Ashgate Specialist Support School
Sunbirds 2025 - 2026
Welcome to the Sunbirds' Class page.
Academic Year 2025 2026
The Sunbirds Class Team is a team of four people. My name is Lizzy and I am the Class Teacher. I have three teaching assistants. Currently, the teaching assistants are Mykala, Kim and Christine. Jo works in class on a Monday as it is my non working day and Jo also does our cover through the week where needed. Mykala is the lead team member on a Monday and Wednesday morning.
There are eight children in class. The children arrive in the morning and they settle in to class by hanging up their coats and bags on their pegs. Next they sign in by finding their photo and moving it across to the 'who is here today board'. They are supported to find their name. Then they can work with a variety of cause and effect resources or construction resources and story book table where we can share books together.
After this arrival session, the children have an outside play opportunity on the big yard. This gives them an opportunity to get some fresh air and make some large body movements before they sit down for their communication session. This communication session involves saying hello to each other, recognising each other and saying/recognising each other's names. We do this with song and actions, gesture and sign. We follow this with a big mirror and visuals to support us to talk about how we feel. We use these visuals and gesture to demonstrate our feelings for the sensory regualtion boards where the children have their photos placed for the day.
We then talk about the day and the weather through songs and with props and complete the class calendar. Next we have a sensory story linked to our topic and a song. We use this story to learn signs, develop vocabulary, sequencing of a story and prediction skills of what comes next.
Following our communication session the children have their snack and outside play. When the children come back in to class the children have an activity session. The children work in small groups and/or as a one to one with an adult to achieve their learning targets.
In the afternoon, the children have a story, followed by working on the creative areas of the curriculum.
The children have learning opportunities both inside the classroom and outside as we have a covered area alongside our class space.
Please have a look at our timetable which does change each term. It shows the different learning opportunties provided around school, and with specialist professionals coming in to class to share their expertise.
Each term the class has a different topic to focus the learning and activities for the children.