Squirrel Class Information
Squirrels Class – EYFS & KS1
The children in Squirrels follow a bespoke Early Learning Curriculum which supports the learning and development of children in their early years.
It provides intentional, meaningful and purposeful activities which help the children move forward in their learning.
Underpinning everything is a focus on the development of speech, language and communication strategies, with thorough monitoring and assessment to plan next steps.
Our interventions deliver a carefully structured programme of activities using evidence and researched based approaches.
These include:
- Intensive Interaction (delivered with advice and support of a speech and language therapist)
- Attention Autism
- Communication Books
- Makaton Sign
- Identiplay (play based intervention)
- Sensory Circuits
- 1:1 and group Speech and Language Intervention (delivered by Magic Words)
A typical day in Squirrel Class may include:
Morning:
- Settling in and free play.
- Morning song, topic song
- Bucket time (Attention Autism)
- Learning through play session focussed on communication and social skills.
- Snack time
- Learning through play focussed on Intensive Interaction
- Soft play
- Lunch
Afternoon:
- Outdoor play in the courtyard
- Free play indoor and out
- Playground
- Sensory based activities
- Snack time
- Free play- songs and rhymes
- Home time
Squirrels Class
Our teacher is Miss Cavanagh
*****
Our teaching assistants are Miss Lason, Mrs Mahmood, Mrs Stephenson, Miss Lindsay
Here's what we'll be covering this term in Squirrels Class
English
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This term, we will be focussing on Colour, Light and Shadows. We will start by introducing our younger children to colour rhymes and our older children will be sharing the story “Pete the Cat – I love my white shoes.” This story explores colours and also uses lots of repetitive language, which will encourage the children to join in with the text. The book relies on rhythm and rhyme, which will engage the children. In the book, Pete the cat walks through strawberries and blueberries, and we will be exploring fruit using our senses, hopefully encouraging the children to touch, smell and eventually try a taste of these. We will model the vocabulary needed to describe these experiences. We will be learning Core Words, introducing the children to key words and using these in play and conversation. Some children will be playing games matching core word symbols and some will trace over the words. We will begin with the words “go” and “stop”, which are both regularly used in school and can be consolidated in play. |
Maths
In Maths, we will be introducing the children to Numicon, a resource that represents numbers and quantities. We will start by matching and sorting them, before then matching the Numicon to numbers. This will help our pre-verbal children demonstrate their understanding of numbers, even though they are unable to tell us.
We will also be exploring “time” by bringing their attention to the visual timetable and linking this to the time of day it is. We will also talk about day and night and encourage the children to sleep at night time. We will be thinking about the vocabulary of time, including; morning, afternoon, day, night, now and next. We will link time to the events from our story by ordering what happened first, next and then. We will encourage the children to wait, by using the word and sign for “later”.
Topics that we will be covering across the half-term
Other subject areas will be covered through our Colour, Light and Shadow theme and will be explored through Sensory Play.
Science – we will learn about Autumn by exploring natural objects using all our senses. We will then be using torches to explore lights and shadows. We will use the torches to play hide and seek and investigate which materials let the light through.
PSHE – we will be thinking about our feelings and linking these to the emotions of characters in stories. We will also be encouraging children to use communication boards when they are dysregulated, so that they can communicate their wants and needs. We will promote co-regulation by diverting the children’s attention using resources that each individual.
Art – we will use Kandinsky as an inspiration. We will use collage techniques to arrange geometric shapes. This will then lead us to creating pictures on the computer.
RE – we will be celebrating religious holidays including Diwali and Christmas, and we will also join in with special days such as Remembrance Day and Children In Need day.
Music – we are once again teaming up with English National Opera to enable the children to create a class composition. This year, we are exploring the theme of “Planting A Seed.”
PE
We have PE every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
This year we will be having three shorter PE sessions on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The children will not need a PE kit.
In PE lessons, we will continue to encourage the children to follow simple movement instructions through action games and rhymes. We will also be focusing on dance, supporting the children to move to the beat.
We will be helping the children to develop their fine motor skills through threading and posting activities. They will use a range of equipment for mark making and older children will look at letter formation.
Homework
Please share the videos that are added to Dojo, to allow your children to become familiar with the stories, rhymes and signs we will be using each week. Don’t forget to use your Core Word Boards at home. These will be sent home with the new children, when it is appropriate. Some children will also bring home reading books
Planned Trips
Not applicable
Dates for your diary
Please look at Dojo every day for all the exciting activities and events that are being planned for your children.