Welcome to the Autumn 2022 edition of the Meadowside Magazine. You will see from the following pages what a busy term we have had and the breadth of the provision offered at Meadowside.
We have, however, had a particular focus on reading across the whole school this term including the embedding of systematic teaching of phonics using the ‘Read, Write Inc (RWI) programme. In addition to significant investment in staff training and RWI resources, we have also developed well lit, comfy reader friendly spaces in each classroom, purchased lots of new books and raised the profile of ‘story time’ within each school day as we look to work with parents, carers and pupils to develop a love of reading as well as improving literacy in pupils’ daily lives.
We have lots of plans to further develop reading next term including an outdoor reading area for when the weather gets warmer.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Paula Wareing Head Teacher
Christmas Carol Singing
Various pupils have joined the Signing Singers this term and been out Carol Singing for the community. We started off on the 1st December, singing for the Moreton Lung Exercise Group and have sung at Asda, Birkenhead Pyramids, Manor House Care Home, Autism Together and Wallasey Village URC. We even met Father Christmas for mince pies and chocolates. At two of these venues, we collected money from the shoppers and are very proud to report that we raised an amazing £713.06! This year, our money is going to support HSA, who in turn support all of the pupils at the school. A huge thanks to all of the pupils who sang with gusto at these events and a thanks to the parents and families who supported us too.
Mrs Hughes
At the ‘Activities 4 All’ centre in Upton, we have been very lucky to take part in several fun filled sessions.
We have enjoyed playing football on the 4G astro turf pitches, which are designed to look like The Gladwys Street End at Goodison Park & The Kop stands at both Anfield and Prenton Park.
As well as playing football, some members of our group have benefited from enjoying some time in the soft play area and the sensory corner. We have really enjoyed climbing and sliding and building our confidence whilst having fun each week.
All of our group are now fully secure in their understanding of how to keep safe when putting on their safety harnesses, in preparation of the rock climbing challenges they will be facing in the next few weeks on the climbing walls.
We now know how to safely put on the harnesses and secure the carabinas independently.
We have begun developing our climbing skills and upper body strength on the smaller bouldering walls ahead of our upcoming challenges on the 6m high walls.
Mr Pemberton
InMy Play & Leisure 14-19 option, we have had a fantastic time socialising with our friends, learning to play nicely, share toys and work together playing board games, with Lego and Play D’oh.
The highlight ofour term was our visit to the VUE Cinema in Cheshire Oaks to see ‘The Lost City’. We had a brilliant day out watching the movie and sharing some of our favourite sweet treats, before stopping for some lunch.
As we had such a great time and everyone behaved so well, we made a second visit towards the end of term, to see the new Matilda film.
Mr Pemberton
Fusion class has benefited from their daily routine remaining largely the same as last year. As they have settled back into school they have successfully made their transitions into KS4/5 respectively.
The main change this year has come in the form of ‘phonics’, with all learners right across the wider school, participating in the daily ‘Read Write Inc’ programme. Our non readers have begun to develop their early reading skills by being introduced to set 1 sounds and have enjoyed listening to audio books during circle time and being read to by staff.
Some pupils have been challenged to further develop their reading skills by moving on to set 2 & 3 sounds, blending sounds together to create bigger words and being introduced to ‘special friends’, (2 letters, 1 sound) as well as attempting to complete reading tasks from some of the more advanced reading books within the scheme.
Perhaps our favourite part of the week comes on a Wednesday morning when we continue with our Rebound Therapy on the trampoline. Now our confidence is much better when getting on/off the trampoline, we have been able to develop our skills, displaying more control whilst having fun in the process. We all show how happy we are when we are bouncing on the trampoline in the school hall!
Away from school, we have enjoyed some offsite learning, visiting the ‘Autism Together’ garden centre and coffee shop, as well various other offsite visits in our separate options groups. We have coped really well with transitioning to and from our classroom this term, spending lots of time with other pupils in different classrooms and groups.
