Let’s Get Ready for Core Words!

Just when you thought you’d seen it all from our wonderful Team Oaklands staff. Get your hairbrush microphones ready and get singing!…

Thanks to (in order) Dyanne, Angela, Ruby, Jack, Jill, Nicky, Michelle B, Jen, Clare W, Clare AY, Annie and music guru extraordinaire, Meg!

Get The Popcorn Out!

We made some more videos!

Here is a link to one which was a real team effort with special mention to Jackie and her kids demoing the activities, and some other family members on camera crew / direction…

https://vimeo.com/402605568/description

 

New video: SignAlong for handwashing!

Here is a video to help you and your child learn a few new SignAlong signs as you wash those hands AGAIN and AGAIN!

You don’t need to use all the signs – just one or two at a time – at the right level for your child.

Don’t forget our washing hands song signifier… and remember to wash for at least 20 seconds!

From Annie and Nicky (Speech and Language Therapy; contact us via Nicky’s work mobile 07779967313 during the school closures)

HELP us with our Core Words!

Our new Core Word of the month is “help”!

It’s a really important skill to learn to confidently ask for help when you need it… but first the children will needs lots of practise to become familiar with the sign and symbol for “help”.

Please look out for the “help” postcards coming home tomorrow and watch our video to learn how to sign “help” with your child at home…

Oaklands Home Learning

Hello all our lovely Team Oaklands families and friends!

You will now find our brand, spanking, new page ‘Oaklands Home Learning’ on our website. This will give you lots of ideas of fun activities you can take part in while we’re out of school.

There’s even the Circle Time powerpoint with songs, so there’s no excuse to stop the signing and singing!

Best wishes to you all and please don’t hesitate to get in touch should you need to.

Morna

ASL Review – Make Your Voice Heard!

Overview

A review of the implementation of additional support for learning (ASL) in schools was announced in January 2019.

The review is founded on a continued commitment to a presumption to mainstreaming and on the need to ensure that children and young people’s additional support needs are met. This will enable them to reach their full potential, with learning provision that best suits their needs.

The review will be led by Angela Morgan.

She will consider current evidence and engage with a range of people and groups to identify good practice and areas for further improvement in the ways that children and young people with additional support needs progress in their learning.

Remit

The review will consider:

  • how ASL works in practiceacross early learning and childcare centres, primary, secondary and special schools (including enhanced provision, services and units)
  • where children and young people learn within the balance of the provision set out above, recognising that not all authority areas have all of those provisions
  • the quality of learning and support, including overall achievement and positive destinations achieved post-school
  • the different approaches to planning and assessment to meet the needs of children and young people
  • the roles and responsibilities of support staff, teaching staff, leadership role, education authorities and national agencies
  • the areas of practice which could be further enhanced through better use of current resources to support practice, staffing or other aspects of provision

Review timescales

Angela will gather views and experiences from October to December 2019.  It is anticipated that a report with recommendations for next steps will be available in spring 2020.

Angela Morgan’s background

Angela brings vast knowledge and experience to this role.  She was born in London and has spent over half her life in Scotland.  After social work training at the University of London she decided to pursue her profession in the third sector; initially in mental health (in Scotland with SAMH) and later working with children and young people.

She was the Chief Executive of Includem until 2018, and has remained involved in a range of, mostly voluntary activity focused on improving lives. She is a member of the workforce journey group for the Independent Care Review.

Feedback to the review

You can contact Angela to tell her about your own experiences of ASL.

She is particularly keen to hear of examples – small or large – of where things do work well.

  • If you’ve had a difficult time, what by contrast has made the difference?
  • What would you like to see more or less of ?
  • Where should we best focus efforts for positive change?

All contributions to the review will be treated and respected as anonymous – whether positive or otherwise.

Email: ChairASLindependentreview@outlook.com

Documents

 

Life After Oaklands?

On behalf of Marisa  (Parent Council Chair), I’d like to remind you that there is a Parent Council meeting this Thursday at 6.30pm.

We will have guest speakers from the Social Work Transition Team  (now known as YADT – Young Adults with Disabilities Team).

There have been some major changes for post school provision and it is important for as many parents as possible to attend so you are aware of how these changes will affect you and your family when your child leaves Oaklands.

I hope to see many of you on Thursday night.

Morna

Purple and Green!

Team Oaklands are going all purple and green tomorrow in support of Macmillan Cancer Support!

We hope to see all pupils, staff and friends decked out in purple and green and donating £1 for the privilege! 🙂

Come and join us tomorrow morning for assembly at 9.30 and then coffee, tea and home baking from 10.00. ALL WELCOME!

Pine Class have been leading the way with decorations and flyering in our local area.

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Again, Again!

We are coming to the end of our year of the big Core Words push here at Oaklands School… and we’re ending the term by focusing on AGAIN!

Postcards, symbols and signs for AGAIN are being delivered to the classrooms and going into the pupils’ home-school diaries. Watch the video below to see how sign AGAIN with your child…

We are also taking some time to reflect on how the year of Core Words has gone… would you like to go over them AGAIN next year? Look out for your feedback questionnaire to tell us what you think! Or drop us a line on Twitter or by commenting on this post.

And AGAIN – a *huge* Oaklands thank you to all the volunteers who have helped with the project… from the behind-the-scenes laminating teams to the stars of our videos… over the year.

Have a lovely summer and get in touch if you need any support!
– from Speech and Language Therapy

Special School, City of Edinburgh Council.