Owl Class

Intent:

We have developed a central teaching provision at Alphington Primary School to enhance the learning and wellbeing experiences of all of the children in our care. The emphasis of Owl class, is to continue to support children’s learning and wellbeing through excellent teaching, that is tailored, creative and rigorous. There will be a focus on the teaching of core English and Maths skills, alongside the learning of other key skills. We aim to support the inclusion, engagement and outcomes for all children and young people with a particular focus on those who are vulnerable, or not meeting their full potential particularly with their cognition and learning.

Implementation:

This is a morning-based provision with children returning to their home class in the afternoon, to ensure they have the full breadth of the curriculum alongside keeping their social groups. The majority of the pupils in this provision will have an EHCP and/or be working at least two years outside of their chronological age. Within Owls, there is a high adult to pupil ratio and staff are skilled in the delivery of specialised provision.

There will be a maximum of 15 children in the Owl Class. If it is considered that a child’s needs would best be met by the provision in Owl Class, then the headteacher and SENCo would work in partnership with other staff and parents to implement this.

However, the final decision about the appropriateness of this provision will remain with the school. The teaching and learning experiences in Owl Class will be based on rigorous assessments bespoke to individuals and will be designed and delivered based on our school emphasis on quality first teaching. The bespoke elements will sit within the areas of the targeted and specialist provision under the graduated response.

Impact:

Owl class will evolve and change over time based on the needs of our children. Its impact will be monitored by the teaching staff in the class alongside members of the senior leadership team, home class teachers and parents. Seeking the view of children will also be an important part of this process.

As needs change so will the way we work, to ensure we are offering the very best for all of our children.

The Hub

Intent:

As a school, we understand that children’s wellbeing has a direct bearing on their capacity to succeed in school. Secure relationships and a sense of belonging, are key to success for all children and essential for those who have experienced relational losses and/or trauma. We are also aware that the waiting lists for external support from wider agencies have significantly grown within the last two years, leading us to develop a central wellbeing hub. The purpose of the provision is to provide appropriate wellbeing support and intervention for young people who may face numerous challenges for a variety of different reasons. Our provision focuses primarily on nurturing and supporting children with being in the right emotional space to feel safe, secure and happy.

Implementation:

During the afternoons, The Hub will support the wellbeing and mental health of all children in our school community. There will be a range of therapeutic approaches on offer such as outdoor learning, Lego Therapy, Fun Fit, Drawing and Talking Therapy. These will run alongside interventions that support the development of practical skills, as well as social and emotional wellbeing.

These sessions will be timetabled to ensure they support children in the best possible way. Referral forms will be completed by staff and passed on to our Inclusion Teams to ensure children are offered the most appropriate intervention. Some children will access The Hub for other reasons including drop-in sessions for those children who need a little extra support to feel comfortable in their learning.

Impact:

The wellbeing Hub will evolve and change over time, based on the needs of our children. Its impact will be monitored by the teaching staff in the class, alongside members of the senior leadership team, home class teachers and parents. Seeking the view of children will also be an important part of this process.

As needs change so will the way that we work to ensure that we are offering the very best for all of our children.