Education in Bettws Lifehouse Lower Schools provides children with the opportunity to reimagine their school experience. I am passionate about ensuring that our younger pupils enjoy school and gain that firm foundation for future happiness and lifelong learning; that they are able to unburden themselves of previous anxieties around school and learn to love learning and love life. In lower school we are aspirational for all of our pupils. We aim to equip them with the academic, creative, practical, personal, emotional regulation and social skills to succeed in their Upper School years and to be ready for a happy and successful journey into adulthood. I am excited to be able to bring my knowledge, skills, experience and passion for Lifehouse Education to the position of Acting Faculty Manager of Lower School at Kingsland Grange, working in partnership with the incredible Lower School staff team and with Nici Jones, Head Teacher to bring the very best school experience to our children.
Pupils arrive in school at The Lifehouse with variable English and Language experience and knowledge and with variable levels of engagement in learning and mental wellbeing: their personal experiences and successes in both written and spoken language can vary significantly. We consider these prior experiences, as well as current attainment, engagement levels and readiness to learn, with an aim to develop our pupils’ language and literacy skills appropriately. We draw on a range of strategies and materials including published schemes. For reading and phonic learning, The DfE Letters and Sounds phonics programme is used in lower school, alongside personalised programmes and plans drawing on age-appropriate reading schemes and accessible material to promote learning through reading for pleasure and purpose. We use the Information and digital literacy programme (IDL) to enable engaged learning for many of our pupils. It blends information literacies with digital capabilities transcending technological skills and tools to identify with learning, living and working in a fluid digital world. Other programmes, schemes and strategies used to develop language and reading skills including: Word Aware Star Approach , ELKLAN word investigation, Nessy UK, Reading Eggs, Oxford Reading tree and Barrington Stoke reading books. Crucially for our pupils, the Lifehouse language and literacy curriculum is fluid, flexible and dynamic, to provide the best chance of motivating and engaging pupils to learn and progress their written and oral expressive and receptive language skills and to reach their potential.
The English National Curriculum, along with the individual child’s Education Health Care Plan, previous experiences and attainment, inform the personalised curriculum for SPAG and writing for each pupil. A range of strategies appropriate to each pupil are identified to support maximum engagement in writing and progression of skills in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Most pupils will have 3 to 5 English lessons per week, with opportunity for shared lessons as well as targeted intervention and practice for reading, spelling, punctuation and grammar as appropriate. Writing skills are also developed through cross-curricular opportunities. Where writing is proving to be a barrier to learning for a pupil, innovative strategies and a balanced approach is applied to maximise progression in writing and SPAG while also maximising engagement in learning and ensuring all pupils achieve, succeed in and enjoy their learning experiences. Interventions to support specific learning differences and to overcome barriers to writing are used appropriately alongside identifying and developing independence in alternative ways to evidence and communicate ideas which may be more appropriate for everyday use for some pupils. These will often include use of technology, such as voice-to-text software, audio and video recording. Spelling is taught in conjunction with the letters and sounds phonics programme, with tricky words, spelling patterns and technical vocabulary being taught through additional spelling pattern schemes and through interventions such as precision teaching, word investigation and scaffolding.
Digital Technology is embraced and used widely throughout Lower school: as an engagement tool, a learning and communication tool and importantly as a central curriculum area. The growing importance of ICT skills is well documented, with skills that were once seen as high level increasingly seen as basic skills. In an increasingly ICT-mediated society, digital life skills underpin both employability and social inclusion. Pupils arrive at The Lifehouse with variable ICT experiences, knowledge and enthusiasm. We view these prior achievements and interests as an advantage, personalising the digital literacy and ICT curriculum with flexibility to match each pupil’s starting point, needs, abilities and motivations as they progress into digitally literate young people. Most pupils receive discrete ICT lessons so that their learning experience allows for progression through skills across a broad ICT curriculum. In addition, ICT capability is delivered within subjects in every year group to every pupil. ICT skills and knowledge are developed most effectively, and in a more relevant and purposeful way when used during integrated learning activities. Pupils in lower school develop skills in word, data, audio and visual processing; in digital communication and presentation. They acquire and use a range of digital literacy skills to record ideas and evidence learning, learning to store and retrieve files and information efficiently. Digital learning opportunities include a wide range of activities, such as everyday word processing, making and sharing a presentation on a theme or project, using creative programmes to manipulate images for artistic effect, website building.
The Maths National Curriculum, along with the individual child’s Education Health Care Plan, previous experiences and attainment, inform the personalised curriculum for maths & numeracy for each pupil. Personal outcomes and the National Curriculum Programme of study are used to inform bespoke curriculum planning. A range of strategies appropriate to each pupil are identified to support maximum engagement in mathematical learning and explorations and progression of skills in numeracy including Maths Watch, Corbet Maths and Framework Maths. Most pupils will have 3 to 5 Maths lessons per week, with opportunity for shared lessons as well as targeted intervention and practice. Mathematics, numeracy, and statistics are tools for everyday life. They incorporate a whole network of concepts and relationships which provide a way of viewing and making sense of the world. Where maths (or the thought of maths!) is proving to be a barrier to learning for a pupil, innovative strategies and a balanced approach is applied to maximise progression in mathematical skills, knowledge understanding while also maximising engagement in learning and ensuring all pupils achieve, succeed in and enjoy their learning experiences. Learning and using mathematical reasoning to problem solve through practical activities: how will we measure out the flour? How will we work out how much wood we will need? Do we need a smaller or a larger piece of paper for this activity? Contribute enormously to generating a child’s motivation for and understanding of mathematical principles. Once a child is hooked, then we will use that as a starting point for exploring the move into more formal maths learning and intervention.
