Literacy

Students at Baytree follow our Baytree school literacy curriculum and work on individual targets in their learning sessions.

Reading at Baytree

At Baytree School, reading and enjoying books is an important part of all children’s learning and development. A range of books and stories are always available including sensory, tactile, personalised and bag books in addition to magazines, newspapers, catalogues, Interactive computer stories and social stories.

Every year we celebrate World Book Day and students in the primary department are encouraged to dress up as a character from a favourite story book, or follow a whole school theme. The children are also visited yearly by ‘Storybox’ who perform familiar stories to the children.

We have a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books from the following schemes:

Dandelion Launchers | Dandelion Readers | Jelly and Bean | Rapid Phonics | Phonics Bug | Rigby Stars | Oxford Reading Tree | Totem and Talisman | Read Write Inc | Project X

Approach to the teaching of reading

Students learn approaches to reading which are relevant to their ability. These include use of photographs, reading key symbols, whole word reading, sight words, key words and phonics. A cross curricula approach is used and reading and its associated skills are used throughout the day at Baytree. Reading is made to be functional and meaningful for our students. Students in Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 also focus on reading functional vocabulary to support independence and life skills.

Writing at Baytree

Students at Baytree School work on a variety of fine-motor, mark-making and writing skills. These are chosen dependent upon the student’s ability; tasks are created to help develop students’ skills for life and thier independence. Fine motor and writing skills are encorproated into other curriulum topics. ICT is also used as a way to enhance writing skills.

If you would like further information or would like to know more about how you can help your child with their literacy skills please contact Lottie Pimm, subject leader for reading and writing.

Numeracy

Mathematics forms part of the core curriculum at Baytree School and is viewed as an important subject, and life skill, in realising our aims for pupils to reach their individual full potential and to be as independent as possible throughout their school career and beyond into their adult lives.

Mathematics is seen to be crucial to an individual’s understanding of the way the world is ordered and a means to communicate information and ideas. It is a creative activity, involving imagination, intuition and discovery and transcends cultural boundaries.

Within Mathematics opportunities are given to:-

• Provide skills and knowledge to assist in independence and everyday life e.g. reading numbers.
• Provide knowledge, skills and understanding to solve problems in a variety of contexts e.g. requesting quantities.
• Develop a conceptual framework to aid understanding of their immediate environment and the world around them e.g. time.
• Gain confidence and competence with numbers and measures, and ways in which information is gathered and presented in clocks, diagrams, books and tables etc.
• Provide skills that can be used for pleasurable activities e.g. Bingo, games.
• Promote confidence and raise pupils self esteem to use Mathematical concepts, emphasising number and its uses.

Learning within Mathematics is undertaken in a wide variety of contexts;

• Through the formal curriculum whereby pupils follow and progress through schemes of work. Supported by Creative and Inclusive planning.
• By implementing a 14 plus curriculum and accreditation awards.
• Reinforcement of skills within everyday life experiences.
• Through differentiation approaches.

1. Teaching and learning styles including individual, small group and whole class.
2. Inclusion opportunities for individuals if appropriate.
3. Augmented communication systems e.g. Makaton signs and symbols, PECS, ICT.
4. A variety of sensory approaches, dependent upon the individual needs.

• Cross-curricular links are in place in order to support the generalisation of skills and knowledge.

Throughout the Key stages Number is recognised as an essential life skill and the main focus of learning, throughout the school year, with other areas of mathematics being incorporated into a designated week each term. It is recognised to be a hierarchical skill and one that needs to be built on in a structured ordered manner.  Each pupil is viewed individually and targets will be set appropriately for Number and also other areas if appropriate. Through the early Key Stages (Foundation & KS1) number is developed through play and early sensory experiences, exploring the concept of number and an awareness of object permanence/1:1 correspondence and anticipation e.g. number sequences. Within Key Stage 2 their abilities are built upon using number activities e.g. basic games, relating written numbers to quantities, rote counting, relating numbers across activities e.g. PE and identifying numbers in the world around them. As pupils’ progress in to Key Stage 3 emphasis is on using number within practical activities, using number and relating concepts to everyday life e.g. solve problems and using money. The 14-19 Foundation Learning Curriculum prepares pupils for life beyond school encompassing Functional Maths skills for everyday use and independence e.g. timetables, measures, money.

PSHE

Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE) forms part of the core curriculum at Baytree School, and is viewed as an important subject in realising our aim for pupils to be as independent as possible throughout their school career and beyond into their adult lives.

