At Brackenfield we recognise the importance of learning beyond the classroom for our pupils.  This includes; being outside on the school site and offsite learning in the wider community.

We want our pupils:

• To communicate needs and opinions in different contexts
• To explore cause and effect in safe spaces
• To functionally navigate and access the world around them
• To recognise and access regulation opportunities; promoting self-soothing, awe and wonder  
•  To be socially aspirational 
• To embrace imaginative concepts provoking creativity

Teaching staff will:

• Provide safe and consistent structure, routine and expectations
• Support exploration of different environments
• Provide opportunities to develop and transfer navigation, communication and social skills 
• Recognise and promote success and achievements
• Assess, track and report pupil progress supporting purposeful teaching and learning

Outdoor Learning

Outdoor learning is embedded throughout the curriculum subjects across the school; providing cross curricular learning opportunities. This may include outdoor learning offsite such as:

• Using public transport
• Community experiences; shopping, libraries, cafes, parks, local attractions, competitive sporting opportunities
• Forest school’s lessons

In addition to this there are specific outdoor sessions that are timetabled into each classes’ day. Typically, this time is spent working towards communication and interaction personal learning intentions; however, this may differ depending on the class group. SLTAs plan activities for personalised learning intentions, of which all staff will support and report on pupil progress.  The information is detailed in class rationales. This may include sports, social interaction or sensory integration opportunities such as:

• Using outdoor equipment; bikes, scooters, climbing frames, sporting games and exercise equipment
• Road safety; track and vehicles (bikes/ scooters/ carts)
• Social interaction games; peer to peer, Teacher-led, mirroring, role play
• Outdoor formal curriculum lessons
• Forest Schools lessons

Spiritual, moral, social and Cultutral Learning (SMSC)

SMSC themes are planned for the year ahead, informed by parent/ pupil voice and curriculum themes. Weekly assemblies take place on Friday afternoons, with a set theme followed by an awards assembly. Character days are planned as whole school events to promote inclusivity across the school community.  Assemblies and character days are an additional learning opportunity for pupils to explore British Values, worldwide awe and wonder and deepen understanding of the world around us. They are also opportunities for pupils to work together across the school, to raise money for charity and to consider the wider community. For information on the character days and assemblies please see the Key Information Channel in Teams.

Parents, pupils and staff voice informed the chosen charity for fundraising events each year. The school runs fundraising events for the school community and hold two other fundraising events for the chosen charity. In 2019- 2020 the charity is The Children’s Trust; a children’s brain injury charity.

British Values

British Values are embedded throughout our curriculum, including our SMSC offer.

• Community Participation: Democracy, the rule of law, mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without faith
• Good Health: Individual liberty
• Relationship education: mutual respect for and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without faith.

Religious Education

Religious Education is embedded within curriculum subjects: Community Participation and Relationship education. However, due to the complexity of some pupils’ needs they may not reach these assessment milestones. Therefore, opportunities to promote tolerance of other faiths and religious learning have been planned across the SMSC calendar to expose pupils to a rich and diverse worldwide curriculum.