Meadowside Magazine Issue 29 Spring 2023

Welcome to the Spring 2023 edition of our school magazine. Over the following pages you will get an overview of some of the learning opportunities we have offered this term.

Following the pandemic, it has been wonderful to resume our wide range of offsite activities, work experience and partnership working that contributes so much to pupils’ learning outcomes, independence skills and preparedness for adult life.

In addition to our pupils‘ weekly visits to Autism Together, Crosby Lakeside Marina, Larton Riding, Activity 4 All etc., we also welcome Woodchurch Church of England Primary, Elleray Park and Woodchurch High Schools to our site to enable them to benefit from our wonderful facilities.

We hope that you all enjoy the forthcoming holiday and would like to remind you that school re-opens after Spring Break on Monday 17thApril.

Paula Wareing Head Teacher

We hope you enjoy your Easter Break & we look forward to seeing everyone for the Summer Term.

We have invested heavily in a whole school approach to phonics, ensuring that all pupils have the opportunity to develop reading skills. Even those already confident readers benefit from building their skills to decode unfamiliar words, supporting their writing and comprehension too.

The Read Write Inc phonicsprogramme is followed daily, usually at the beginning of each day. Those pupils arriving late everyday miss these vital sessions. Even 5 minutes late a day adds up to over 16 hours per year. That’s almost 3 whole school days!

Pupils can access Oxford Owl from home, to read online books that support their phonics learning.

Mrs Hughes & Miss Roberts

Book Week

This year, for World Book Day, we decided to extend it to a week of book related activities!. We started the Readathon: a sponsored event to raise money for the charity Read For Good, who provide books to schools and hospitals. Donations are still welcome please.

We ran a Masked Reader idea, with staff disguising their face or voice and reading a story. Pupils have great listening skills, as they solved it easily every day!

The Book Swap was a huge success, with lots of pupils able to swap or take a book home to keep.

The highlight of the week was a live webinar with author Michael Morpurgo, who talked about his writing and the authors/texts that he admired.

session, which was well attended and really did promote a love of reading. Mel added further incentive to pupils, with a bookmark tick challenge, inviting pupils to earn ticks in lots of book related ways.

One of the days we serialised a story, with every class. Each lesson began with a few lines of Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhyme, Cinderella. The end of the story was read at assembly so everyone finished the story together.

Pupils were invited to dress up on the last day of the week. Lots of great costume ideas, for characters from books.

Mrs Hughes & Miss Roberts

The majority of the school attended a church service to start off our Easter celebrations

The Home School Association (HSA) funded a lovely afternoon of Easter craft for pupils to enjoy with parents and families.

The Crafternoon was a great success, with some amazing Easter products made. There were decorated biscuits, Easter cards, gift bags and baskets, some replica Faberge eggs and even Easter crackers!

The afternoon was finished off with an Easter Parade, for pupils who had made Easter bonnets. Prizes were awarded for the tallest hat, the prettiest hat and the most colourful. Thanks go to the HSA team, parents and staff who supported the event and also to Reverend Josie, our school governor.

It has been lovely to be able to return to social gatherings and special events, after a few years of cancellations and covid.

Mrs Hughes

Winner of the Tallest Easter Bonnet prize

have been as varied and exciting as ever.

Key Stage 4 classes have looked at mixing and separating materials. Here we can see an activity demonstrating that oil and water will not mix, It was really quite sensory and mesmerising to look at.

Key Stage 3 pupils have taken great advantage of the new easy-to-use microscopes to look closely at plants as part of their Biology topic. We even got to see individual plant cells from an onion.

Pupils have also been learning about light and sound in Physics: here is an experiment demonstrating that light travels in straight lines. We had to search for a good place in the dark first so we used a tent!

Photography & Media.

Pupils have loved using technology so far this year. We have used Apps to change our pictures, learnt how to adapt our photos on an iPad and also looked atthe history of the camera. The children couldn’t believe that ’film’ wentinto the cameras!

We have practiced our photography all around the school and looked at features such as tone, colour and focus. One of our key points is to follow the changes to the environment, especially the school Acer Tree – see picture on right.

As a media and photography cross over topic, the children have used cameras to make animation videos. They loved being creative with toys and plasticine!

