Dovedale is one of our Primary classes and is part of the Stage 1 progression route across the school. This year we have a class of five students who are aged between six and ten years of age. 

The students access most of their learning in their own classroom, which has an adjoining sensory room. Our continuous provision enables pupils to learn though play and develop their play skills. Adult-led activities are carried out either on a one-to-one basis or in small group in a separate work area. Regular opportunities for outdoor learning are also encouraged, which includes forest schools and learning in our own outdoor areas. 

Each school day begins with an interactive 'Hello' session in which we share the timetable, welcome everyone to the class and identify our feelings. A creative and multi-sensory approach to learning is adopted across all subjects and is well-supported by the use of signs and symbols.  

By providing a fun, safe and engaging environment the students in Dovedale, are enabled to succeed and achieve.

Important Information:

Outdoor learning - Please provide wellies and all in one rainsuits OR waterproof coats and trousers as we shall be accessing outdoor learning all year round in all weathers.

PE  – Will be every Friday

Swimming - During summer term 1 (kits to stay at school for the half term)

Dovedale embedded their knowledge and skills they have learnt during Beyond Bennerley and PE to have a successful trip to Rutland Sports Centre to access their inflatables and soft play area. This was a lovely end of year treat!

Dovedale are loving this half term's topic where we are exploring rock pools and beaches.

• We have enjoying fishing to see what rock pool creatures we might find
• Exploring a sensory beach from sand play and experiencing the 'sea' 
• We have explored and created our own rock pool habitats
• Matching rock pool animals
• We enjoyed following instructions to create our own edible beaches 

Dovedale had a wonderful time visiting the zoo, we embedded our road safety skills within Beyond Bennerley. We enjoyed exploring the interactive Gruffalo trail following reading it as a key text in a previous topic. 

As part of PE and Beyond Bennerley, Dovedale enjoyed exploring a local woodland area.

Dovedale have visited the park this afternoon working on their PE targets there. We had great fun running,climbing and swinging with our friends. Well done Dovedale, we are looking forward to next Friday and our trip out.

Dovedale had a wonderful time today. As part of our well-being week we were able to experience the laser tag course where we had lots of fun running around, throwing balls and hiding in different sections. We were all really brave and put on a harness before climbing up the wall.

As part of our Maths topic of 'money' and our RSE topic 'Growing and Changing' Dovedale took a trip to Lanes Farm. We were able to transfer our money skills from the classroom into the community by purchasing food to feed to the animals. We then visited all the animals and identified the mummy's and their babies. 

Dovedale have been working hard on increasing our independence during our morning routine. All pupils arrive to school and hang their coats and bags on their pegs, place their shoes in the box (if desired) before putting their lunchboxes into the yellow box.

Students then sign themselves into class whilst practicing their fine motor skills, staff work with students to share their feelings on arrival. During breakfast time students use a combination of verbal words, signing and PECS boards to request food and drink items.

Our topic this half term is all about minibeasts. We have explored various types of minibeasts and their habitats through sensory play and stories. Dovedale have really enjoyed getting creative to make their own minibeasts.

Dovedale are enjoying this half terms D&T lessons. We are exploring how to build blocks vertically and horizontally and investigating how to combine different materials

Dovedale are learning about Road safety as part of their Beyond Bennerley curriculum. 

• We have explored different types of crossings from traffic lights, lollipop ladies and zebra crossings
• We have practiced walking holding an adults hand to keep us safe
• We know that we have to walk along the pavement 

This half term out topic is 'How do we keep well?' as part of this topic Dovedale:

• Were able to follow instructions to make their own banana and strawberry smoothies.
• Dovedale selected their own fruit to make kebabs for their afternoon snack
• We have explored that Doctors can help to keep us well when we are poorly

Dovedale had a fantastic trip to Oxygen Trampoline Park! This trip was part of our Beyond Bennerley and PE. Dovedale had some positive interactions with members of the general public

As part of our Maths topic we have been learning all about 2D shapes. We have explored and found different shapes hidden in shaving foam. We have matched concrete shapes to their pictorial representation before using ICT interactive games to match everyday objects to the 2D shape. We also had a try and tracing and independently drawing our shapes.