Experiencing life in the local community is giving us more opportunities to develop our life skills, particularly our social skills, communication skills and independence. We are hoping that we will be able to participate in more offsite visits after Christmas.
Speaking of Christmas, everybody in Fusion class would like to wish everyone in the Meadowside community a very Merry Christmas.
Mr Pemberton
My Outdoor Classroom
The My Outdoor Classroom group have enjoyed a range ofoutdoor experiences this term. We have spent time ‘close to home’ and enjoyed the sunshine, smells and sounds in the Edible Playground. Never to be deterred by the weather, the group also enjoyed time under canvas when webuilt a den to protect usfrom the rain, whilst we drank hot chocolate. Pupils have made nature bracelets,by selecting greenery from the garden,and especially appreciated the fragrances ofthe herbs and flowers.
The group enjoyed a trip to the Community Café, which is hosted in the church hall by another group of pupils from school. We practised socialising in a less familiar place, placing orders, and waiting patiently to be served.
Hopefully we can travel further afield next term, now that wehave a new bus.
Mrs Dunn
Computing
This term, pupils have been learning about the Internet and Networks. They have identified a range of features on websites that help with navigation and access to information.
Recently pupils have been learning about email. They have experienced sending, receiving, replying, forwarding, including attachments and setting urgency levels.
They have also learnt about the role of a search engine, considering where the results come from and how to find different results such as websites, images, maps and videos.
Mrs Charmley
Maths
During the Autumn term our pupils have made progress in a number of Mathematical aspects. All pupils have extended their knowledge of number and place value. Other topics covered have been:
Key Stage 3 Addition, Time , Money, Shape Properties and Pattern.
Key Stage 4/5—Addition & Subtraction, Length/Perimeter, and Time.
Pupils have used technology to identify and learn about shapes, selecting and positioning shapes as requested to recreate a given design layout.
Pupils learnt to align items carefully when comparing lengths.
Learning to partition numbers in standard and non-standard ways has also been one of the topics we have covered.
Pupils worked as a team to order themselves by height.
Mrs Charmley
CAREERS
Pupils in KS4 and Post 16 have had lots of experiences looking at and learning about colleges this term. Visiting Careers Fayres, The Hive and Wirral Met College. A number of pupils have also taken part in our school apprenticeship scheme shadowing staff in different areas. They have all given their own views for their annual reviews.
Ms Goalen
In KS3 this term, pupils have learned about how to work as part of a team and how to resolve conflicts. They role played different team activities and learned about different team jobs.
In Work related learning we had a new cohort of pupils at the Community Café and this term we have had visits from other pupils in our school so that they could
Science
It’s been a busy term in Science for pupils in Key Stage 3 and 4.
In Biology, pupils are learning about the characteristics oflife; looking at movement, respiration, sensitivity, growth, reproduction, excretion and nutrition.
In Chemistry, we have learned lots about different types of rocks, how they are formed, and most excitingly, what can form in between the layers of sedimentary rock: fossils! Mrs Boyd brought in some real fossils she had found on England’s Jurassic Coast and we made our own using plaster of Paris too.
In Physics, we have been learning about electricity and, after thinking about what we need electricity for and how we can be safe around it at home, we started buildingour own circuits.
Key stage 4pupils started the termconducting experiments that focussed on making sure their tests were fair. We then learnt about keeping healthy, the solar system and materials that are transparent, translucent and opaque,We have had lots of fun,.
Mrs Boyd
Semi-Formal Curriculum
In Copper group, the pupils have welcomed in the Autumn term with our topic Me and My Body. A key development that the children have enjoyed is their Yoga sessions. The children have embraced our weekly ‘My Body’ (PE) lessons, learning and improving new positions as the term has progressed.
Copper group has also learnt about their bodies through cross curricular lessons in subjects such as RE, Art, PHSE and Maths. For example, we have discussed how we are all different by comparing our hand paintings, explored shape in Maths and in PSHE they have learnt that their body belongs to them.
