Panda Class

Panda Class is St George's mainstream SEND Hub. It is a specialist provision for children with additional needs. In Autumn 2 we had our first transition sessions and our first group of Panda children accessing the provision on a more full time basis.

In Panda class, teaching and learning will involve lots of playing and exploring, use of visuals (Widgits) to support understanding and develop communication alongside provision to support sensory needs. The classroom routine is specially designed to support children with a variety of needs. Please see the poster below for more information on strategies we use in Panda class.

Summer Term 1 Update

This half-term, children will engage in a topic based around the story The Little Red Hen, supporting learning across all areas of the provision. Through listening to, retelling, and innovating the story, children will develop key skills in Communication and Language and Literacy, including early writing, storytelling, and understanding how to write and follow simple instructions. Activities such as baking and sequencing will provide opportunities to apply Mathematics through counting, measuring, and ordering. Learning about farms, animals, planting and where food comes from will develop Understanding of the World. The theme of cooperation within the story will support Personal, Social and Emotional Development, particularly turn-taking, sharing, and understanding fairness. Children will also explore creative expression through role play, art, and design activities linked to the story, while developing fine motor skills through writing and practical tasks, supporting Physical Development.

Our R.E topic is 'Special things and special places' - we will being to understand what 'special' is when we think about objects that are our favourite or make us feel happy, we will explore places that are important to us as well as places of worship and begin to identify what happens in them.

As the weather is improving, we are able to access the outdoors more to develop gross motor skills and sensory play in our temporary outdoor space. We are hoping to have an update on when construction on our new outdoor area space will begin - watch this space!

Spring Term Update

In the Spring term, we will continue to develop communication and language skills through the use of Widgits, bucket time and communication boards. We are developing our Phonics skills using Read, Write Inc.

In English, we are learning the stories 'The Rainbow Fish' and 'Meerkat Mail' and using these as part of our topic on animals. We will develop writing skills based on individual needs whilst using Dough Disco and Squiggle Whilst You Wiggle to develop fine motor skills, hand strength and control to enable children to be able to write comfortably. Children who are ready will complete daily handwriting practise.

In Maths, we are following White Rose Maths, developing skills and understanding based on individual needs using lots of songs, rhymes and concrete resources to support understanding. Some children will use concrete resources alongside to support more formal Mathematical understanding.

Our main topic is animals. We will be learning about different types of animals, where they live and how to care for them. We will use our creative skills to learn about colour mixing, shades and painting. We will continue to develop our social skills through turn taking and sharing activities as well as group play activities.

A range of additional interventions will be completed depending on a child's EHCP targets and individual needs. These interventions include (but are not limited to): colourful semantics, communication boards, fine motor skills, First Move for gross motor skills, bucket time, 1:1 Phonics tutoring and daily letter and number formation practise.

Panda Class Staff are:

Mrs Burrows (Class Teacher)