Nest & Nestlings

 

Welcome to the Nestling’s and Nest Provision.

Welcome to our page all about our SEND provision that we have built within our school here at John Gulson. We are proud of the setting and can now offer and accommodate to all our children’s needs throughout Reception, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

We encourage a positive and supportive environment for all pupils, without expectation. Pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) have the greatest need for excellent teaching and are entitled to provision that supports their achievement and enjoyment of school.

We have 5 core statements that underpin our teaching and learning within the provision. These have been researched and tested by the Education, Empowerment Foundation. These will be broken down into more detail throughout the document.

1. Create a positive and supportive environment for all pupils, without expectation.
2. Build an ongoing holistic understanding of your pupils and their needs.
3. Ensure all pupils have access to high quality teaching.
4. Complement high quality teaching with carefully selected small-group and one to one intervention.
5. Work effectively with teaching assistants.

We have devised our own curriculum in line with our continuum’s used to show progress for our children, as well as taking into consideration their needs and wants.

We work with external agencies including Complex Communication Team and SEMHL (Social, emotional, mental health and Learning) to ensure the provision we provide is high quality and purposeful. As several our children have an identification of Autism Spectrum Condition, we also use tools like ‘Attention Autism’ and an autism friendly environment to support communication along with enhanced speech and language support and a visually supportive and enabling environment.  

 

Who's Who?

 

Our Values

 

Our Learning Statements

Within our provision we have 5 core statements that underpin our teaching and learning. This helps to create the most effective, engaging and enjoyable learning environment for all children.

 

Create a positive and supportive environment for all pupils, without expectation.  

• As an inclusive school we remove barriers to learning and participation, providing an education appropriate to pupils needs. This helps us to promote high standards and fulfil the potential of ALL pupils.
• We promote positive relationships, active engagement and wellbeing for ALL our pupils.
• We ensure all pupils can access the best possible teaching.
• We have a positive and proactive approach to behaviour.

 

Build an ongoing, holistic understanding of our pupils and their needs.

• We understand individuals learning needs and use the graduated approach of access, plan, do and review.
• We assessment on a need basis rather than a one-off event, as well as seeking input from parents/carers as well as pupils themselves and other professionals involved.
• We as adults feel empowered to be able to decide about the next steps within the learning of each and every child.

 

Ensure all pupils have access to high quality teaching.

• Good teaching for pupils with SEND is good teaching for all.
• Let our qualities shine through and take advice from professionals and colleagues around us.
• We have developed flexibility in respond to our pupils needs by using; flexible groups, cognitive and metacognitive responses, explicit instruction, technology to support SEND and scaffolding.

 

Complement high quality teaching with carefully selected groups and one to one intervention. 

• Small group and one to one intervention have help overcome a barrier to learning for our SEND children.
• Planning high quality structured, targeted intervention to help with progress.

 

Work effectively with teaching assistants.

• We effectively deploy the teaching assistants within our provision to have a positive impact.
• They help to supplement learning within the classroom and use their skills best to their knowledge.

 

Nestling's

Here in the Nestling’s, we aim to ensure the best possible start for all our children at John Gulson Primary School within Early Years and Key Stage One.

We know a child’s development at this crucial stage has a fundamental impact on their happiness, school journey and shapes the young person they will become. The Foundation Stage at in the Nestling’s caters for Early Years children, year one and year two who require additional support to access education and make progress in a nurturing and purposeful environment.

We have developed a bespoke curriculum and assessment package for children with SEND and complex needs. The curriculum runs alongside Reception’s allowing us to explore creative play, take part in interactive learning as well as making our learning fun and interesting. We know that the children will not always keep to the pace of traditional learning, so it has been segmented to suit our pupils and their needs. Within Literacy we will look at a text over a three-to-six-week period allowing the children to engage, enjoy and learn the story. They will take part in the early stages of ‘Talk for Writing’ to help develop skills to communicate in a way most appropriate to them. The core of our curriculum is to help the children speak freely without needing to talk. Symbols, signing and classroom musical cues are used to create the environment needed to help them succeed. Below is an overview of what the children work on throughout their time spent within the Nestling’s.   