As part of our topic 'Are eggs alive?' Dovedale have enjoyed exploring different types of eggs. We started by exploring chicken eggs, all the students had a go and cracking them to see what was inside and learnt how to make scrambled eggs. Dovedale then got the chance to look inside some chocolate eggs to see if they were empty or filled.

As part of our topic 'Are eggs alive?' we have been exploring different habitats and life cycles in our science and humanities lessons.

We have explored the life cycles of frogs and butterflies through sensory experiences.

Dovedale enjoyed learning about were different animals live and how we care for them. We used straw to create a bed for a rabbit and then gave it some water and food.

Dovedale have enjoyed using the flint and steels to practice their fire lighting skills. We have also been exploring different natural scents of mint. lavender and rosemary within our water play activities.

For World Book Day this year Dovedale have dressed up as and focused on books about emergency service workers, linked to our topic.

During Spring 1 our main topic is 'Will you read me a story?", Dovedale have loved exploring and listening to The Gruffalo story. 

We have explored the book through various sensory stories, matched the characters to their pages in the book  as well as ordering the story as we have read it. 

As part of our science and humanities this half term we are exploring how plants grow.

We started off by sequencing a plant life before following instructions and planting our own seeds.

Dovedale water their plants daily and check to see if they have started to sprout, we then record our findings as part of our investigation.

Following instructions to travel across different pieces of apparatus and moving safely around the hall space and at different levels. 

Dovedale love exploring Forest School on a Monday afternoon!

We gain the confidence to explore our environment independently. Our favourite activity is to see who get the muddiest! 

Dovedale have had an amazing morning on their trip! We started off by visiting the soft play at Lea Green as part of our PE lesson to work on our fundamental skills. 

As we have been working hard over the past few weeks in maths to understand the value and concept of money, Dovedale went to McDonald's for their end of term treat to practice their skills in a real life situtation. The students were able to order their own Happy Meal using a PECs board and handed over their cash to the worker without prompting. 

As part of our PSHE curriculum this half we were focusing on the Bennerley Attitudes of caring for our school as well as self care. We have selected jobs to help care for our school by choosing to; Wipe tables, sweep the floor and tidy toys away.

As part of self-care we have worked on becoming more independent with:

• Brushing our teeth
• Washing our hands
• Bathing 
• Putting on our shoes and coats

As part of Beyond Bennerley this half term Dovedale have been exploring hobbies and new experiences.

We started by looking at photos and symbols of our favourite activities in school from reading books, to playing on the scooters and climbing on the climbing frame.

For our new activities we:

• Made a chocolate mug cake as a group
• We made our own pitta bread pizza for snack time
• We used household objects to create a fizzing lemon volcano

Dovedale enjoy their weekly sessions.

Dovedale have weekly TacPac sessions. They enjoy this in both 1:1 sessions or in a small group of peers.

During Autumn 2 Dovedale have started to accept Peer Massage with enjoyment

As part of our Autumn 1 topic 'Why do leaves go crispy?' Dovedale have enjoyed exploring the changes in our natural environment. We have watched the leaves change colour, felt the temperature begin to cool and found some natural autumn objects (conkers, acorns & pinecones). We have also learnt all about different woodland animals, exploring the features that make them special.

Dovedale explored different aspects of a Christening for RE day. We looked at being apart of different families and communities from our home family to our school and class families. We then spent the afternoon taking part in our own christening experience, starting off by putting on our smart party clothes, learning about pouring 'holy water' over the babies head and then celebrating with music and party food.

Dovedale had a fantastic trip to Lea Green soft play this morning (29/9/23). They all worked hard on their PE targets and had lots of fun with their friends too.

Dovedale complete the following challenges for their '5 for 50' fundraising week

• Barefoot sensory walk
• Danceathon
• Rowing
• Sensory circuit 
• Bounceathon
• Sports day