The National Curriculum, along with the individual child’s Education Health Care Plan, previous experiences and attainment, inform the personalised curriculum for science and DT for each pupil. Personal outcomes and the National Curriculum Programme of study are used to inform bespoke curriculum planning. Many of our pupils have a special interest or personality type which lends itself to one particular Science subject or aspect of DT and we always use previous learning and existing interests as the starting point to hook children into scientific learning, engineering and technology. Popular starting schemes of work include: Fire and Explosions, Science and Nature; an introduction to motor vehicles, home baking or woodwork. Once a child is hooked, then we will use that as a starting point for exploring the move into more formal scientific and technological learning and in broadening out their Science and DT curriculum to cover a wide range of programmes of study. Progress and attainment is measured and tracked and used to inform the next stage of planning.
In Bettws Lifehouse lower school, creative activities are part of every child’s personalised Curriculum. Art, music, performing arts and creative design provide important regulating and calming activity for many of our pupils and opportunity for all pupils to develop fine motor skills, thinking and executive functioning skills as well as personal and social skills. Personal outcomes and the National Curriculum Programme of study are used to inform bespoke curriculum planning. As with all areas of the curriculum, our pupils interest, motivation, talent and experiences vary enormously, and an important part of The Lifehouse Lower School curriculum is to expand our pupils’ experiences and provide opportunities to develop skills across a broad range of Arts and creative subjects and activities. The lower school Art and creative curriculum is wide-ranging with new activities, skills and aspects being added to the curriculum all the time to capture individual pupils imagination and nurture personal interest and talent. It includes Art and design, Creative i-media, Craft activities, Creative design and technology activities ranging from junk modelling to wood and metal work. Textiles, Performance arts and Music. The creative and art curriculum contributes importantly to the social and emotional curriculum some pupils find some creative activities soothing and they are often adopted as part of a child’s regulatory tool box ; for others an art or craft activity can provide a safe space to work alongside another pupil and begin to build friendships; dressing up and role play provide important opportunities to develop speech and language and social communication skills, and the opportunity to create and to perform can build confidence and self-esteem.
Nearly all pupils have days filled with practical and physical activity: PE provides important regulating and proprioceptive activity for many of our pupils and opportunity for all pupils to develop coordination skills. Personal outcomes and the National Curriculum Programme of study are used to inform bespoke curriculum planning. Some of our pupils enjoy standard team and individual sports: badminton, cricket and football are popular among many pupils. A personalised game called Four-square is another Lifehouse favourite! Alongside standard and team sports are endless alternative opportunities for physical activity and exercise: Horse-riding, gardening, yoga, dance, hiking, parkour and running to name but a few. Playground games, scooter boards and cycling also contribute to the Lifehouse PE curriculum. For some Lifehouse pupils, Sport, formal PE and outdoor games are the highlight of their timetable, and a significant factor in their enjoyment of school. Others are less experienced when they arrive in the benefits of physical activity and are taught through experience to understand the benefits of daily activity that raises their heart-rate and to experience the benefits of regular physical activity. All lower school pupils take part in and enjoy regular physical activity as part of their education for a Healthy, Active Lifestyle. Progress and attainment is measured and tracked and used to inform the next stage of planning for a child’s physical education.
Engagement For Learning
Becoming ready to learn and enjoying school Developing trust and a sense of safety in school staff, the activities offered and the learning environment Addressing barriers to learning Developing positive Attitudes to Learning and learning behaviours
Social, Personal and Emotional Development
Learning to ‘be’ – pupils learn how to relax and to feel comfortable in their own skin. Developing self-awareness and positive strategies to manage and express strong emotions and sensory challenges – pupils learn to regulate. Learning to accept adult guidance and support, to take part in and enjoy a range of activities. Learning to communicate and interact with others
Subject Learning
Learning new skills Gaining new knowledge and understanding Make progress in literacy, numeracy, digital technology and in identified subjects that interest and motivate them.
Relationships, a sense of safety and a nurturing environment where children thrive are central to our Lower School ethos & foundation curriculum. Pupils are organised into nurture groups according to their age, stage and individuality. Pupils know their named group, form a group identity and understand their stage in the journey through school. A Lead Teacher manages the curriculum for that group of pupils and forms an understanding relationship with all the pupils in the group to inform planning, support and guidance through their own unique learning pathway. The Lower School Wellbeing Lead ensures that all pupils emotional and wellbeing needs are met and that pupils are safeguarded at all times. In addition to their Lead Teacher and Wellbeing Lead, pupils are carefully matched with a key member of staff who becomes their ‘champion’. Relationships with key staff and peers are key and pupils’ education is enhanced but not limited in any way by the nurture group in which they are based. Bettws Lifehouse Lower School is unique in the fluidity and flexibility of provision and timetabling that allows for children from any nurture group to benefit from experiences, teaching and appropriate peer interactions that are relevant, motivating and beneficial to them as individuals.