Broad General Education
The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) is Scotland’s education framework for ALL learners; its main aim is to enable children and young people to develop the four capacities; successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. In Orchard Brae School each learner is enabled to become as independent as possible, developing skills for life, learning, leisure and where appropriate work. Our curriculum offer is personalised to each pupil throughout their learning journey, as we maintain a focus on positive future destinations.
Our learners in P1 – S3 work within Broad General Education (BGE) at a level and pace that is suited to their individualised needs. Personalised targets focus core skill development within Literacy and Communication, Numeracy and Health and Well Being. The ethos and life of the school community is structured to enable pupils to learn and practise life skills as part of their daily routines. Through interdisciplinary approaches and specialist courses, we offer real life learning contexts, deepening and practicing knowledge and skills within Expressive Arts, RME, Science, PE, Technologies and Social Studies. Interdisciplinary learning, through ‘Our world’ contexts over a 5 year cycle, facilitates pupils’ exploration, experience and learning which is practiced within community contexts, ensuring confidence and success is generalised and secure. Family learning is a vital part of our pupils’ success and, along with our termly learning challenges, we offer a range of workshops, activity nights and holiday schemes for families. Achievement and success is recognised and celebrated.
The children in class 10 enjoyed taking part in a painting lesson that linked in with our colour theme for this term. They produced some very beautiful work between them.
Our Music Therapist Emmeline has been working with pupils across the whole school. You can see all the happy faces as everyone loves their sessions with Emmeline.
Room 7 have been busy getting into the Scottish spirit in preparation for Burns Night on Friday. We coloured in our own tartan and designed our own unique tartan using the House of Tartan Website on the interactive board (www.houseoftartan.co.uk). We listened to The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson in Scots and enjoyed listening to some of Robert Burns poems as well a variety of Scottish music from groups such as the Corries and the Proclaimers! We can’t wait for our class Burns Supper on Friday afternoon.
We had a surprise on Thursday morning when we woke up and found snow. After long bus journeys to get to school, we brought some snow into the classroom so we could explore it during our weather time at Circle Time. Some of us were not too sure about how cold it was but others were very keen to explore it with both our hands and mouths! On Friday there was no fresh snow but it was very frosty and icy outside so we explored ice cubes. It was great fun chasing them around our trays as we tried to pick them up and they kept sliding away! Matthew and Harris explored snowy scenes and sounds using the Grid Pad and Eye Gaze. Unfortunately it was super cold and very slidey outside so we couldn’t get outside to explore the snow this time but hopefully some of us will the next time it happens!
Room 11 have been enjoying a wide variety of activities so far this year, including Sensory music, cooking and using switches.
These are some examples of the activities that we are working during PE classes in both Primary and Secondary at Orchard Brae. As you can see we have been having lots of fun and been learning new skills.
Room 9 pupils are studying the book Elmer by David Mckee. They are proud of the Elmer’s they coloured in which are all on display in our classroom.
Room 8 have been experiencing a wide variety of communication and sensory sessions through sensory stories and music sessions. You can see how much fun they have been having from the photographs.
Looking at Outdoor Art with class 10 and how art can be transient; it can blow away, wash away in the rain and disintegrate and we can just enjoy it for the short time it is there.
In room 9 we take part in a wide variety of activities in different parts of the school including PE, Lego club and art.
