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Our term so far has been very busy in Fox class! The focus for our Life Skills curriculum is ‘Employability’ so we have been practicing a range of skills which will help us as we grow up, including becoming confident communicators in a range of situations.   In English, our book ‘A superhero like you’ has been our inspiration for looking at the jobs we would like to do when we grow up. In the story, the main character, Lily explores a range of jobs including being a vet, teacher and recycling truck driver. This has helped to us recognise different jobs and how they help people in our community. We have each chosen a job that we are interested in and are creating a class story to celebrate these jobs.    We have continued to go out into the community each week, focusing on exploring the different types of jobs found in familiar locations, such as in shops. We have watched busy butchers, bakers and have even learned about all the different types of fish at the fishmonger! Back in school we have been using communication boards to run a small cafe as a class and shared it with Class 2. We have been choosing preferred items and practicing skills of pouring and spreading to make juice and yummy toast.   In Pets at Home, some of us interviewed members of staff to find out their favourite part of their job, it was no surprise that caring for the animals was a unanimous answer from all of the people we spoke to! They were very happy to show us some of the amazing animals they care for, including snakes, spiders and geckos, although some of us preferred the rabbits and guinea pigs.   Our trips to the library have also been very exciting, we have greeted the librarian and observed some of the jobs that they do each day, chosen books to share with the class and practised being responsible when using our library card. We have also been taking the skills we have observed back to school where we have carefully looked after books and helped to tidy our class and school libraries.   During Me and My World lessons we have been learning about our senses, exploring special places to us and in the wider community and been busy experimenting with light and sound as part of our science focus.

This half term in Art, our focus has been on Japan and painting . We began by learning where Japan is in the world, exploring what it looks like and recognising its flag, helping to build both geographical knowledge and cultural understanding. The young people then looked closely at the many different shades of pink  found in cherry blossom trees, carefully observing and recreating these colours in their artwork. Our focus then moved on to Koi fish , where students explored shape, pattern and colour. To bring their ideas to life, the young people experimented with a range of tools to create different marks and textures in their paintings — including using their fingertips . This hands-on approach encouraged creativity and confidence, resulting in a beautiful pond scene filled with colourful Koi fish.

Otter Class have had a fantastic time exploring light and dark  in Science, becoming real experts at identifying shiny and non-shiny materials , as well as learning which objects block light  and which allow it to pass through . Their excitement truly shone when they used torches to crawl through a dark tunnel, putting their learning into action in a fun and memorable way. The class also enjoyed challenging their senses by trying to identify objects while blindfolded , encouraging careful thinking, communication and sensory awareness. In English, Otter Class have been thoroughly engaged with the story Augustus and His Smile  by Catherine Rayner. They have been practising re-telling the story  using sequenced pictures and using their imaginations to think of new places Augustus could visit  to help him find his smile. Well done, Otter Class — keep up the fantastic work!

This half term has seen the exciting introduction of our Life Skills Employability Unit , giving young people valuable opportunities to learn about the world of work and develop key skills for the future. In English, our focus text has been The Boss of Everyone , which has helped spark meaningful discussions about different jobs. The young people have enjoyed learning about their parents’ and carers’ roles, as well as exploring a variety of jobs within school and the wider community. A group of young people were particularly fortunate to visit Westlands Entertainment Venue , where they learned about stage lighting and how it is used to support a mini performance. This hands-on experience gave young people a real insight into behind-the-scenes roles and the importance of teamwork in a professional environment. Alongside this, young people have been learning how to run a business, developing teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills. We have linked several community visits to our tuck shop business , exploring the concept of making a profit and understanding how businesses operate. The young people are now looking forward to moving on to the manufacturing stage  next half term. We also thoroughly enjoyed Storytelling Week , including a visit to Yeovil Library , where the young people learned about the role of a librarian and the importance of libraries in the community. They shared their enthusiasm by visiting Hedgehog Class , promoting role play and storytelling activities with the younger young people. Due to the wet weather, our enrichment sessions changed from gardening to cooking , allowing the young people to practise a wide range of cooking skills and build confidence in the kitchen. In PE , the young people have been developing their fundamental movement skills through circuit training, focusing on strength, coordination and fitness. Overall, it has been a busy and rewarding half term, filled with practical learning experiences that have helped the young people build confidence, independence and essential life skills.

On Thursday 5th February, 15 young people proudly represented Fairmead School at a table cricket competition held at Yeovil College. The event brought together teams from different schools and provided an exciting opportunity for young people to showcase their skills in a friendly and competitive setting. Throughout the competition, the Fairmead team demonstrated excellent batting, fielding and bowling, impressing spectators with their focus, teamwork and sportsmanship. Each match was played with great enthusiasm, and the young people supported one another brilliantly, making the day both enjoyable and rewarding. The atmosphere at Yeovil College was positive and welcoming, helping everyone feel confident and motivated to take part. Most importantly, all the young people had a great time, building confidence, developing new skills and enjoying the spirit of the game. A huge thank you to Yeovil College for hosting the event and to the Somerset Cricket Foundation for organising and supporting such a fantastic competition. It was a memorable experience and a wonderful celebration of inclusive sport.

