Welcome to Squirrel Class

STAFF

The class teacher for Squirrels is Jane Keese 

The teaching assistants are : Val, Ruth, Steph, Mel and Judith  

CURRICULUM

 .

We do lots of learning both in and out of the classroom. We enjoy learning through play and enjoy free flow activities, group activities as well as individual activities working towards our targets.

Lessons and learning are delivered through a multisensory approach that considers pupils individual learning styles. We use a Total Communication approach: Objects of Reference, Signing, symbols, photos, PECS). We use visual, auditory cues to aid transition and help pupils develop their understanding of their school day.

We are excited to be working in partnership with parents  to ensure each and every child in Squirrels achieves the very best that they can! You will receive a weekly  newsletter sent home every Friday  recapping on our busy week.

• We request a contribution of £2 per week to go towards purchasing items for our sensory food sessions and snack where applicable. Any money should be sent into school in a clearly labelled envelope and can be paid on a weekly or half termly basis. Whenever possible we will send home what we have made for you to try and we welcome your feedback !
• Please keep us up to date with any important information via class dojo - we love hearing from you! We will be sure to do the same 

                                 Don't forget to check our page regularly  for updated  information and photos.

If you have any questions at all, message using the Class Dojo app or contact the school office. 

Below is a description of activities we do in Squirrel class

Dance Massage

Dance massage is movement to music. We create a soundtrack of (usually modern/pop) songs linking to the topic and deliver different gentle massage movements for each one. We always play the songs in the same order to allow for anticipation.

We repeat the same Dance Massage workout once each week for a half term. A new half term means a new tracklist

Sensology

During a Sensology workout we emphasise sensory stimulation, covering the five basic senses; see, hear, touch, smell, taste and the movement related sensory systems; vestibular and proprioception. There are repeated phrases used throughout and pupils are alerted to the sense we will be working on through touch.

1. We begin with a familiar song ‘Hello…how are you?’ and encourage looking in the mirror. We then encourage communication of how we are feeling. The response does not have to be ‘happy.’
2. I have a body… Proprioception and vestibular input
3. Eyes to see
4. Ears to hear
5. Skin to touch
6. Mouth to taste, talk, smile (as appropriate to pupil)

Our Sensology routines are repeated once each week for a half term, using resources linking to the current topic. A new half term means a new set of resources.

Sensory Story

During sensory story we use stimulating resources to bring to life a story or short poem. We read out a short section of the story then explore the resources linking to this part.

We repeat each Sensory Story once a week for the duration of a half term to allow pupils to become familiar with the story and so that they can begin to anticipate the different parts and corresponding resources.

Story Massage

Story Massage involves the use of simple movements (given through clothes), associated with words that help to build up an engaging and interactive story or poem. This can be an effective way to deliver sensory input whilst developing basic literacy skills. It is also a good alternative way to deliver old favourites such as songs and nursery rhymes.

Tac Time

During this session each piece of music is represented by a tactile object and helps to align all of the senses. Movements are made across the body in time with the music. In a typical session, pieces of music will begin at a slow pace, then build and become more dramatic before calming again to finish.  

We repeat this session, with the same set of resources, once a week for a half term to familiarise the pupils with the music and tactile objects. Some key things we look out for in this session are anticipation and consistency in responses to stimuli.

Music

Our music sessions are planned and delivered by our wonderful music therapist Georgina. 

Georgina uses a range of stimulating resources, instruments and a mixture of new and familiar songs throughout.

Music is a great session for turn taking, interacting with others, using fine and gross motor skills and self expression. It is one of our favourite sessions of the week!

Sensory Food

Within our sensory food sessions, we love to explore the textures, smells and tastes of different foods, communicating our feelings about them. Our sessions can get very messy and the outcome rarely looks like it does on the recipe but that's all part of the fun! We love be as independent as possible, using switch activated technology and encourage as much movement as we can when holding, mixing, chopping and feeling our ingredients. We also explore sizes and quantities within these sessions.

Messy Play

Our messy play sessions are physical communication sessions in which we encourage choice making and maximum independent input from our pupils. They are the perfect opportunity to work on our gross and fine motor skills and as far as we are concerned, the messier the better! Messy play  sessions are more about the experience than the finished product and we incorporate as many different methods and resources as possible, making it a multi-sensory experience.

Swimming

Swimming is a very important part of our school week. Within this session we access the school hydrotherapy pool to work on individual targets. These targets could be communication targets or physical goals which the physio team help to set for us. 

Atmospherics

Atmospherics uses a combination of music, colour, fragrance and fabrics to stimulate the senses within a relaxed environment.

Aims:

Give opportunities for pupils to differentiate.

Encourage relaxation.

Spatial awareness.

Offer non-invasive touch.

Improve confidence.

Offer a positive experience.

Link to individual curriculum targets.

The Session: 

Occurs in a semi-dark room in a group situation.

Pupils are encouraged to become comfortable, using mats, beanbags, pillows, etc.

Everyone is welcomed and given opportunity to contribute to the session by making a sound.

A light on the mirror ball gives white spots of light and white fabric with no infused smell is wafted (touching the skin where possible) over the group to start the session, in between each colour and to end the session

Coloured fabric infused with a fragrance is slowly drawn from head to foot in turn

Coloured light and music is used to correspond with the coloured fabrics

The session ends with a positive praise of the whole group.