Acorn Resourced Provision
Our Resource Provision Offer
At Newall Green Primary School, our mission is to provide an environment where every pupil feels happy, safe, included and ready to learn. We recognise that every child is unique and aim to develop the knowledge, skills, confidence and resilience that will enable our pupils to be successful in their future lives.
Our school motto is ‘Aiming High to Reach Our Goals’, and this is at the heart of our Resource Provision.
The Acorn Room is a 12-place Resource Provision for pupils with social communication and cognition and learning difficulties. Pupils have Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and are admitted through consultation with the Local Authority where mainstream education alone is not meeting their needs.
Our pupils benefit from a small-group environment, high levels of adult support and personalised teaching, while remaining very much involved in the wider school community.
Statement of Intent
Our curriculum is designed around each pupil's individual strengths, needs, interests and EHCP outcomes. We aim to enable pupils to develop academically, socially, emotionally, physically and in their communication, while providing opportunities to access as much of the mainstream curriculum and school experience as appropriate.
We aim to:
Develop pupils' communication, interaction and social skills.
Build independence, confidence, resilience and self-belief.
Provide a multi-sensory and communication-rich curriculum that enables pupils to engage, understand and make progress.
Develop pupils' ability to regulate their emotions and sensory needs so that they are ready to learn.
Provide opportunities for pupils to learn alongside their mainstream peers and develop friendships and a strong sense of belonging.
Ensure pupils have access to mainstream activities, assemblies, celebrations, trips, special events and wider school opportunities, with adaptations and support where required.
Develop pupils' independence and prepare them for their next stage of learning and life.
We use a range of approaches and interventions according to individual need, including:
Talk for Writing
Colourful Semantics
Sensory Circuits
Attention Autism
Purrfect Skills
Lego Therapy
ELKLAN approaches
Narrative approaches
Motor skills activities
Communication is at the heart of our provision. We use visuals, Widgit symbols, BSL, modelling, Colourful Semantics and other communication strategies throughout the school day to support pupils to understand, communicate and participate.
Statement of Implementation
Pupils in our Resource Provision follow a personalised and flexible curriculum which is carefully planned around their individual needs and EHCP outcomes.
A communication-rich curriculum
We provide regular opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding and use of language and communication.
Talk for Writing is used to support pupils to develop vocabulary, sentence structure, storytelling and confidence in communicating their ideas.
Colourful Semantics is used to support pupils to understand and construct sentences and develop their expressive language.
Staff consistently model language, interaction and play, while using visuals, symbols, gesture and BSL where appropriate.
Our Speech and Language Therapist works closely with staff to develop strategies, resources and programmes which can be embedded throughout the school day.
Sensory regulation and physical development
We recognise that pupils need to be regulated and ready to learn.
Pupils have access to Sensory Circuits, sensory activities, movement breaks and motor skills opportunities throughout the school day. These support pupils to develop their physical skills, regulation, attention and readiness for learning.
Our curriculum has a strong multi-sensory approach, with pupils able to access practical, sensory and experiential learning alongside more formal teaching.
Personalised learning
Learning is carefully adapted to ensure pupils can access and succeed.
We use EHCP outcomes, individual Learning Plans and PIVATS to identify appropriate next steps and measure progress. PIVATS allows staff to identify and celebrate progress through small, meaningful steps, including engagement, developing skills, understanding and mastery.
Where appropriate, pupils also access aspects of the National Curriculum alongside their mainstream peers.
Inclusion and access to mainstream
Being part of Newall Green Primary School is an important part of our Resource Provision.
Where appropriate, pupils spend time in their mainstream classes, building relationships, developing social skills and accessing learning alongside their peers. This is carefully planned according to each pupil's individual needs and may include access to specific lessons, activities or parts of the school day.
Pupils also participate in:
Whole-school assemblies
School celebrations and events
Curriculum activities
Clubs and enrichment opportunities where appropriate
Educational visits and residential opportunities where appropriate
Sporting and physical activities
School performances and special events
Lunch and playtimes within the wider school
Our mainstream pupils are also encouraged to develop relationships with children in the Resource Provision.
Learning beyond the classroom
We believe that children learn through real experiences and opportunities to explore the world around them.
Educational visits are carefully planned to ensure pupils can access new experiences in a safe and supportive way. Pupils may attend trips with their mainstream classes and also take part in trips specifically planned for the Resource Provision.
Previous experiences have included visits to Children's Adventure Farm Trust, Simply Cycling and Manchester Airport Aerozone, alongside visitors and experiences in school such as Animal Club, Fisher's Mobile Farm and Zoolab.
These experiences allow pupils to develop independence, communication, social skills and confidence while experiencing new environments and activities.
Specialist support
Staff work closely with our Speech and Language Therapist and School Counsellor and access advice, training and support from specialist services when required. This may include Occupational Therapy, the Lancasterian Sensory Support Team and Ashgate Specialist School.
We continually develop staff expertise so that strategies and approaches can be embedded consistently across the provision.
Statement of Impact
Our aim is that pupils leave the Acorn Room having developed the skills, confidence and experiences they need to take their next steps successfully.
Through our provision, pupils:
Feel happy, safe, valued and included within our school community.
Develop their ability to communicate and interact with others.
Develop positive relationships with adults and peers.
Make progress towards their individual EHCP and Learning Plan outcomes.
Develop independence and confidence in managing their learning and daily routines.
Develop strategies to support their sensory regulation and emotional wellbeing.
Apply their learning in different environments and situations.
Experience success and develop a positive attitude towards learning.
Access a broad range of mainstream, enrichment and community experiences.
Develop the confidence to try new things and overcome challenges.
Develop the knowledge, skills and resilience needed for their next stage of learning and future lives.
Above all, we want our pupils to know that they belong, they can achieve and their successes are celebrated.
Our multi-sensory approach in action
Our pupils experience a wide range of activities throughout the school day, including:
Talk for Writing
Colourful Semantics
Sensory Circuits
Attention Autism
Purrfect Skills
Lego Therapy
Motor Skills
ELKLAN strategies
Narrative approaches
Sensory play
Outdoor learning
Communication activities
Mainstream learning
Educational visits
Community experiences