Mr Brown

Life Skills

Post 16 Healthy Eating is the topic this term. Lessons have involved; learning some basic nutrition, how different nutrients can help the body function and making healthy or healthier food products by adapting recipes for healthier ingredients. Practical lessons have included making Chicken/ Vegetable Teryaki, Chilli Con Carne, Chicken Fajitas, Pasta dishes, Cereal Bars (created by the pupils) and Healthy Pizza. Pupils have also shopped for their own group ingredients and for the ingredients needed for KS4 and related Option activities developing their money skills.

Life Skills forms part of the ‘My Independence’ Semi-formal Curriculum. Some of the Semi-formal Life Skills lessons this term have involved practical lessons making snack or food items and some classes visit a café. Fusion visit Autism Together and go to the café as part of their Life Skills they take turns to order food, use their money to pay and enjoy the food and drink items they have ordered.

Mrs Jones

Horse Riding with the Foresters Horn RDA Group at Larton Riding School

The Autumn term started with us working on our AQA Accreditation. This enables the students to learnbasic horse knowledge such as parts of the horse and the equipment used to groom them, parts of the saddle and bridle, the colours of horses and their various markings.

In school we prepared for going to the stables by trying on our RDA sweatshirts and talked about the suitable clothing we ned to wear for being in the arena, which is also an AQA Accreditation.

Through going to the stables for a visit in November, we met the RDA staff and the horses we will be using. We had a session on hat fitting to make sure we have the right fit and size of the safety riding hats.

Our first riding session in December 2022 the students learnt how to mount and dismount safely and met their team who will work with them in the arena. During the Spring term we have used the indoor arena to practice our trotting skills. In the spring sunshine the students have enjoyed a walk around the stable yard, on their horses.

Many thanks as always, to Celia Parry and her team of volunteers from Foresters Horn RDA.

Trish Pude

Music

The Philharmonic Scheme for KS3 pupils this term was titled ‘The Sensational Symphonic Time Machine’ and featured a timeline of music including Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, the Grand March from Aida and Prokofiev’s Finale piece. Lots of these pieces have familiar themes and musical motifs in. Pupils enjoyed playing the themes as short melodies on the keyboards and chime bars. They also enjoyed trying out orchestral instruments, many of which are not easy to even get sound out of!

Pupils from across the school, visited the Philharmonic Hall to hear the orchestra play the pieces live!

Mrs Hughes

Suzanne and Tracy, better known as Singing Hands, were awarded MBEs for their services to the SEN community, raising the profile of Makaton and sharing signing stories and songs. Thanks to a very generous donation, we enjoyed a day with them here in person. Everyone enjoyed joining in with signing, dancing and music making. They also read signed stories to several classes and then posed for photos with star struck fans.

Mrs Hughes

It has been a very productive year so far with the pupils that attend Woodchurch High School for inclusion.

Aidan is workingtowards gaining his GCSE in Art and Design this year.

Chloe has just joined the inclusion group and is enjoying her time in the Art class and is producing some great work.

Tyler has joined a Maths class and has felt confident enough to sit a couple of Maths assessments whilst at Woodchurch.

James and Ryan continue to enjoy their Art and Design class and have created some excellentpieces.

Jenny Wilson

Life Skills

KS3 The spring term topic of Accidents and Prevention covers dangers in the home, school and outdoors. Lessons have included recognising and learning about dangers and what to do scenarios with lesson topics on electricity, kitchen safety, medicines, fire and road safety including general dangers and prevention. Aspire learnt about safety when walking on ice.

Dangers in the home activty

Safety making a snack

KS4 The topic ‘Eating on a Budget’ included learning about food storage, developing existing practical skills and making basic snacks or bakery items using basic lower cost food ingredients. KS4 classes have made a variety of food products such as sandwiches, cheese straws, pasta snacks, scones and cereal bars.

Pupils in 4V made carrot buns using a wartime recipe after learning about rationing and budgeting money and food which links to their English book

‘Goodnight MrTom.’

Cookery Snacks

Pupils have made lots of different snack foods that have included scones, strawberry cakes, pizzas and biscuits. Pupils develop skills of working with different pupils and make some lovely food items.

Mrs.

Jones

My Creativity

Creativity is a process or a journey of exploration. It is about encountering the familiar and the unfamiliar and then making something new. That something new could be a response or a combination of the familiar presented in a new way. Creativity develops thinking skills, risk taking, adaptability and a spirit of joy, awe and wonder.

In our weekly My Creativity session, the children have the opportunity to engage with the world and explore. The lessons are based on varying themes around encountering content with emerging control and building on refinement and attention to detail.

