We follow the EYFS Framework, which is the curriculum set out by the Department for Education. This includes the seven key areas of learning and development. These seven areas of learning and development are split into three prime areas and four specific areas. Children are supported to develop in the three prime areas first.

These are:

• Communication and language
• Physical development
• Personal, social and emotional development

As children grow, the prime areas will help them to develop skills in four additional areas.

These are:

• Literacy – in which we follow the Read Write Inc phonics scheme
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

These seven areas are used as a framework to plan your child’s learning and activities, but the professionals teaching and supporting your child will make sure that the activities are suited to your child’s individual learning and developmental needs.

The Early Years Foundation Stage covers all the children at Oak Field. If children reach early learning goal, they are moved on to the Year 1 Curriculum and so forth.

We strive to ensure learning is fun and engaging; we want to teach children play skills, including playing alongside and with peers, initiating interactions, turn-taking and sharing interests with their peers.

The EYFS approach is to ‘Learn Through Play’ and through this approach, a child can learn to make sense of the world around them.  Play allows children to develop social and cognitive skills, support emotional wellbeing and gain the self-confidence and coping skills required to engage in new experiences and environments.

Our children also benefit from a mixture of learning opportunities including: 

Circle time - when the teacher facilitates interactive, whole class teaching sessions. This can include stories, attention autism sessions, maths meetings and class games.

Free flow - children are encouraged to explore the learning environment, both inside and out, accessing the high quality resources and learning activities made and modelled by staff.

Small group work – staff will often work with groups of children, focusing on PLIM targets and specific play skills.

1:1 learning – staff regularly work with children on a ‘one on one’ basis to support a child’s learning and progress towards their PLIM targets.

Self-help and life skills are embedded into our curriculum and children are regularly given opportunities to learn and practice these. This is fundamental for helping prepare children for the future. Areas include: personal care, dressing skills, meal times and personal safety.

When appropriate, we ask parents to contribute to the assessment of these skills, as some children find it difficult to apply skills in different contexts. If children are seen to be practising self-help and life skills at home, parents can provide evidence of this to show that their child is able to utilise these skills across a variety of settings - not just in school. 

In school, children have access to our life skills room where they are able to practice their baking and cooking skills; this is also another way to encourage children to eat new foods.

Each child will have a Personal Learning Intention Map (PLIM) for each academic year. These PLIMs will highlight the steps that a child will take to achieve each of the outcomes highlighted in their EHCP.  Depending on the school year of the child, they may also have a target for each outcome on their EHCP too. The process of breaking down EHCP outcomes to smaller, more manageable steps allows us to evidence and celebrate the incremental progress that children may make over shorter time periods. An example of a PLIM can be found below.

It is the responsibility of class teachers, under the direction of the headteacher, to plan learning experiences which allow children to make the small steps of progress towards meeting their EHCP outcomes and collect evidence which demonstrates this. This evidence is collected over the duration of an academic year in each child’s PLIM folder. Parents will have the opportunity to see their child’s PLIM at each parent’s evening.

Pupils with an ASD diagnosis may experience unusual sensitivity to sound, touch, and visual stimuli. Although all people with ASD share certain difficulties, their condition will affect them individually.

Everyone is familiar with the five basic sensory systems; sight, sound, taste, smell and touch (tactile). These basic senses respond to external stimuli from the environment. However, less familiar sensory systems also exist within our bodies. These are:

Interoceptive System: Sensory system of the internal organs (e.g. heart rate, hunger, digestion, state of arousal, mood, etc.)

Vestibular Sense: Processing information about movement, gravity and balance - primarily through the inner ear. It provides information about the speed of our movements, maintains and regulates posture, triggers balance reactions and gives us a postural core. It also helps us to maintain a table visual field and adequate spatial awareness.

Proprioceptive Sense (body scheme): Processing information about body position received through the muscles, ligaments and joints. It allows us to control the speed and force of movement, efficient motor planning and to use our bodies without having visual cues. It is vital for fine motor dexterity.

The brain locates, sorts and orders sensations – somewhat like a traffic officer directs traffic. This is necessary if a person is to move and learn normally. With some students, such as those with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), the processing of sensory experience may be disordered or delayed. Any change or difficulty with this processing can influence how daily living skills, academic progress and social interactions are managed.

How do we factor these senses into our Oak Field curriculum?

Universal strategies are embedded in the school curriculum to prepare and support students' learning and development. For example, calming/alerting movements to prepare for learning as well as student positioning/location in the room to aid focus and maximise engagement. Other environmental factors are also used, including lighting, sound, displays and use of physical boundaries.

At Oak Field, we have a multidisciplinary approach to students with sensory processing difficulties. This team is made up of Occupational Therapy, Speech & Language Therapy and school staff. Occupational Therapy offers a range of interventions including whole school, class specific support or 1:1 sessions with individual pupils. Sensory diets to support regulation may also be put in place for some pupils where necessary.