Our ‘My Communication’ (English) theme has been planned around the book ‘Pirates Love Underpants’. The pupils have really delved into this book and other related books that follow a pirate theme. Copper group has been learning about what it means to be a pirate, using drama, ICT and books to expand their knowledge.
The pupils learning about Time, as part of our MTPS (Maths) lessons. The class have demonstrated their independence in this topic.
The pupils have bonded well this academic year by playing board games together (taking turns), reading to each other (listening to others) and working in pairs.
It has been a pleasure teaching the class .
Mr Brown
Focus KS3
The learners in Focus have had a very busy term! We have really enjoyed our topic ‘Me and My Body’ throughout the Semi-Formal Curriculum. We have learnt the correct names for different parts of our bodies and explored how to look after ourselves with increasing independence including showering, exercising and cleaning our teeth.
We have really enjoyed our daily phonics sessions and have listened to a wide variety of stories. We have been exploring the Aliens Love Underpants series of stories, we have ordered them, took part in a story massage and acted out different sections. We have practiced our use of number in a range of different ways and have begun to develop our understanding of money and how it is used.
We have been really enjoying our weekly swimming lessons as well as weekly yoga sessions with Mr Pemberton. We have explored the edible playground and spent time outside learning about a range of different careers including being a gardener, a refuse collector and a cleaner.
The highlight of our term has been creating lots of wonderful pieces of art work. We have been exploring coloured bottles and recreating them in a number of different ways including making sun catchers and blending pastels to create different effects.
Have a safe and enjoyable Christmas.
Mrs O’Connor
This term we have started lunchtime activities with a consistent focus for each session throughout the term.
Monday is storytelling: Key stage 3 have been ‘going on a bear hunt’ using actions and sounds to support the story.
Key stage 4 have had ‘private peaceful’ cool sessions .
Tuesday is communication games which is a mix of Makaton and each pupil leading ‘Simon Says’ to help build confidence in communication with peers and leadership skills.
Wednesday is outside Art. We use ‘outside of the box’ art to make use of the environment and wash away products.
Thursday is sensory play. Our focus for this term is bubbles, using everyday items to make different sized bubbles with added colour and glitter for the wow factor. Friday is dance club to provide relaxation after a week’s hard work. Friday disco is great fun and breaks down communication barriers and allows pupils to express themselves in a therapeutic way.
There has been a lot of excitement from the pupils with many of them taking an active part .
Melanie Hinde
Woodchurch Inclusion
Meadowside and Woodchurch High school work in partnership to offer an inclusion programme to some of our learners. This term Tyler is having some taster lessons in Maths and James and Ryan are continuing their GCSE work in Art and Design.
Jenny Wilson
Life Skills
KS3 ‘Personal Care’ topic has included learning about germs, the importance of washing hands (correctly), washing hair, cleaning teeth, using sun cream and learning about personal presentation and its importance. The groups also made some Christmas themed treats and enjoyed eating some of the things they had made.
How to clean teeth
KS4 & Post 16
The topic this term has been celebrations. Pupils have made a range of foods associated with celebrations that has included; buffet food such as sausage rolls, pizza, pasties and cakes. Harvest (vegetable soups, different flavoured bread), Rosh Hashanah (Honey biscuits), Diwali (curry), Halloween (witches fingers) and Christmas themed recipes. KS4 pupils’ focus has included developing, understanding and practice of kitchen hygiene, using recipes, weight, measure and team skills. Post 16 practical lessons involved shopping for ingredients, using money skills, developing practical skills and independence and working on both independence and team skills.
Liz Jones
Poppy biscuits
Witches’ fingers
KS4 & Post 16 14-19 Options: Cookery Snacks
This year there are two Cookery Options groups. Pupils in both groups made lots of different biscuits and cakes with some pupils making snack foods such as toasted sandwiches, potato and egg dishes and cakes following cake box instructions.