Within PSHE, increased independence is encouraged through the provision of opportunities which:

• Promote and encourage a healthy and safe lifestyle.
• Raise pupils’ self esteem through the recognition of personal qualities and achievements.
• Enable pupils to become as independent as possible in caring for themselves.
• Promote the development of positive personal relationships with peers and adults.
• Develop pupils’ understanding, tolerance of and respect for others.
• Establish clear limits and expectations in order to promote positive attitudes and patterns of behaviour.
• Provide experience of making informed choices, taking decisions and accepting responsibility.

Learning within PSHE is undertaken in a wide variety of contexts;

• the ongoing practice of self help skills such as eating & dressing,
• incidental learning throughout the course of the school day such as raising of pupil’s self esteem when mentioned in “Good Book” assembly or development of social skills at playtime,
• through the formal curriculum whereby pupils at each Key Stage follow a rolling programme of schemes of work or discrete modules of learning focussing on a relevant and appropriate theme from national curriculum guidance documents.

The youngest pupils (Foundation Stage & KS1) and those at the earliest levels of development focus on developing choice making, confidence and taking care of their possessions. They learn simple ways to keep themselves safe and healthy, and begin to develop understanding about their feelings and how they can best relate to other people. These skills are further developed by pupils within Key Stage 2 who also consider the effect their choices and actions have on those close to them, and begin to widen their view to encompass the local community. Thus they learn about people who help them to look after their health, the jobs which people undertake within school, the Campus and local environment and how to relate to people and keep themselves safe within the community. During Sex and Relationships Education pupils are prepared for the physical and emotional changes which will occur at puberty and taught the skills necessary to cope with them.

At Key Stage 3 the core themes of safety, health, confidence and responsibility, and emotions and relationships continue to be developed but within the context of pupils making decisions and solving problems. Pupils also focus on financial awareness and consider similarities and differences between themselves and others in wider society. Sex and Relationships Education focuses on equipping pupils with the necessary skills to take care of their sexual health and make safe, positive relationships in their adult lives. The 14-19 Foundation Learning Curriculum prepares pupils for life beyond school encompassing modules on rights and responsibilities, assertiveness, accident prevention and careers in addition to further development of the core themes.

PE

PE forms part of the core curriculum at Baytree School as it is viewed as an important subject and one which encourages life and social skills. It helps our pupils to reach their full potential, and to be as independent as possible. PE skills enable our pupils to take part in activities in the community with their family. PE skills allow our pupils to participate alongside their peers on an equal footing, and it crosses cultural boundaries.

We recognise the importance and need for a wide breadth of experience, and strive to give them opportunities to cover a wide range of activities, and to experience being taught by specialists.

Key Stage 1

• Use the Hydro Pool at least once a week, taking part in physio exercises and water skills.
• Use a trampoline for Rebound Therapy once a week.
• Have the opportunity for 1:1 Tai Chi sessions.
• Take part in Country Dancing once a term with their peers from Herons’ Moor.

Key Stage 2

• Follow the “Leap into Life” programme which encourages the development of hand/eye co-ordination, basic body movement and large body movement.
• Swim at least once a week.
• Take part in horse riding lessons once a week for 6 weeks.
• Take part in Tai Chi once a week for 6 weeks.
• Have a short daily walk to encourage a healthy lifestyle and to aid concentration.
• PMLD pupils take part in Rebound therapy.
• Take part in Country Dancing once a term with their peers from Herons’ Moor.

Key Stage 3

• Follow the Baytree PE Scheme of work to develop more specific PE and Games skills, in team games, and individual sports e.g. Boccia, Tennis,
• Swim at least once a week.
• Gifted and Talented pupils go to The Hans Price Academy to join their peers for games lessons once a week – taught by specialist teachers.
• Take part in horse riding lessons once a week for 6 weeks.
• Take part in Tai Chi once a week for 6 weeks – led by external skilled instructor.
• PMLD pupils and pupils with physical disabilities use the trampoline during the winter months.
• Have the opportunity to take part in an Outdoor and Adventurous Residential week to enable them to learn to climb, abseil, canoe etc.

Key Stage 4

• Follow the Baytree PE Scheme of work to develop more specific PE and Games skills, in team games, and individual sports e.g. Boccia, Tennis,
• Swim at least once a week.
• Take part in Tai Chi once a week for 6 weeks.
• PMLD students use the Hydro Pool at least once a week.

