Welcome to Shipley Class!

At Shipley Class, we believe that every child’s learning journey is unique—and we are here to nurture it every step of the way. Our classroom is a warm and supportive environment where sensory needs are understood and celebrated, and where learning is tailored to meet the individual strengths and interests of every pupil.

We follow a bespoke curriculum designed to inspire confidence, independence, and curiosity. Using the TEACCH approach, we create an organised and structured setting that helps our pupils thrive, providing clear routines and personalised learning opportunities.

Each day begins with a positive and engaging morning greeting session, where we sign along to our "Good Morning" song, explore our visual timetable, and check in using the Zones of Regulation board—a meaningful way to help pupils develop emotional awareness and get ready for the day ahead.

Our timetable includes regular brain breaks and proprioception activities woven throughout the day. These purposeful movement sessions help pupils feel calm, focused, and ready to learn, supporting both their physical and emotional wellbeing.

We are also proud of our outdoor learning programme, which gives pupils the chance to explore, discover, and connect with the world around them. Through Forest School sessions, led by our trained Forester, pupils experience the natural environment in all its richness. Plus, our exciting outdoor science sessions will offer hands-on opportunities to investigate and experiment in a practical, engaging way.

Throughout 2025-2026, we’ll be diving into a range of exciting topics designed to provide holistic, enriching, and thought-provoking learning experiences. These themes will support our pupils in gaining valuable knowledge and life skills, all while sparking curiosity and a love of learning.

We can’t wait to embark on this journey together!

Autumn 1 – Whatever the Weather (Science Focus)

Autumn 2 – Down in the Woods (Science Focus)

Spring 1 –  London Life (Geography Focus)

Spring 2 –  In the Past (History Focus)

Summer 1 – The Animal Kingdom (Art and Design Focus)

Summer 2 – Beach Explorer (Science Focus)

Beyond Bennerley: Learning Beyond the Classroom

At Shipley Class, learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door. Through our Beyond Bennerley sessions, pupils have the opportunity to take their learning out into the wider community. Regular visits to parks, shops, and cafes help our pupils develop essential life skills, build independence, and grow in confidence in real-world settings.

In addition to community learning, we also focus on developing independent living skills within school with pupils taking part in practical, hands-on activities.

Important information

Community visits Monday afternoon.

Forest School Tuesday afternoon.

PE is on a Wednesday afternoon and PE kit will be required.

We will be doing Forest school in Autumn 1; we will let you know about kit for this separately.

We will send you updates about your child throughout the week using our class email. If you need to contact us, we check email before and after the school day. If you need to report anything urgent, please use the main school email address or phone the office.

We have been exploring Shipley Park as part of our community visits. We have been looking for signs of Autumn and seeing if we can check off all the items on our sheets. We have also visited the cafe and been practising our skills of ordering and paying for our items. We have enjoyed sitting together with our friends, enjoying what we have brought.

We have really enjoyed our science this half term with lots of hands on learning relating to our Whatever the Weather topic. We have looked at different types of weather and made our own rainy day pictures. We have explored looking at how shadows are made and been matching shadows to shapes. We have also looked at how to measure temperature and what things and places are hot and cold.

This half term in Shipley 1 we have enjoyed exploring our topic of Whatever the Weather. We have used musical instruments to make weather sounds, looked at the life cycle of water and we have even had a go at being weather reporters for the day.

This half term in Shipley 2 we have enjoyed using our senses to experience different types of weather, making weather sounds using musical instruments and making a rainbow salad.

This term in Shipley Class we have enjoyed exploring the Forest School area. We have practiced using a range of tools to chop wood, hammer nails and prune our fruit trees.