Specialist Inclusion Base - Acorns 2026 - 2027

Welcome to Acorns class.

Acorns is a Specialist Inclusion Base (SIB) providing an environment that primarily focuses on developing early communication and interaction skills. The children in Acorns have their learning personalised to meet their individual needs. Most activities are child-led, with a focus on the individual targets outlined in each child’s Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Adults also lead planned activities to support development and progression across key areas of learning.

Our Acorns environment has four indoor learning spaces and one fabulous outdoor learning area, which the children access regularly throughout the day. The children in Acorns also have opportunities to access other appropriate learning areas and classrooms within the school.

Within the Acorns SIB, staff ensure that children have access to continuous provision throughout the school day. Resources are carefully selected to engage the children, reflect their interests and meet the needs of each unique child. Typical activities may include sharing books in the reading corner; exploring paint, playdough and crayons in the craft and creative area; building with blocks in the construction area; imaginative play in the home corner; and sensory exploration through sand and water play.

Each area of learning within Acorns has been designed and developed to provide opportunities for social interaction and communication, helping children to develop their early communication skills. The experienced adults in the room consistently model communication using visuals, simple language and objects of reference to move children’s learning forward. Resources are carefully positioned to encourage and develop communication as children work with adults or explore independently.

Within Acorns, we also provide spaces and activities that support emotional and sensory regulation, including our sensory circuits space. The resources within these areas are chosen to meet the children’s individual needs and interests. They are regularly adapted and changed to support children in achieving their full potential.

Within these calming spaces, adults use visuals, simple language and objects of reference to develop and support children’s early social communication skills. Adults provide co-regulation to help children meet their sensory and emotional needs, enabling them to feel safe, settled and ready to learn.

Sensory Circuit Room

Our outdoor environment

Children also have access to an outdoor learning environment. In the garden there are opportunities for using climbing equipment, as well as exploring the water, playing in the huge sandpit or using the cosy corner to support self-regulation.

This term, our learning is centred around Toys, with activities linked to this engaging theme through our sensory curriculum.

Communication and Language

The children will enjoy toy-themed sensory stories such as My Favourite Toys and Lost in the Toy Museum. They will develop their communication through stories, songs, weekly core-word activities, signing, symbols, AAC and sensory exploration. We will encourage the children to make choices, request preferred toys and resources, express their likes and dislikes, and interact with adults and peers.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Children will develop their social skills through sharing, turn-taking and playing alongside others. Activities involving construction toys, threading, puzzles and games will help them cooperate with adults and peers. We will also support children to become familiar with classroom routines, communicate their feelings and develop their confidence and independence.

Physical Development

Through PE, sensory circuits, outdoor learning and ball-skills activities, children will practise rolling, throwing, catching, kicking, aiming and moving safely around others. Fine motor skills will be developed through threading, construction, puzzles, playdough, mark making and creating simple toys.

Literacy

Children will explore traditional and sensory stories linked to toys. They will listen to and participate in stories using props, sounds, textures, symbols and sensory resources. Children will have opportunities to engage with books, recognise familiar pictures, symbols and words, sequence parts of a story and make marks for meaning. Mark-making activities will include printing with building blocks and creating patterns using toy cars, balls and toy animals.

Mathematics

Our maths learning will focus on number, position and movement. Children will explore words and concepts such as on, off, in, under, forward, backwards, go and stop through practical play, songs, movement activities, construction and cause-and-effect toys. They will also develop their counting, matching and problem-solving skills through hands-on activities.

Understanding the World

Children will investigate how different toys work by pushing, pulling, twisting, pressing and switching. They will explore and compare old and new toys, notice similarities and differences, and begin to develop an awareness of the past and present. Children will also explore cause and effect and investigate how their actions can make objects move, light up or produce sounds.

Expressive Arts and Design

The children will explore colours, shapes, textures and different materials through toy-themed creative activities. They will make simple toys such as spinners, kaleidoscopes, marble mazes and constructions. They will also enjoy music, call-and-response songs, sensory play, imaginative play and creative mark making using a range of familiar toys.

Throughout the term, learning will be engaging, practical and sensory-based, helping every child to develop their communication, independence, confidence and curiosity while exploring the exciting world of toys 🧸 🚗 🪀 🧱 ⚽ 😊

Our Core Word Programme will continue throughout the Summer term to support our English curriculum and Speech and Language Therapy outcomes. Each week, children focus on one core word, taught through structured, repeated and engaging sessions to support understanding, expressive communication and functional language use across a range of contexts.

This approach helps to develop early communication, confidence and attention skills, while supporting each child’s individual communication needs using speech, signs and visual supports.

A new core word and sign are introduced every Monday, with a ‘How to help at home’ guide shared with families and uploaded to SeeSaw. The Friday newsletter will also share the core word for the following week to support consistency between home and school.

Daily Items 

A bag with a change of clothing (this can also stay in school)

Nappies and wipes

Water bottle                                   

Coat, hats, gloves                                                                                                  

Lunch box or hot dinner to purchase                                                        

Weather exploring

• We love to explore the outdoors in all weathers, please make sure your child has suitable clothing for fun in the sun, rain, wind or snow.

Changes to collection

• If somebody else is collecting your child, please can you let staff know as soon as possible.