Post 16 group

• PMLD students use the Hydro Pool at least once a week.
• Students go to Hutton Moor Leisure Centre to use the sports hall once a week, they learn how to play badminton, squash and table tennis.
• Some students follow a Sports Leadership Course taken by a professional visiting Sports Coach.
• Take part in Tai Chi once a week for 6 weeks.

There are also opportunities for students to take part in a Dance group, Lunchtime football club, and an After School swimming group.

ICT

DFE Nov 2011

“The increasing use of technology in all aspects of society makes confident, creative and productive use of ICT an essential skill for life. ICT capability encompasses not only the mastery of technical skills and techniques, but also the understanding to apply these skills purposefully, safely and responsibly in learning, everyday life and employment. ICT capability is fundamental to participation and engagement in modern society…………”

As stated above, technology is an important aspect of everyday living, a tool for enabling participation and social inclusion – it is important to feel confident in using it; so at Baytree School we consider IT to be a core subject of great importance to all our pupils. All of our pupils have individual programmes to enable them to build on their existing skills and concentrate on their personal needs. We have high expectations of pupils which are achieved through working towards individual targets in IT; the ultimate aim is developing a confidence in using IT plus a range of functional skills. We recognise the importance and need for a breadth of experience and, at the time of writing, pupils cover aspects of the following in the respective key stages:

Key Stage 1. A 2 year programme includes:

• Combining text and graphics looking at talking books
• Control making things happen
• Control moving pictures
• Data sorting and matching
• Looking at information
• Pictures and beginning to paint
• Information in the class
• Introducing symbols and text
• Listening and responding to sounds

Key Stage 2. A 4 year programme includes:

• Beginning to find information
• Data, labelling and classifying
• Different ways to communicate
• Learning to control things
• Making and recording sounds
• Text and pictures
• Beginning to write
• Creating scenes
• Taking and printing photographs

Key Stage 3. A 3 year programme includes:

• Controlling devices
• Desktop publishing
• Using paint tools
• Introducing e-mail
• Designing and exploring

Key Stages 4 & 5 

Consolidate and build on all IT skills in functional ways through –

• Finding information
• Multimedia presentation
• Communication using technology

Pupils have access to a variety of hardware including cameras, video recorders, PCs, laptops, i-pads etc.

At Baytree we are acutely aware that there are hierarchical functional skills necessary to access technology and use it purposefully; without these skills pupils are unable to access the current programmes and learn effectively. We are researching the development of a progressive checklist of skills.

E-Safety

At Baytree School we recognise the importance of allowing pupils opportunities to learn via exciting online and multimedia experiences. However, we are committed to ensuring pupils’ safety when accessing technology at school, at home and in the community. Thus pupils are initially supported by adults, then guided by e-safety rules and gradually taught to take on personal responsibility to keep themselves safe according to their individual potential.

EYFS, KS1 & KS2

Pupils in lower school will be building up their mastery of skills using technology and applying these skills in a variety of contexts to support learning across the curriculum. At this level they will be supported by a responsible adult when using the internet.

KS3

As pupils become more independent at accessing programmes on the school network and subsequently the internet, simple school rules to keep them safe are introduced and pupils encouraged to inform an adult about what they are doing and seek guidance from an adult when unsure or worried by anything they experience when using technology.

KS4

In addition to reinforcement of e-safety rules when using technology pupils undertake a biannual PSD / ICT module which focuses on internet safety. The module includes:

• Keeping log on & passwords private.
• Remembering to log off after using a computer.
• Establishing what is personal information.
• Learning not to disclose personal information.
• Telling an adult if they are using the internet or if they see a webpage they don’t like.

KS5

As students become more independent and more likely to access the internet and use technology to communicate when at home and in the community, they undertake an annual module addressing e-safety. This module builds on aspects learnt in KS4:

• Reinforcing the need for keeping personal information private.
• Only opening emails from known senders.
• Never arranging to meet anyone they’ve chatted to online.
• Safe use of photos and webcam.

Where appropriate opportunities are used by students to revisit & reinforce internet safety and communicate this to other pupils in school:

• KS5 pupils preparing and leading an assembly for the whole school on Internet Safety Day.
• Pupils making a display in school highlighting internet safety to inform younger pupils.

Student Council have produced a leaflet for fellow pupils which offers advice regarding e-safety.