Hedgehog Class

Nursery – Year 2

About Hedgehog Class

Hedgehog Class caters for the youngest pupils at Westfield School. Nursery provision opened in April 2016; this means the pupils in Hedgehog Class range from 2 to 7 years old. Students are taught following the guidelines of the Early Years Curriculum, which is tailored to their individual needs.

The predominant characteristic of learning is ‘playing and exploring’, with this in mind each session is play based where children practise and enhance new skills through child initiated play. Staff lead focus tasks to support pupils in acquiring new skills; all pupils access visual timetables and schedules to support them in their learning journey.

Our Teacher

Mrs Sue Pates

Learning Focus

Learning focus in Hedgehog Class is centred around the three prime areas of the curriculum – Communication and Language, Physical Development and Personal, Social, Emotional Development (PSED). These are critical areas for pupils and impact on their ability to access literacy and maths activities.

Acquisition of language in the child’s preferred form e.g. spoken word, signs, PECS is supported through a communication friendly learning environment. Pupils are immersed in a total communication approach where language is modelled by adults in every interaction with pupils. Interventions include signing groups and 1:1 PECS sessions with the schools learning mentor. Fine and gross motor skills are supported by the range of resources within the continuous provision including the outdoor classroom. Personal, Social and Health Education is important part of daily life in Hedgehog Class. Pupils are encouraged to manage their own feelings and behaviour in order to make relationships with their teachers and peers. The children learn to be independent in making choices regarding the resources they use, identifying their own and others belongings, and being supported to share and resolve conflict.

As a pupil’s style of learning becomes more sophisticated they access an increasing number of adult led activities. These initially take place in the familiar environment of the classroom, leading into an additional classroom utilised by the staff to deliver a more structured learning environment in preparation for moving on to the next class.

The foundation subjects are taught based on the school theme where the learning is pinned around a key question posed at the beginning of a term; this makes the learning purposeful, practical and engaging for the students in the class. Within the early years curriculum it is important that the curriculum is reactive to the child’s preferences and interests.

Mrs Sue Pates

Hedgehog Class Teacher

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Hedgehog Class News

4 November 2022