Welcome to class 2 – class teacher, Liberty Cheetham-Blythe

In class 2 children access a bespoke curriculum which helps them to achieve their goals and targets. This means we focus on the core curriculum areas of my communication, my personal, social, and emotional development (PSED), and my thinking and problem solving as well as my creativity and the world about me.

Our class follows an early years foundation model (EYFS) with a focus on learning through play and using our senses to explore the world around us.

The academy day

Morning

The day begins with children being greeted by a member of staff when getting off the minibus. Once in class each child works on their independence skills, this includes encouraging children to find their coat pegs, hanging up there bags and/or coats. Children get ready to learn by engaging in gross motor and sensory diet activities in our outdoor play area. This may be bouncing on the trampette, rolling on the peanut ball, or going on the climbing frame.

Our morning hello session focuses on developing communication, turn-taking and social interaction skills by saying good morning to each other and helping the children to recognise their classmates. Through songs, the children learn about the days, months, and weather and work on their numeracy skills.

Outdoor play provides opportunities for developing turn-taking and sharing toys with classmates as well as time for fresh air and a physical movement break. During outdoor play children engage in personal care routines, which improve their self-help skills.

Morning snack is a time to focus on communication and PSED, we encourage the children to make requests for food through their chosen form of communication and to participate in sitting and eating together as a group.

Morning lessons typically include engaging songs and hands-on sensory, play-based learning activities. All children have individual targets to meet, with achievements celebrated through lots of smiles, cheers, and verbal praise. Our singing session follows lesson time where children develop communication by using a symbol choice board to request their favourite topic-based song supporting our phonics, literacy and numeracy work.

Lunch time

At lunch children expand their food experiences by trying school dinners and have packed lunches filled with their favourite food. Lunchtime is followed by play and personal care time. During lunch playtime, children can explore the different areas of our continuous provision play area, which is both indoor and outdoor. They focus on developing and expanding their play within the different areas (small world toys, books, puzzles, construction, music, discovery, sand play).

Afternoon

After playtime, We start with relaxation during this we work on personal care skills (hand washing, teeth brushing), music, and movement. The afternoon lesson typically is a creative session, with a snack and movement break outside. The day finishes with a music session with topic-based songs and then reflection with quiet sensory music and lights.

Home time

All children are supported with transfers from their class equipment into their home chairs, their belongings are all put together and they are supported onto the bus home.

Assemblies and star of the week

We join the whole school assemblies on Monday mornings, where we join in the school prayer and share weekend news, and Friday afternoons, in which we celebrate our star of the week and learn about the week’s special event.