The children have enjoyed improving their art, dance and music ability through lessons that start with what they know and like and then can improve on and learn.

Mr Brown

Royden Park

Over the course of the Spring Term, the boys have worked extremely hard during their time at work experience. We have focused on clearing an area of the walled garden, ready to be planted with wildflowers. We have helped build barriers on the outside of the paths and made them look appealing. They did such a good job last term as stump removers, the staff at the site asked them to do it again. They are really enjoying this placement and learning a lot from the staff there.

Jack Liddell

Computing

During the Spring term we have focused on directional programming.As part ofthis, the learners have been investigating some devices relating to programming and movement. They have investigatedhow the devices work and ways they can be used. Some have learnt about the use of functions and loops within programs and the benefits of these.

We have also covered and reinforced the importanceof ESafety. Mrs Charmley

Maths

Key Stage 3 pupils have worked hard covering many topics such as subtraction, fractions, weight, angles, reflection and symmetry.

They have used a range of different scales learning about weight. Some groups have made use of set squares and learnt how to use protractors to measure angles.

We have had fun with mirrors to learn about reflection and

During this term, all Key Stages have been introduced to Numbots and/or TT Rockstars. I hope this is a resource that learners make use of at home too.

In the Spring Term, Key Stage 4/5 have covered topics such as multiplication, division, fractions and money.

Mrs Charmley

Sensory Cookery

Pupils from a wide range of different classes have participated in Sensory Cookery this term, and seem to have enjoyed it a great deal. They have approached their learning with varying degrees of independence, have worked collaboratively with their peers, and have all tried foods they had not wanted to taste previously.

At Chinese New Year the class enjoyed making banana fritters and made almost enough to feed the whole school! We had some very hungry visitors that day, including Alan the Site Manager!

This half term we have been working with pastry; we started making ‘retro’ cornflake pies last week, and this week the pupils were relieved to find that the strawberry snails didn’t actually include any real snails!

Mrs Dunn

Geography

KS3 have been learning about the continents of Europe and America through using globes, pictorial atlases, charts, the internet and jigsaws. They found the countries by reading, putting together shapes, pictures and colours. They really enjoyed the challenge !

Some pupils knew the names of famous places from songs about America and the football fans knew the names of different places across Europe.

Those that have great knowledge names played the ‘Whereis it ?’ game and checked exact location on the internet where we weren’t totally sure .

Mrs Brown

Post 16 Maths & English

Pupils have fully participated in the different topics learned during the term. The first half term, pupils revisited the times tables and telling the time using an analogue clock. Lewis was happy to take part practising his times table and Luke liked writing them out on the board for the rest of the class to practice.

During our English lessons, Post 16 V enjoy practicing spellings and answering comprehension questions. They have been learning how important it is to understand a text or a short story that they have read. By using comprehension examples and finding answers to the questions they have learned to answer in full sentences which has helped make progress. They have also read text examples which have subtle word differences that can change the meaning of a text; for example, a turtle sat beside a log when it flipped over using the same text a turtle sat on a log when it flipped over.

Ms Hoffmann

Design & Technology

Endeavour, Discovery, Aspire, and Enquire have been investigating how to make a vehicle move.

They have been learning about the different parts that make up a vehicle—Our starting point was using the large construction toy to build the chassis, the axles and the wheels. It was a good team effort.

Pupils enjoyed racing their balloon powered vehicles. When they raced their balloon vehicle, they came to the conclusion that by placing the balloon in the middle of the rather than at the end of the chassis made the vehicle travel further and faster down the corridor.

Ms Hoffmann

ART

Some of Endeavour ‘s final print ideas based on Abstract and Contemporary artists. Example Kaws, Kandinsky, Klee , Delauney and Stark .

Discovery and Enquire have prepared Colorgraphs to print inspired by the above artists.

Aspire

Some of the final design ideas that the pupils will be using to screen print. If they wish they can bring their own T- shirt to print both on fabric and paper.

Pupils are using scissors and a blade to carefully cut the different coloured stencils for their screen print. Pupils have enjoyed learning how to use the blade safely and responsibly.

Ms Hoffmann

Fusion class have really enjoyed this term so far. On Mondays, we look forward to our weekly visits to Autism Together in Bromborough where we are now really comfortable and enjoy engaging with the staff and volunteers who help us there, as our life skills and independent skills progress in the wider community.

On Tuesday—Friday, Fusion pupils enjoy participating in a host of 14-19 options, including, swimming, horse riding, textiles, cookery and music.