Making pitta pizzas, cakes and omelettes
Liz Jones
KS3 This term we have learned about Judaism and Islam. Pupils have been finding out about these two religions by looking at religious artefacts, listening to stories, doing research and using interactive activities.
Rosh Hashanah Honey biscuits
Trying honey and
KS4 & Post 16
The RE topic for the Autumn term has been ’Celebrations’ This topic has included: Ceremonies and customs from some of the main religions linked to birth (naming a baby), marriage and some of the festivals that have happened during the autumn term. Celebrations have included Rosh Hashanah, Diwali, All Saints day, StAndrews Day, Adventand the Christmas Story.
Liz Jones
RE
Jewish Artefacts
D&T
All pupils in Key Stage 3 have worked very hard to complete the different kinds of puppets we have made this term. We started off with finger puppets made from Mod Rock, then we had a fun time making hand puppets.
Aspire, Endeavour and Discover havenearly completed their newspaper and Mod Rock Marionettes and Enquireare completing a Banraku style puppets. We hope to put on a performance next term to show their finished products.
Options Group have made some lovely weaves, which we will make into a wall hanging. We took a break to glue our Enterprise mirrors and wallpaper samples to decorate the community room.
Sensory Celebrations with Flair Class
SeasonalLearningintheAutumnTerm
Flair Class has been using all their senses to explore this term. We started this year by investigating Autumn fruits as part of our Harvest Festival celebration in September. Everybody got involved in our Apple Bobbing Science experiment to see who could make the biggest splash! We enjoyed our sensory story, Pumpkin Soup, too. As Halloween approached, we used our hands to explore some scary messy play. We visited the Hairy Scary Castle during our spooky sensory story, interacting with instruments and switches. We experimented with baking soda and vinegar to make exploding pumpkins during My Thinking, using eye gaze and switches to make predictions.
We made some fantastic pieces of art inNovember, including spice painting sensory autumn scenes, firework glitter pictures, and a poppy collage for Remembrance Day. We explored counting and Maths, through sensory trays and unfix cubes, allowing us time for independent learning. We loved our bonfire night sensory story, accessing lights, smells, sounds, and textures associated with fireworks.
With Christmas just over the horizon, we have started making our decorations for the Christmas Market, exploring the smells and taste of festive fruits and spices. We are really enjoying our December sensory story, ‘”Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore, exploring fairy lights, filling stockings with presents, and meeting Father Christmas and his reindeer!
Ms Wilson
Geography
KS3 has looked at different maps in books. At the start of term they tracked the journey of the Queen’s coffin from Balmoral, Scotland to Windsor. They learned the names of the UK countries andcapitalcities.
We walked around mazes, made maps of our journey home from school for cars to drive along, made a map of the school with a key and had a treasure hunt around the school to find differentrooms.
MrsBrown
This term, we had a very special visit from Pudsey Bear. Pudsey visited all of the classrooms & the pupils were very excited. Meadowside raised £92.00 for the charity with children dressing up as part of the fundraising day.
Royden Park– Work Experience
For this post 16 work experience option, we are working closely with other service users, park rangers and staff to help rejuvenate the park, particularly the walled garden.
We have helped create new paths with parts of fallen tree trunks and helped remove unwanted weeds. Our project over the last few weeks has been to remove a giant tree stump from one of the open areas.
The pupils have worked extremely hard during this time.
Jack Liddell
Music
The Music department is pleased to have a new base, in the Pink Room this year. Pupils have enjoyed playing on keyboards and the piano again something we have been unable to do since before Covid changed everything. Lessons have included listening to cartoon music and movie themes. Since half term, we have been preparing for Christmas, with Carol Singing activities across the Wirral. Meadowside hosted the Christmas Signalong, with several local schools performing songs and everyone enjoying a mass singing and signing session.
Mrs Hughes
Christingle
Our Chair of Governors, Jeff Hughes, is the minister at Wallasey Village URC. We were invited to attend a Christingle event and pupils made their own Christingles to hold in a short service.
