The Early Years Foundation Stage at Watling View School is made up of two classes, Buttercups and Daisies. Teaching and learning is delivered following the Early Years Foundation Curriculum, which is divided into Prime and Specific areas of learning. Prime Areas include: Communication & Language, PSED (Personal Social and Emotional Development) & Physical Development. Specific Areas include: Literacy, Maths, Understanding the World & Expressive Arts & Design. A different topic is focused on each half term and these are taken from a cycle in order to prevent repetition for the pupils.
A typical day is made up of a combination of adult directed and child initiated activities, whole class sessions and small group sessions. The classrooms consist of different areas including construction, mark making and role play and they are changed and enhanced on a regular basis.
Every child has a learning journey where their learning is recorded and annotated. This recording takes the form of observations, annotated photos, and pupils work.
Once students at Watling View School have transitioned from our Early Years classes they join Lower Middle School, which supports children from Year 3 to Year 9 across 6 classes; Daffodils, Tulips, Poppies, Bluebells, Sunflowers and Adventurers. We follow a broad and engaging thematic curriculum which rolls on a 3 year programme including motivating and sensory led topics such as ‘The Circus’, ‘Land, Sea and Sky’ and ‘Carnival’. Lower Middle School aims to prepare children and young people with the knowledge and skills they need in a fast changing world through a rounded education and a wide range of opportunities. We believe every child has the right to be as independent as possible so skills to develop, enable and support our children and young people are taught within our curriculum and in everyday activities, expectations and opportunities.
The school’s assessment programme of ‘Child on a Page’ supports this curriculum and the ImPACTS curriculum to measure and record all steps of progress for our students and young people alongside their aspirations, EHCP targets and any additional learning opportunities they have accessed. Lower Middle School prides itself on supporting the school’s values of a Total Communication approach to our teaching and learning. The curriculum is developed and delivered through careful planning and assessment of individual needs.
Throughout Lower Middle School children are encouraged to develop and consolidate their skills and learning from Early Years. We access Forest School on a rotational programme at Cherry Lodge Farm. Each Friday afternoon we participate in Leisure Learning.
Additional opportunities offered in Lower Middle School include horse-riding, rebound therapy, onsite hydro-therapy and offsite swim sessions, weekly topic and life skill related community visits, residential visits for extending periods of time and yoga. Curriculum Theme Days happen throughout the school year as well as exciting themed celebration assemblies and whole school events with the Upper School including Sports Day, World Book Day, Charity Days, Winter Sports Morning and Sibling Morning.
If you’d like any more information about Lower Middle School please don’t hesitate to get in touch.