visiting the brooks in london, uk. for est platform

COMENIUS PROJECT“Hear my Voice”

THE BROOK ON BROADWATERS (LONDON – UK)

GOOD PRACTICES:

INCLUSIVE CAMPUS

SHERBONE DEVELOPMENTAL MOVEMENT

MUSIC POLICY

MOURNING AND GOODBYE CIRCLE


INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

Broadwaters is an inclusive campus shared by a mainstream school called ‘The Willow’ and one special needs school called ‘The Brook’.

On the campus, pupils with special educational needs share some of the activities with their peers from the mainstream school. For example, during activities of the artistic field pupils from both schools work together in a same classroom sharing an inclusive lesson. Mainstream students from The Willow and students with special education needs from The Brook benefit from the experience of inclusive learning developing a wide variety of skills ranging from PSHE ( Personal Social and Health eduction), Humanities, Creative skills (Art&Music).

Students from both schools share common spaces: dining room, play ground...


SHERBORNE DEVELOPMENTAL MOVEMENT

Sherborne Developmental Movement (SDM) is a form of therapeutic intervention, which seeks to engage participants in interactive learning, through shared movement experiences, which have their origins in the normal patterns of human development. These movement experiences are presented in an environment that is open to personal response, non- judgemental and firmly rooted within the concept of achievement and success. (Hill – 2006)

Body AwarenessCentre•Other parts•Whole body

Spatial awareness•General•Personal•Spatial concepts Working with others

•Caring•Being cared for

Working together•Sharing equally in all movements

Working againstanother•Testing•Resisting

Awareness of the quality of ‘my’ movements•Strength•Speed•Fluency

Awareness of quality of ‘others’ movements•Strength•Speed •Fluency

Key elements underpinning the

Sherborne Developmental

Movement ‘Introductory Day’practical sessions

Relationships and Communicationdeveloped through•Awareness of self•Awareness of others


MUSIC POLICY

Music is a powerful, unique form of communication that can change the way people feel, think and act. It brings together intellect and feeling and enables personal expression, reflection and emotional development.

As an integral part of culture, past and present, it helps people understand themselves and relate to others, forging important links between the home, school and the wider world.

It can develop a sense of group identity and togetherness, and increases self-discipline and creativity, aesthetic sensitivity and fulfillment.


MUSIC POLICY

Music is taught both as a discrete subject, and in a cross curricular way. In order for pupils to learn through their most effective means, and to work to their strengths and abilities, a multi-sensory approach to teaching and learning is often used in music activities.

All classes throughout the school use music activities to support other areas of the curriculum – live and recorded. Music is also used as a ‘sound of reference’ or auditory cue throughout the school day – to encourage recognition, awareness, participation, anticipation.

Key skills are taught through music : choice making; gross and fine motor skills; communication; anticipation; social interactions; turn taking; developing receptive and expressive communication; responding to instructions…..


MUSIC POLICY

Aims:

· To offer all pupils a broad and balanced music curriculum appropriate to their age, ability, need· To offer pupils of differing abilities, and whose experiences are wide ranging, the opportunity to develop at their individual level and stage of development· To provide access to musical knowledge, skills and understanding through the teaching of music as a discrete subject or within a cross curricular approach.· To access the music curriculum in an inclusive context


MUSIC POLICY

Approaches to teachingThe contribution of music to the whole curriculum is recognized by developing in pupils the following essentially transferable skills and attributes:· Delight in a sense of individual and collective achievement· Communication skills – verbal and non-verbal· Aesthetic appreciation and discrimination· Listening skills and sensitivity to sounds· Imagination and inventiveness· Intellectual and artistic skills· The ability to analyse and solve problems· Social skills e.g cooperation, turn taking, self- esteem, perseverance· Study skills e.g lengthened attention span, memorizing...· Self-motivation, self-discipline, self-evaluation· Access to, awareness, appreciation of a wide range of cultural traditions.



We perform these activities every day with those who face severe and profound learning difficulties, and have motor impairment and the lack of communication and autonomy too in our school. In the Morning and Goodbye Circle children are encouraged to communicate in a variety of ways including vocalizing, facial expression, giving eye-contact, eye-pointing...



With these activities we want our children to achieve the following aims:

•To listen and respond, to focus visual/aural attention •To sustain attention and respond with relevant verbal/non-verbal "comments" •To initiate communication and interaction with others •To listen with enjoyment to stories, songs, rhymes and poems •To perform simple actions on request within a familiar context •To track a range of visually/aurally attractive



These activities includes the following structure and sub-activities:

•Register-time: responding to "who's here today?" and having their name called. Listening to and showing an awareness of/interest in others. •"Hello Song": greeting teacher, staff and peers, also saying hello in home language. •Responding to "how are you today?". •News from home: looking at home-school books and sharing news. •Songs that focus on names.



During the Goodbye circle we focus on the following activities:

Reflecting on the activities of the day (daily) and how the children have been learning (reading the home school diaries). Children have the opportunity to communicate how they are feeling at the moment using their preferred means of communication. Favourite action songs and rhymes are performed as well as Goodby song.

visiting the brooks in london, uk. for est platform

Education