Ashgate Specialist Support School
Kingfishers 2024 - 2025
Welcome to Kingfishers Class!
We currently have 8 children in our class, most of whom have a diagnosis of ASC.
Our Class team consists of: Julie, Grace, Leanne and Tracey.
The Kingfishers love to learn in practical, hands on ways with lots of opportunities to develop our skills through the repetition of activities. We use sensory and exploratory play to help learn about the world around us, so things can get a little messy at times! Engagement, music and interaction are a big part of our day, with the adults using things they know we are interested in to develop our learning skills and helping us to increase our desire and ability to interact with those around us.
Enabling each child to find a voice is a major focus in our classroom. We use a total communication approach, providing each child with several different ways to try and make their own voices and needs heard. We use PECS, communication boards, sign, gesture, music, Project Core and AAC devices to help make ourselves understood in the best way possible. We use visual cues to support our understanding of routine, with visual timetables to order our day and help to prepare us for any changes.
Independence and self help skills are as important to us in Kingfishers as the children's academic achievements. We foster any opportunity to help the children learn to manage for themselves as much as possible, reducing their reliance on grown ups and empowering them to become more independent as they get older. This applies to their learning opportunities too. Where the children are able, we introduce them to the TEACCH method of independent work stations. This shows the children that they are able to complete academic tasks for themselves just as much as any other task.