Beech Pathway Newsletter
I can’t quite believe we are already at the end of another school year – where has the time gone? You should have all received your child’s end of year report and I hope you enjoyed reading about all the wonderful things they have done this year as much as I did!
As we move into the next new academic, we are looking forward to welcoming new pupils to our pathway as well as introducing brand-new class which is named Rush Class named after the actor Lenny Rush.
On behalf of the whole Beech Pathway Team, we hope you all have a lovely summer holiday and we are excited to you all again in September.
Lee Gore Strategic Lead for Beech Pathway
Dates for your diary
• Tuesday 23rd July – Last Day (2pm finish)
• Monday 2nd & Tuesday 3rd September –Staff Development Days
• Wednesday 4th September – Students First Day back
• Friday 25th October – Last Day of Term 1
• Monday 4th November – Staff Development Day
• Tuesday 5th November – Students Back
• Friday 20th December – Last Day of Term 2 (2pm finish)
Beech Pathway Newsletter
Bear Class
Bear Class have had a wonderful end to the school year. The children have all made amazing progress.
This term the pupils have focused on information carrying words (ICWs) and blanks. The children have enjoyed exploring the tea party, cooking sets and have made fantastic progress.
This term, our maths focus has been measure. The children have been exploring big, small, capacity and weight by engaging in a range of practical activities such as water play to explore capacity and using scales to identify what is heavy and light.
The children also enjoyed horse riding. Due to their love of horse riding, one pupil is now able to travel on the school bus with their peers, which is amazing to see. Another pupil initially was a little wary of the horses but has worked very hard each week from not wanting to be near horses to now stroking the horses.
Throughout terms 5 and 6, the children who are moving on to a different class have started the transition to their new classes. All the pupils have loved visiting and exploring their new classrooms.
We are incredibly proud of all our pupils and the progress they have made this year. We hope you have a wonderful Summer Holiday!
Beech Pathway Newsletter
Meerkat
Class
Meerkats have had a lovely few terms. It is nice to have the sun poking out here and there but we would love a bit of breeze too!
As usual, our highlights have been our trips to the community (Photos attached of Lulu).
We had an amazing trip to the Rare Breed Centre (Photo attached with Ruby's face blanked out) and have had some wonderful swimming, cafe and shopping trips.
This has led us into some great cooking sessions, with all the Meerkats fully taking part (Photo of John).
It is fantastic to see how the communication skills within Meerkat Class have developed this year. The pupils are using visuals more as well as vocal skills to make their wants and needs known. This has been demonstrated through greater levels of participation during all lessons. Our recent Information Carrying Words and BLANKS assessments (Photo attached of Tilly) have given the pupils opportunities to display their progress.
Some pupils have been engaging in transition sessions and everyone is excited for the year ahead.
We are looking forward to a trip to Betteshanger Park on Friday July 19th.
Have a wonderful summer holidays!!
Beech Pathway Newsletter
Lion
Class
During term 5 we had great fun looking at shape, symmetry and patterns in maths lessons. A favourite activity in this topic was working with mirrors to create symmetrical patterns using the 2D shapes. In English we participated in sensology sessions to develop our understanding of structuring commentary sentences using Language through colour. We had great fun using our senses to explore different objects such as smelling cocoa powder, tasting jelly, feeling massage rollers etc.
We had the opportunity to go to Forest school and develop our gross motor skills in an outdoor environment. The class loved all the sessions even when they were a bit wet, this just meant we could engage in mud painting and had smores around the fire to warm ourselves up.
On Thursdays we were also able to access rebound sessions this term with a rebound instructor. Most children were able to spend time on the trampoline following verbal and visual instructions, some even began completing short routines which they remembered from previous sessions earlier this year.
In term 6 we have been focused on measurement in maths sessions. This has included using a variety of measurement tools to measure objects and ourselves to record and compare data, and then using this to organise objects by size as well as weight and volume. In English we have been developing our understanding of instruction using information carrying words and blanks level assessments. During these we have had highly motivating activities which we have engaged with before responding to questions and instructions about them.
On Thursdays we have been going offsite to Herons swimming pool, this has been great fun. We have used both the big pool and small pool to develop our swimming skills at different confidence levels, some have been swimming underwater using floats to help swim short distances, others have been working on blowing bubbles in the water, controlling breathing and building swim techniques including leg and arm movements to move through the water.
Beech Pathway Newsletter
Webster Class
Webster Class have had a fantastic year! Pupils have been able to develop their social skills with many pupils now initiating interaction with other peers – which has been wonderful to see. Throughout the year we have been supporting their communication through a range of tools such as aided language boards, PECs, VOCAs, vocally, using Makaton and using symbols around the room, including the Communication Wall. Pupils are now able to identify how they are feeling on the Zones of Regulation with staff supporting them with strategies for them to regulate. We have seen many occasions where pupils have been able to follow a strategy independently, such as breathing, helping with jobs in the class as a distraction or using resources in the class such as the sensory ball. Webster have made huge strides with their independence, with pupils unpacking their bags, following their hygiene routine and beginning to walk down to the front on their own at the end of the day. Webster have had the opportunity to experience different shops, forest school, the arcades, swimming and a visit to Quex Park for our community learning days. This has supported pupils’ awareness, safety and interaction with others during this time. It has been an absolute pleasure teaching all of the pupils in Webster Class and the team are very proud with the progress they have made.
The Beech Pathway Team 2024-25
Lee Gore
Assistant Headteacher & Strategic Lead l.gore@stns.org.uk
Jasmine McPherson Pathway Lead Meerkat Class Teacher j.mcpherson@stns.org.uk
Morgana Malane Bear Class Teacher m.malane@stns.org.uk
Kirstie Philpott Lion Class Teacher
k.philpott@stns.org.uk
Mark Sayer Rush Class Teacher m.sayer@stns.org.uk
Simon Bryant Webster Class Teacher
s.bryant@stns.org.uk Our School Wellbeing Team
At St Nicholas School, we are lucky to have an experienced and very knowledgeable Wellbeing Team who are available to support you if needed. They are there if you ever need someone to talk to.
They can also support you with:
• Transport queries
• Signposting and referring to services
• Funding information and support
• Filling out forms
• Parent/Carer Workshops
Please do email them at wellbeingteam@stns.org.uk if needed.
Beech Pathway Newsletter
Beech Pathway Newsletter
Simon is now able to identify a range of symbols in PECs (from 2, including spaghetti and shaving foam – highly motivating objects for Simon). He is beginning to use both the drink symbols and toilet symbols to get his needs met.