Our assessment tool used are branch maps, they are based on years of SEND teaching experiences as well as helping to target children who are working below expected age. This has allowed us to be able to track progress for the children as well as show pupil achievement within the Nestling’s and be able to celebrate breadth of their experiences and a range of skills.

 

 

Nest

Here in the Nest, we aim to ensure the best for all our children at John Gulson Primary School within Key Stage 2.

Within the nest we currently support the children through their key stage 2 learning in Maths, English, Phonics and other key curriculum areas. We take part in outdoor learning weekly as well as music. The children thrive in a nurtured environment whilst having their independent needs met.

 

We offer a highly individualised approach.  Individual timetables are adapted, negotiated, developed and grown over time to meet each child’s need, both social and academic, ensuring a balance of access to mainstream learning with support within the provision to develop their other holistic areas of need.  We place a huge focus on supporting and developing the children’s ability to manage their emotions, their regulation, their social skills and well-being.  To further support this, we aim to get out into the community for a variety of purposes on a regular basis. All children within the nest currently access outdoor play time with their individual classes throughout year 3,4,5 and 6 for socialisation with peers the same age of them.

 

We are working on devising a curriculum that caters for our children’s needs and individual passions. This will allow us to have a child-centred approach within the nest. We hope for the children to engage in a learning theme over the course of a half term to get a greater depth of knowledge within key areas. Lessons are planned around these themes linking to the children’s targets. We try to follow our key stage 2 themes as much as possible to allow the children to be included within classroom learning and talk with peers.

 

The children are currently assessed using our SEND continuums which break down the national curriculum into smaller steps. We currently access the children within maths, reading, writing as well as speaking and listening. We have pupil friendly versions so the children can take control of their own learning and self-access to create more opportunities for independence. We link all children’s learning to their EHCP’s or my plan targets.

 

 

Speech and Language within the Nest and Nestling's

In our provision we aim to have a total communication environment.

The total communication approach is about finding and using the right combination of communication methods for each person. This approach helps an individual to form connections, ensures successful interactions and supports information exchanges and conversations. A combination of methods is used, which reinforce each other and strengthen meaning for the individual.

Total communication is also about creating a positive environment that will help you communicate and interact. For example, this may mean:

• Changing the lighting in the room.
• Reducing the amount of background noise.
• Moving position so that you can see or hear better.
• Reducing clutter or removing things that are distracting.

Methods of communication

• Non-verbal: including body movements, breathing patterns and eye pointing. Textures, smells, temperature, intensive interaction and routine can also support communication by allowing an individual to anticipate what is going to happen next.
• Language-based communication: including speech, lip reading, giving and receiving information in large print and sign systems, Makaton. Sign systems may be independent sign, on body sign or hand under hand sign.
• Symbol systems: including using objects of reference (real objects and object symbols), Widgit, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), line drawings, pictures and photographs.

 

We also have a speech and language teaching assistant on site, as well as Speech and Language therapists who visit the children to give them individual targets. Once the children have these targets, we will use them daily within our learning to ensure we are giving them the best chance at their form of communication.

 

Sensory

 

Welcome to our sensory learning area. We have a sensory Room designed to offer our students an immersive and interactive experience like no other. This innovative space isn't just a room; it's a place of possibilities, tailored to meet the unique sensory needs of all our students. We also tailor lots of sensory experiences into the children’s daily learning.

 

Fostering Independence

At John Gulson, we believe in giving children the freedom to explore and understand their world through their senses. Students are encouraged to choose whether they require a calming or stimulating experience. For example, the room offers alternative seating arrangements, including comfy beanbag chairs and mats, offering calming spaces. However, students are also allowed to move freely and explore the resources available.

 

Our Sensory Room serves a variety of important purposes:

• Sensory Stimulation
• Multisensory Learning
• Emotional Regulation and Relaxation
• Motor Skills Development
• Cognitive Skills Development
• Social Skills Development

Within the classroom we offer lots of experiences using the children’s senses. These are planned inline with targets, curriculum and needs.