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| Headwell Avenue, KY12 0JU, UK Dunfermline +44 (0)1383 721589
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Headwell School
Headwell School is a school which caters for pupils who have special needs. Our pupils need help to develop their skills and learning abilities.
There are thirty three pupils in the school between the ages of five and eighteen years old. There are five classes with a high staff ratio to enable a wide variety of learning experiences to take place. |
| At Headwell School we try to create a positive ethos for pupils, staff and parents. A welcoming atmosphere is very important. Pupils need to feel secure and happy. Staff need to feel they are meeting the needs of their pupils. Parents need to feel part of the school. All need to feel values, respected and part of the whole team. We use the community around us as a huge resource for our pupils to practice their skills.
Pupils at Headwell School follow our individualised educational programme. This is devised by the staff by the staff to address pupils’ needs. We cover all the areas of the curriculum that mainstream pupils has access to. The only difference is that the pupils work at a different level and pace. Their curriculum is very practical and the focus is on developing independence skills. Pupils are set targets which enable them to take small steps in their learning.
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| The pupils experience a variety of activities. Our youngest pupils benefit from soft play at Lynbank Hospital. Sometimes pupils from McLean Primary School join our pupils. At soft play children interact with each other, develop their sensory skills and functional movement and thoroughly enjoy themselves. Our older pupils travel to Glenrothes to the sports complex and work in a variety of sports. They also meet pupils from other schools. Also, many of our pupils go to RDA (Riding for the Disabled). This is situated at Lochore Meadows. Pupils really benefit greatly from this experience. Their confidence, co-ordination and enjoyment are all enhanced by this activity. Every week all our pupils visit Cowdenbeath Pool for their swimming lessons and we are lucky to have a PE Teacher on staff for half the week. Not only are our pupils out and about for sporting activities, they also need to develop their independence skills. Activities such as shopping, crossing roads, asking for help, travelling by public transport, one very important for our pupils. We are all working to develop these skills to enable our pupils to be as independent as possible.
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| As with every school we hope to create a very stimulating, motivating atmosphere which allows our pupils to learn and develop. To do this we need to identify the needs of our pupils and provide a positive environment for them to progress. If you’re bored at school you’ll switch off. If you’re interested you’ll want to learn more. For our younger pupils we have developed a sensory curriculum for them to experience and explore. This involves lots of unusual material for pupils to see, different textures for them to touch, lots of exciting sounds and smells for them to experience and a variety of tastes for our pupils to try. We also have a specially built sensory room which allows extensive interaction, turn taking and the opportunity for our pupils to use all their senses. This stimulation heightens the use of their senses and aids their learning. It is also a very relaxing environment. Also, within the school, we have a variety of specialists who offer services which help our pupils |
| Our youngest pupils work on a sensory curriculum. We all learn through our senses. Our pupils need to have their senses developed to enable them to experience and learn about their surrounding environment. We have a sensory room in our school which has specialised equipment to aid sensory development. Pupils experience a wide variety of activities that stimulate and heighten their awareness of their environment. We have a bubble tube that focuses on tracking skills, eye/hand co-ordination, turn taking, colour, usual dissemination and enjoyment. Fibre optics have a similar approach with more emphasis on a tactile experience. We hope to use aromatherapy and massage in our sensory room. Staff are still developing these skills. Our older pupils are encouraged to develop their independence skills. This is achieved through a variety of activities that many take for granted. Shopping, making snacks, showing programmes etc. Our pupils work on individual targets to achieve success in these areas. We use the community as our resource. Pupils stop for ingredients to make a meal. Pupils go to the case and learn how to order a meal of buy a meal in a self-service cafe. Pupils go to the public library to find out how to take out a book. Pupils learn how to cross the road safely. There are a lot of practical skills to learn. We also work on many other areas of the curriculum - Expressive Arts, Numeracy, Communication, Religious & Moral Education, Understanding and Relating to the Environment. Pupils have a breadth and balance of learning experiences. |
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