Polar Bear Class

Autumn Term

Topic: Celebrations!

Communication and Interaction

In Autumn 1, Polar Bear class will explore Halloween & Bonfire Night through colourful, sensory and autumn-themed activities. We will enjoy the story ‘Pumpkin Soup’ and get to know all the different animals and their instruments. We will also be exploring the use symbols to communicate and make links with familiar objects and areas around school. Our daily visual timetable will help us to understand what is happening each day and what is coming next. Autumn 2 will see us exploring all things Christmas, enjoying lots of festive activities, songs, stories and sensory experiences. Our focus story will be ‘The Christmasaurus’ by Tom Fletcher, where we will explore the character of William Trundle, and follow his exciting journey. We will continue to build communication skills through symbols, visuals, shared stories and opportunities to express our feelings, choices and ideas.

Cognition and Learning

During our Cognition & Early Maths sessions, pupils will take part in activities linked to Bonfire Night during Autumn 1, before moving on to Christmas-themed learning in Autumn 2. We will use a variety of colourful, practical and engaging activities to make learning enjoyable and meaningful. Pupils will practise matching and sorting items by colour and size, while also developing their understanding of numbers 1–3, recognising numerals and exploring what each number represents. We will also support pupils in developing their attention and concentration, encouraging them to make choices and take part in activities with increasing independence. These experiences will help pupils to develop their confidence and celebrate their own successes.

Physical and Sensory

The start of our year together will see us having lots of fun when exploring possibilities of movement, we will have many opportunities to move, explore our environment and have fun while developing our physical and sensory skills. Our PE sessions focusing on ball skills, alongside regular sensory activities to help our polar bears feel calm, regulated and ready to learn. We will enjoy time with some sensory journeys on our ‘magic carpet’ We will also strengthen our fine motor skills through activities including messy play, while building confidence and independence through everyday life skills, including using tools and utensils with purpose and accuracy.

Social, Emotional and Mental Health

We will continue to help pupils develop their SEMH skills by providing shared experiences and encouraging positive interactions with others. Pupils will have opportunities to practise sharing and taking turns with their peers, as well as exploring a variety of sensory experiences, including activities that may be new or outside of their usual preferences. They will be supported to access sensory resources more independently, such as soft play, the trampoline and water play, which can help them to regulate their emotions, feel comfortable and prepare for learning. We will also spend time exploring different feelings and emotions through activities such as drama and songs, with supportive adult guidance to help pupils identify, understand and communicate their emotions.