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Class 4 had an amazing and memorable visit to Barclays Bank. From the moment we arrived, Sam and the team made us feel incredibly welcome and took the time to explain how a bank works in a fun and engaging way. Our young people were fantastic ambassadors for the school, showing brilliant behaviour, curiosity, and confidence as they asked thoughtful questions and took part in discussions. During the visit, they learnt all about the different types of bank accounts, why people visit the bank, and how banks help individuals and communities manage their money. One of the highlights of the day was the hands-on experience, where our young people had the opportunity to practise withdrawing cash and making a deposit. This real-life learning helped bring important financial concepts to life and supported their understanding of money in a practical and meaningful way. A huge thank you to Sam and everyone at the Barclays Yeovil Branch for giving our young people such a valuable and enjoyable experience. We are very grateful for their time and support!

This term, Squirrel class enjoyed reading Lost and Found  as our focus text. As part of our learning, the young people took part in an exciting challenge to find the Penguin and bring him safely back to the classroom, just like in the story, because he was feeling lonely. As we followed the events of the book, the young people explored the characters and setting through creative activities. One of the highlights was designing our own front covers for the story. Using a green screen and dressing up as the boy from the book, the young people recreated key scenes and brought the story to life in a fun and imaginative way. These activities supported our understanding of the text while encouraging creativity, communication, and engagement with storytelling.

The young people in Class 1 have visited a range of locations as part of our Independent Living Unit, developing their independence and confidence when exploring new places and communicating with staff in shops. Class 1 particularly enjoyed the opportunities to cook and practise practical life skills, and on a few trips we couldn’t resist taking time to admire the Christmas decorations along the way. Learning from our community visits has been thoughtfully linked back to the classroom, where pupils completed related activities and prepared responses to support communication in real-life situations. This approach has helped reinforce key skills and ensured that learning remains meaningful, relevant, and transferable beyond the classroom.

As part of this term's English focus of letter writing, Class 6 opened the 'Fairmead Teen Advice Service'. This was an exciting hook which provided fantastic opportunities for the young people to send and receive letters to characters from our focus text 'Simon VS the Homosapien Agenda'. Using a journalistic framework, our young people worked in the allocated departments: formatting, graphics, content, introductions and problem solving.  Furthermore, one young person was tasked with being the 'hot-line operator' and being responsible for receiving the incoming communication before sharing it with the rest of the team. Using the Talk for Writing approach, and through the activities of hot seating, re-enacting and reading chapters from the book, we immersed ourselves into the world of the characters and plot, giving the young people a deeper comprehension of the issues characters faced, and an opportunity to use their own similar experiences in the problem-solving process. To end the unit, the young people created a shared letter of response to a character in the text before working independently to apply the skills they have practised over the half term.  Class 6 have also spent this term developing essential life skills by researching, planning, cooking, and evaluating a meal during their Life Skills lessons. They explored different recipes, considered nutrition and budgeting, and worked collaboratively to plan their dishes before bringing their ideas to life in the kitchen. Throughout the process, they built confidence, independence, and teamwork, while also reflecting on what went well and what could be improved next time. We hope that everyone enjoyed tasting their creations just as much as they enjoyed the learning journey.

The Otter boys have had a great start to the Autumn term and have settled in to their new class. Friendships are emerging and the all boy class are adapting to their new routines. The boys have shown wonderful energy in PE and have really enjoyed using equipment to develop skills. They are beginning to cooperate more and have been dancing together to our morning circle time songs. Phonics is moving at a pace and they have immersed themselves in our wonderful English book, Lost and Found. It’s been a brilliant start, and we’re excited for all the learning and fun still to come!

On 17th October, we were delighted to welcome visitors from SASP into school to deliver an inspiring Girls into Weights  session. The session was designed to encourage confidence, strength and a positive attitude towards fitness through the use of weights. Girls from across secondary took part and had the opportunity to learn a variety of different exercises involving weights. With expert guidance from the SASP team, young people practised correct technique, explored new movements and challenged themselves in a supportive and motivating environment. The session was a fantastic way to promote physical wellbeing, teamwork and self-belief. Two young people were chosen as stars of the session for their enthusiasm, effort and positive attitudes. Thank you to SASP for providing such an empowering and enjoyable experience — we hope to welcome them back again soon!

On 14th November, eight young people were selected to attend a fantastic inclusive dance event held at Polden Bower School, in partnership with Bristol Bears and SASP. The event was designed to celebrate movement, creativity, and inclusion, ensuring that everyone could take part and enjoy the experience. Throughout the day, participants had the opportunity to learn a variety of fun and engaging dance routines, led by enthusiastic instructors who encouraged confidence and self-expression. The young people also enjoyed experimenting with different pieces of equipment, discovering new ways to move and interact through dance. The event finished on a high with an exciting silent disco, which was a real highlight for everyone involved. With music playing through headphones, the room was filled with energy, smiles, and laughter as participants danced freely and celebrated their achievements. Everyone had a fantastic time, and the day provided a wonderful opportunity for the young people to build confidence, try something new, and enjoy being active in a supportive and inclusive environment. It was truly a memorable experience for all involved.

The young people have been exploring electrical and non-electrical items, sorting objects that make sounds and those that give off light. There was lots of enthusiasm - especially when the electrical disco ball was switched on, inspiring some brilliant dance moves! In Art, the Otters have been busy preparing for the upcoming Nativity play by creating their fantastic donkey masks. They experimented with colour mixing to make the perfect shade of grey and added felt to give their donkey ears extra character. The results look wonderful!

Our young people had an amazing time on their visit to Magdalen Farm last week, getting a first taste of what their upcoming residential trip will be like — and what an adventure it was! They jumped straight into farm life, feeding the goats and pigs and even collecting freshly laid eggs from the chickens. There were plenty of giggles, a few muddy boots, and lots of proud moments as they learned how to care for the animals. In the afternoon, they explored the outdoors through nature craft activities, using clay, saws, and drills to create their own woodland masterpieces. It was brilliant to see their confidence grow as they tried new skills and worked together. This taster day has made everyone even more excited for the residential — and we can’t wait to see what they get up to next!

Deer Class had a wonderful time celebrating Careers Day on 27th November. They spent the day exploring a wide range of jobs, discovering what different people do and the skills they use. The young people were enthusiastic and curious throughout, asking thoughtful questions and sharing their own ideas about the future. To round off the day, they created fantastic artwork illustrating what they would like to be when they grow up - a colourful showcase of both their creativity and their ambitions.

This term, Class 5 embarked on a creative journey to Iceland, with a special focus on capturing the magic of the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) . Each young person learned to draw with charcoal  and practised the art of blending pastels , resulting in a stunning collection of atmospheric artwork. What a fun English term it has been! We’ve been deep-diving into non-chronological reports , exploring their key features and purpose. Every young person in Class 5 is now planning and researching their own space-themed fact file . The excitement continued with our class book, Cakes in Space , and a hilarious hunt for space-themed cakes!

On Thursday 4th December, Primary watched the performance Dr Dolittle by the Image Theatre Company, this was funded by the Happy Days Charity. The young people clapped, sang and signed their way through the show. The actors commented on how brilliant our young people were, engaging so well and their enthusiasm was fantastic! https://www.happydayscharity.org/