The group included members of 14-19 World Cultures Option, who enjoyed finding out about the origin of Christingle, in Germany in 1747.
Mrs Hughes
English
This term during English our pupils have been looking at the author Michael Murpurgo. KS3 pupils have been reading, Friend or Foe and Private Peaceful.
Whilst reading Friend or Foe, the pupils studied the effect WWII had on children living in cities. The pupils have learnt that the children were in danger and had to be evacuated, to the safety of the countryside away from the bombs.
Pupils have re-enacted being an evacuee by making, evacuation labels, gas masks and suitcases. Learners were asked, to look at what evacuees were asked to take in their suitcases, whilst being evacuated. They then made a comparative list choosing items that they would take. It was hard for a lot of pupils to think of life without technology!
Readers of Private Peaceful, have been studying WWI and learning how difficult it was for the soldiers fighting in the trenches during WWI.
All pupils have made poppies and have been about why we observe the tradition of Remembrance Day. Ms Roberts
AuthorVisit
Local author Susanne T Schroder came to school to read us her new book ‘The Robin’s First Christmas’. Susanne has already written a best selling book ‘The Donkey’s First Christmas’ and it was lovely to talk with her about what being an author entails.
Pupils enjoyed seeing her story at the planning stage, with crossings out and scribble as her ideas developed.
Listening to stories is a great way to bring literature to life and builds children’s vocabulary with every page.
MFL
This term during French, we have been learning to talk about ourselves. Pupils have learnt to count up to 40 and the months ofthe year. Once they had mastered their numbers and months, pupils were able to respond, when asked, what date and month they celebrated their birthday. Next, pupils learned to respond, when asked, what their name was, their age and how many brothers and sisters they have, ifany.
Pupils put their French to the test by looking at a famous person’s profile age, name and birthday. They then prepared answers for that famous person in French.
Ms Roberts
Drama
This term during Drama, pupils have been focusing on voice and speech control. They have been using different voice and facial exercises to warm up, ready to act out different roles and accents.
Pupils have also been learning all about props and improvisation. They carried out a fantastic acting class improvising with a plastic pot and a plastic ruler! They improvised using the plastic pot as a baby and a cup of tea! The plastic ruler was used to improvise as an electric guitar.
During the last couple of weeks, the drama group has beenstudying the story of ‘The Little Match Girl’. Pupils have been recreating the story and acting out different roles and making a short play. The pupils are trying to make other pupils aware of the importance of giving!
Mrs Roberts
This year a small group were rewarded for their good behaviour with a trip out to help choose and collect this years Christmas tree. They picked out a great tree, which is now fully decorated in our Hall with the help of some of the pupils. Everyone was very excited on Friday afternoon to see the tree lit up.
Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas!
Carol Service
Our Carol Service took a different form this year– we were unable to invite an audience as we just did not have the space. We were unable to make the trip up the hill to Holy Cross Church, due to the extensive ice on the footpaths.
In the school hall, we held our first whole school gathering for quite some time. It was a beautiful event, with some wonderful readings from almost every class and performances from the Signing Singers. A bell ringing solo and a sensory retelling ofThe Night Before Christmas all contributed to it being a really special service.
Thanks to all of the staff and pupils who have been practising carols every week and rehearsing readings.
Mrs Hughes
Staffing News
We have welcomed several new staff to school this term; Ms Wilson and Mrs Boyd have joined us as Specialist Classroom Teachers, Carly and Helen have joined our mid-day team and Vickie, Nadine and Joanne have joined us as Teaching Assistants. Amber and Grant have been with us as Teaching Assistants on long-term supply and have so enjoyed working with us that they will be joining our staff in January.
It is great to have so many talented staff join us with experience from such a diverse range of previous occupations.
School Governors
We are extremely grateful to all our Governors who give their time and expertise to support and challenge the 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 need of current and future pupils. If you would like to find out more about this role 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 daily with our latest information and news.
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You can also contact the Office on (0151) 678 7711
