekly library slot. Please send in your child’s book bag on a Tuesday so that they can swap their books each week. We will continue to have a weekly communication session where we will work 1to1 on individual PLGs and SaLT outcomes as well as focus vocabulary from our TfW text. You could visit your local library to borrow some different books to read together. Please let me know if you’d like me to send you a copy of your child’s most recent SaLT outcomes.
Mathematics and Problem SolvingIn our weekly maths session we will be starting by singing number songs together and then we will explore different activities linked to mathematical schemas. In our cause and effect sessions we will be working on our cause and effect skills with iPads, touch screens, switch toys and cause and effect toys. You could hide a teddy bear for your child and use positional language such as ‘on’ ‘in’ ‘under’ with your child as you hunt for the bear.
Personal DevelopmentWe will be working on our social skills through a weekly ball pool session and though play in the classroom and out in the playground. We will end our week with some massage and relaxation in the classroom, doing a Going on a Bear Hunt story massage and Handy Pac.You could have a go at some massage with your child at home. Search ‘Hafod Lon sensory massage’ on YouTube for some massage routines that are easy to follow along with.
Physical Development In PE we are going to be exploring the soft play equipment, working on balance and coordination, going over, under and through. We will have a weekly Fine Motor Skills session when we will do a Bear Hunt routine with play dough and work on our fine motor skills with various different toys and activities. You could go to your local park and encourage your child to move over, under and through the equipment.
Understanding the WorldIn our exploration sessions we will be doing messy play linked to the settings in our text – We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. You could make a sensory tray to explore, e.g. edible mud (cocoa powder, cornflour and water) or edible snow (desiccated coconut and shaved ice)
Expression and CreativityEach week in art we will be making art linked to our story. In our weekly music lesson in the sensory room we will be doing a We’re Going on a Bear Hunt sound story. This will involve drums to create a steady beat for the repeated phrases and different instruments and sound makers to create sounds linked to the different settings in the story. You could use sticks and pine cones to print a forest picture using green and brown paints.
Personalised Learning We will be working on our individual Personal Learning Goals throughout the day as well as having a weekly lesson to focus on working towards our PLGs. Please let me know if you’d like me to send you a copy of your child’s current PLGs.