We continue to develop our skills on the trampoline, every Wednesday morning in rebound therapy and are now beginning to demonstrate some control, as well as a new found confidence. Most pupils are now participating independently without adult support. In the classroom, learners are persisting with early phonics learning despite the occasional difficulty, as well as working towards our personal targets and development of social communication skills. Now that the spring is finally here, we can look forward to more outdoor and offsite learning in the coming weeks and are particularly looking forward to being involved in the upcoming Futures Week in May.

Fusion class also fully embraced our recent class assembly titled, ‘Random Acts of Kindness Day’, even though it was new challenge for some of us having to stand at the front of a very busy hall, filled by our entire school, reading, holding signs and answering questions from the audience!

Mr Pemberton

This term in Citizenship, pupils across the school have been developing their knowledge and understanding of money/finances and the associated responsibilities, in relation to looking after money and using it sensibly.

Taking part in a range of physical activities, academic tasks, games, role play situations and off site visits, pupils have been able to learn about banks and building societies, including having lessons about savings, cash machines, credit cards, bank accounts and how to keep money safe, as well as learning about online banking.

We have been able to tie our Citizenship lessons to our Maths topic, by learning about ‘real life maths’ situations, such as looking at UK and foreign currency, budgeting and solving money problems.

In addition to linking with Maths, we have also crossed paths with other subjects, such as Careers, when discussing how we earn money and where money comes from and PSHE when discussing charities and the dangers of gambling and getting in to debt.

Some of our older pupils have also enjoyed using these new skills in the real world whilst out shopping, looking for offers and searching out value for money items, whilst visiting local cafes, shops and businesses.

Mr Pemberton

Spring Sensory Stories

Throughout the Spring Term, Flair Group has been engaging in lots of wonderful sensory stories, helping support communication and our understanding of the world. We explored sound switches, newspapers, and a globe during ‘Around the World in 80 days’ by Jules Verne. We met puppets of all the animals from our Chinese New Year sensory story, tracking them with our eyes when they were lit up with coloured lights. We explored playground equipment and musical instruments during ‘A little bit of magic’. As the weather begins to get (a little!) warmer, we’ ve started exploring stories in the sensory garden. We enjoyed following our very own ‘Gruffalo’ trail around the school and we’re looking forward to ‘Going on a Bear Hunt’ soon! Our sensory stories allow our whole class to work together and find joy in using all of our senses to expand our learning!

Miss Wilson

French

This term during French, pupils have been perfecting their numbers up to 50. We have also been learning the different names for pets. Pupils have learnt how to read, write and say what pets they have at home. They have also been learning to say what their pets names are and describe them. Next pupils are going to be learning about the names of different animals in the zoo.

Ms Roberts

Drama

During Drama we have been very busy gaining accreditation for our work. Pupils have been studying hard and learning about improvisation. We used a number of objects to improvise playing the electric guitar. Pupils displayed fantastic acting skills and imagination.

Pupils have also been studying the playwright Willy Russell. We have been studying and watching the play Our Day Out. We have been looking at Willy Russell's style of writing, the type of person he writes his plays about and the language used. Pupils have been role playing some of the characters and practising the different accents.

Ms Roberts

Residential Visit

Pupils in Key stage 3 (year 7 and new starters) attended the Barnstondale Residential from 15th—17th March 2023

Pupils were able to stay overnight in a lodge and take part in various indoor and outdoor activities including Archery, black hole, obstacle course, wildwood experience (fire lighting and shelter building) and orienteering.

The outcomes for the residential were:-

To develop independence skills through a 3 day, 2 night residential experience.

To build confidence when participating in adventure activities to build resilience and self esteem

To improve resilience and self esteem to build upon tolerance and individual liberty.

ALL pupils successfully achieved their outcomes. Well Done

Mr Stubbs

P.E.

Key stage 3 pupils have been learning about OAA (Outdoor & Adventurous Activities -team building, problem solving and knot tying). Pupils have taken part in various problem solving games for example crossing the river, quicksand, all aboard, human knot and capture the flag. They have been working on their communication skills in order to work as part of a team to solve how to complete a game. Pupils have also been showing emerging signs of leadership.

KS4 and P16 pupils (14-19) have been learning about OAA (team building and Problem solving with adapted archery) pupils have also been taking part in various problem solving games for example crossing the river, eye shade trust games, quicksand, all aboard, human knot and capture the flag. They have been working on continuing to develop and refine their communication skills in order to work as part of a team to solve how to complete a game, while also developing their leadership qualities andwhatdifferentroles therearewithin a team.

