Enrichment Curriculum
Hydrotherapy
We are very fortunate to have Kim McNamara, a trained Halliwicke Hydrotherapy Practitioner, delivering our sessions at Warmley Park School.
Kim works closely with Physiotherapists to devise programmes and risk assess pupils before they start their Hydrotherapy input.
Hydrotherapy is a form of exercise carried out in our specially heated pool. It promotes enhanced cardio vascular fitness, relaxation and stretching, relief of muscle spasm, improved circulation.
Pupils have 1:1 or small group sessions. Hydrotherapy provision is available to pupils who have it on their Statement of Special Educational Needs or ECHP.
Rebound Therapy
We are very fortunate to have Russell Walker, a trainer in Rebound Therapy, as Head of Secondary Department at Warmley Park School.
A trampoline based PE and Movement activity for students with SEN to support their:
- Communication
- Interaction
- Physical Skills
Rebound Therapy (RT) is suitable for PMLD, SLD, ASD and MSI students ranging from National Curriculum level P1 through to National Curricular level 2. Activities range from hoisting someone from their wheelchair onto the trampoline and bouncing them whilst lying down, through supported sitting, supported standing, independent standing and demonstrating shapes to an independent seat drop.
RT is a great addition to our school’s curriculum due to its challenging, cross-curricular nature. Our students are not only improving their physical skills but are also simultaneously working on the following key areas: personal learning thinking skills (PLTS), communication, perception, cognition.
Through moving and exercising on the trampoline, our students experience the following benefits: improved cardio-vascular fitness, improved strength of core and limbs (bone density), improved muscle tone, increased use of two extra senses (vestibular and proprioception) and increased self esteem.
RT is a fun activity that is best delivered as a class group activity or as a 1:1 session.
Forest School
Forest School is offered as one of the Interventions which comprise Warmley Park School’s approach to personalised learning. Interventions such as Forest School enable pupils to work in different settings and to have a range of differentiated learning experiences.
- Sessions are planned around the needs of the group, to ensure that they are learner-led.
- Plans are based upon Personal, Social and Emotional development, which underpins all other learning.
- Sessions offer a diverse range of play opportunities, including free play and structured play activities. Plans are flexible and non-prescriptive and sometimes may have to be discarded or reviewed.
- Activities encourage exploration and the development of motor, practical and problem solving skills
- Activities develop intra and inter-personal skills and nurture emotional intelligence, social interaction, teamwork skills, confidence, self esteem and independence
- Activities encourage early risk management strategies, to ensure that children and young people start to consider the impact of their actions on themselves and on others and assess risks for themselves
- Activities encourage greater understanding of the natural world and promote awareness and respect for the natural environment
The criteria for inclusion in Forest School sessions are as follows:
Primary:
- Social Communication needs
- Off track in the one or both of the following areas: PSHE, Communication
Secondary
- Work-related learning
- Work Experience
- Accreditation
Intensive Interaction
Intensive interaction is an approach to teaching the pre-speech fundamentals of communication to children and adults who have severe learning difficulties and/or autism and who are still at an early stage of communication development.
Intensive Interaction is highly practical. The only equipment needed is a sensitive person to be the interaction partner. The approach works by progressively developing enjoyable and relaxed interaction sequences between the interaction partner and the person doing the learning. These interaction sequences are repeated frequently and gradually grow in duration, complexity and sophistication. As this happens, the fundamentals of communication are gradually rehearsed and learnt in a free-flowing manner. The style of the teacher person is relaxed, non-directive and responsive. In fact, a central principle is that the teacher person builds the content and the flow of the activity by allowing the learner basically to lead and direct, with the teacher responding to and joining-in with the behaviour of the learner. This simple principle is the one used by adults in interaction with babies during the first year. The first year is the period of development when a baby carries out intense and very rapid learning of the fundamentals of communication. Much of the development of Intensive interaction was based on reading of the scientific research on the way in which human beings learn to communicate during the first year.
The teaching sessions are therefore frequent, quite intense, but also fun-filled, playful and enjoyable. Both participants should be at ease with enjoyment of the activity as the main motivation. A session could be highly dynamic, with a great deal of vocalisation, sometimes with fun-filled physical contacts. A session could also be peaceful, slow and quiet.