Welcome to R Class! 

R Class is one class with three main learning pathways: Exploratory KS1, Exploratory KS2 and Building Independence.

Children who access the exploratory pathway have a higher level of need. Our learning includes highly engaging activities in order to develop early communication and personal care skills. Sessions, which are heavily child-led, focus on sensory needs and exploration.

Children who access the building independence pathway are beginning to build their skills in regulation and attention to complete more adult-directed tasks. Sessions aim to develop functional skills such as listening, communicating and developing relationships for children to become more independent. Learning is interactive, multi-sensory and focused on children’s interests to ensure participation. 

We emphasise the importance of communication skills, social interaction,  self-regulation, physical development as well as the foundations for mathematical understanding and literacy skills. Pupils are working towards individual learning outcomes which are developed, set and supported by the class teacher, SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) and other professionals,  including speech and language therapists and occupational therapists.

Autumn Term  Curriculum

Exploratory Pathway 

Each term, we have a theme that is designed to engage and excite the children. This term, our theme is all about lights and electricity. Children will explore this topic through engaging activities linked to festivals that celebrate light as well as through simple scientific experiments. These experiences will be shared and developed during Bucket Time (Attention Autism) sessions, supporting engagement, attention, and communication within our provision.

To enrich our curriculum, we use a range of core texts delivered through sensory resources and activities. Familiar fairy tales such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs, and The Gingerbread Man will be explored alongside the Elmer stories, which will support our learning about weather. 

Sensory Development

Children in this pathway will have learning brought to life with multi-sensory experiences and chances to explore in a child-led way. Every day the children will have a range of high-quality interventions to meet their sensory-seeking needs including sensory stories, sensory circuits, Attention Autism (bucket time) and more.

Language Development 

There are many opportunities for children to develop their language throughout the day, from our hello routine in the morning to role play activities and enjoying stories in class. We encourage children to use a sign-along or a core vocabulary board, if necessary, to support their communication. Children in R Class also have a personalised language curriculum that is developed by NHS Speech and Language Therapists and implemented in our weekly timetable.

Each day, an adult will use Box Clever intervention techniques to model and encourage language development.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Everyday, children are supported with developing their PSED through carefully planned activities such as calming time, self- regulation breaks and turn taking. 

Children will be supported to manage their emotional regulation and interactions with others throughout the school day. They will develop their social skills by being supported with interacting with peers and sharing their learning space with others.

Physical Development

R Class have PE on Thursdays - please make sure children are wearing appropriate clothes to participate in physical activity - e.g. jogging trousers or leggings and a t-shirt. 

BEAM

We will be following the BEAM program this half term; this helps children to build their core muscles and coordination.

Sensory circuit

Each day, our children engage in a sensory circuit that develops their gross motor control. It is a programme which focuses on ‘alerting, organisation and calming’ to enable children to focus concentration in readiness for the day’s learning. The circuit also encourages the development of the child’s sensory processing skills.

Fine motor development

Children will be participating in tactile exploration to develop their mark making, threading and cutting skills through a range of creative, messy and writing activities.

Cooking 

Each week, children will have the opportunity to make a range of sweet and savoury food. They focus on developing key skills such as chopping, grating, mixing and rolling. 

We also learn about healthy foods, food hygiene and safety in a kitchen (we do our weekly learning in the school’s DT room). The children take home their food each week to encourage discussion and celebration with parents and carers. Look out for delicious dishes every Wednesday and please return the containers.

Early Maths

In R Class we have maths activities that children access throughout the school day during continuous provision. They will also work with an adult to support them on a focused maths activity such as: 

• Numeral recognition
• Counting with 1:1 correspondence
• Sorting objects
• Developing our spatial awareness

Early Writing

To develop children’s fine motor skills and early writing understanding, we have a range of writing opportunities throughout the school day. The children are encouraged and supported to complete at least one of these tasks each day and we ensure there is a variety of engaging activities to choose from.

Early Reading

Where appropriate, some of our children follow the pre-phonics or phonics programme (using RWI) which is the first part of learning to read. Each week, some children will explore new sounds. We also sing lots of songs that help the children develop their sound knowledge and understanding. Each child has a Reading Eggs login that is a fantastic online programme to help them learn their sounds. Please talk to Ms Rahman for more information about your child's specific reading curriculum. 

You can visit our subject pages to find out more about how we learn across the curriculum at Sheringham.

Educational visits

Each year, we organise a range of educational visits and enrichment experiences to enhance children's learning. For different pathways and age groups, this may include going to the park, swimming lessons, visiting the farm, going to the shops and taking public transport to visit buildings and areas of interest, among many other things!

Important information 

Snack and water bottles 

Fruit and bagels are provided for children in school but you are welcome to still provide a healthy snack of your child's choice.

 As we head into the colder month of the year, please make sure children have a warm coat every day and wear appropriate footwear.

Homework 

We provide children with Reading Eggs and Numbots accounts so that they can access them from home. Please talk to your child's teacher for advise on how to use these subscriptions.

Children also borrow a book each week and we would love for families to spend time enjoying the stories together. 

Each half term, we send home a 'home project' with activity ideas for the holidays.