On Friday 6th February, a group of young people enjoyed an exciting visit to Millfield School in Street to take part in a multi-sports event. The day was packed with energy, enthusiasm and plenty of opportunities to try something new. The young people took part in a wide range of activities, including kurling, volleyball, Nerf games, archery and skittles. Each activity encouraged teamwork, confidence and physical activity, while also giving everyone the chance to challenge themselves and have fun in a supportive environment. The event was expertly supported by Millfield School’s young leaders, who helped guide and encourage the young people throughout the day. Their positive attitude and leadership played a big role in making the experience enjoyable and welcoming for everyone involved. A huge thank you to Millfield School and SASP for organising and supporting such a fantastic event. It was a memorable day that allowed young people to build new skills, try different sports and, most importantly, have a great time.

Last week we celebrated National Storytelling Week by bringing some of our older young people together with our younger young people to explore books, use props, share stories, and enjoy listening to each other read. It was lovely to see the connections being made through stories. Some of our staff also recorded themselves reading stories, which the young people loved listening to during their daily reading time. Class 5 especially enjoyed turning it into a game of “Guess the Reader” – lots of smiles and laughter all round!

Over the past few weeks, our young people have been fully immersed in festive creativity and skill-building activities. They have thoroughly enjoyed making and creating Christmas crafts, including beautiful stars for the nativity, salt dough decorations, colourful baubles, handmade cards, and carefully designed bookmarks. These activities have encouraged creativity, focus, and pride in their finished work. Alongside creative projects, our young people have been developing their bikeability skills. Most have grown noticeably more confident, improving their balance and learning to glide independently. This has been a fantastic achievement and a real boost to their confidence. Music has also played a big part in recent experiences. Our young people have enjoyed exploring a variety of instruments and expressing themselves through movement and rhythm. A particular highlight was a live music performance, which captured everyone’s attention and brought a lot of excitement and joy. Overall, it has been a busy and rewarding time filled with creativity, progress, and memorable experiences for hedgehog class.

We have enjoyed getting to know each other in our first term in Hedgehog class, learning about ourselves, our classmates and the things that make us happy. Much of our learning has been based around the lovely book by Mary Murphy, called ‘I like it When…’.  Here is our Hedgehog version which imitates the original in some ways but also demonstrates some of the wonderful imagination our fantastic students.

Our young people had an amazing time gaining hands-on experience in the world of work during a fantastic visit to Tesco. From scanning items on the checkout to exploring the many behind-the-scenes roles that keep the warehouse running smoothly, they rose to every challenge and truly shone. They were especially wowed by the incredible dotcom operation, discovering just how much teamwork goes into preparing online orders and getting them out to customers on time. It was eye-opening to see the scale, organisation, and technology involved, and our young people loved learning how each role plays a vital part in the bigger picture. A huge thank you to Jan, Tesco Community Champion, who supported our young people throughout the experience and was blown away by their confidence, skills, and enthusiasm. It was a brilliant opportunity that inspired our young people and gave them a real insight into the world of work.

Class 8 has had a very busy and productive month, making a strong start to the new year. In Maths, lessons began intensively, with a focus on fractions. The young people have been developing their understanding through a range of engaging maths games, which has helped build confidence and enjoyment in learning. In English, the young people have been working on creating advertisements. They have been learning how language and presentation can be used to influence people’s opinions, behaviours, and actions, developing both creativity and critical thinking skills. During enrichment sessions, the class has been split into different groups to support a variety of interests and needs. Some young people have been practising their English skills, while another group has been attending weekly swimming sessions at Goldenstones in Yeovil. One group has been focusing on bike riding, alongside learning important road safety skills and knowledge of road signs. In addition, a couple of our Year 11s have taken part in travel training. This has been designed to help them feel more confident and independent when using public transport, an important life skill as they prepare for the future. Overall, this has been a really positive and encouraging beginning to the year for our class, with lots of enthusiasm, learning, and personal development already taking place.

Some of our secondary young people recently had the exciting opportunity to take part in a residential trip to Magdalen Farm. For many, this was their very first overnight stay away from home with friends. The young people were incredible throughout the trip, showing just how resilient, confident, and independent they can be. They thoroughly enjoyed meeting and caring for the farm animals, including goats, pigs, and cows. Each morning, they collected fresh eggs from the hens—and even witnessed one being laid right in front of them. You can’t get much fresher than that! Evenings were filled with singing and dancing around the campfire and in the dining hall, with the question,  “Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?”  remaining the biggest mystery of all. The young people also got hands-on with food preparation, making smoothies using a bike-powered blender and creating their own delicious pizzas. Other activities included team-building games and nature-inspired art, encouraging creativity, cooperation, and plenty of fun. It was a memorable experience for everyone involved and a wonderful opportunity for the young people to grow, learn, and make lasting memories.