14-19 options group pupils have continued taking part in Rebound Therapy

The benefits of Rebound Therapy include Improving flexibility and coordination. Promoting core stability and head control and help increasing spatial and body awareness.

Mr Stubbs

As part of Post 16 Options, we have a group of pupils who attend Crosby Lakeside each Friday. Pupils have enjoyed being out on the water gaining experience on Kayaks & Canoes, whilst learning the importance of team work. The group enjoy their weekly visits & look forward to the Summer term challenges ahead.

Jenny Wright

Enterprise

Pupils who take the 14-19 Option Enterprise enjoyed a day at the MSLD Schools Enterprise Showcase on 24th March, at Aintree racecourse in Liverpool.

Students had the opportunity to present their products to a Dragons’ Den panel of judges and were commended on how well they pitched the products for their wellbeing qualities.

The group has made a wide range of products this year but bestsellers included the natural lip scrubs and Hama bead keyrings.

Mrs Hughes

World Cultures

World Cultures is a 14-19 Option that seeks to find out a little more about the countries of the world. The pupils love to choose the countries, with some really obscure ones suggested this term! We have studied Norfolk Island, which is nowhere near Norfolk but in fact is linked to Australia. We have found out how Liberia is in West Africa but very similar in many ways to America, with their capital city named after a US President and their flag also a stars and stripes banner. We particularly enjoyed locating the island of Bonaire, the B in the ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao near to Venezuela.

Most weeks, we try and cook some food from a recipe for each country. We have enjoyed Mongolian pancakes, Uruguayan Chivitoes, Liberian rice cake, Bonaire Cocadas and home made honeycomb from NewZealand! Our challenge to finish the year is to become more familiar with the countries and flags of the 54 African countries, although some pupils have an outstanding knowledge of these already, and indeed the flags and countries of the world!

Mrs Hughes

Festivals & Celebrations

In this Option pupils learnt about some of the Festivals and Celebrations that have occurred during this term.

We looked at events calendars and the pupils decided which ones they wanted to learn about. Pupils found out information about why it is a special event and how it is celebrated. This term pupils have explored Chinese New Year, Burn’s Night, St Valentine’s Day, St David’s Day and Easter.

Mrs Jones

RE

KS3This term KS3 lessons have focused upon the religion of Christianity. This has included learning about places of worship, beliefs about creation, special people, saints of the UK, Lent and Easter.

KS4 The topic this term has included pupils finding out about the main religions learning about the beliefs, places of worship and some of the festivals associated will the religion they are learning about. KS4 have also worked on AQA Unit Award Accreditation.

Post 16

The British Society topic has included map work labelling places in the UK, research finding the most popular religions in various cities and finding out about the different areas and communities associated with the religions.

Pre-Formal and Semi-Formal

In the World Around Me, RE related lessons have included activities related to peoples celebrations such as Chinese New Year and Holi. Mrs Jones

The Student Council is a good way to develop responsibility, with pupils representing their classes at termly meetings and events. This term, three reps attended an event in Liverpool, to see how other schools run their Student Councils. We collaborate with all of the local SEN schools, in the Liverpool City Region and have collectively agreed to support the Salvation Army’s recycling scheme called Recycle with Michael. This will replace the Bag2School collection we have been running.

Our reps went to Redbridge School for the day and had a tour of their lovely school. They had a tasty meal there and discussed future plans. The reps are looking forward to visiting Bluebell Park school, next month.

Student Council have voted to extend school uniform to Year 11 from September 2023, so it will only be Post 16 that wear their own clothes choices.

Claire Albertsen

School Governors

We are extremely grateful to all our Governors who give their time and expertise to support our school, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank them all.

We have a vacancy for a Parent Governor to help us ensure that our School Development Plan meets the needs of current and future pupils. If you would like to find out more about this important role then please contact the School Office to speak to the Clerk to the Governors. There is plenty of training available for new and existing governors.

Our website www.meadowsideschool.com isupdated regularly with our latest information and news.

We are also available on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ meadowsidech49 and Facebook at https://facebook.com/ meadowsideschoolwirral. We also have Instagram and a YouTube channel now!

You can also contact the Office on(0151) 678 7711 Meadowside School,Pool Lane,Birkenhead, Wirral CH49 5LA