THE LODGE Feb 2023
Issue 56
Message from the Head At last ! We are thrilled to share that we now have a new building on the Brades Lodge site ! The furniture is beginning to arrive and is being unpacked and constructed as we speak. This will make two large, fit for purpose, and modern learning spaces ready for occupation after the half term break. As a result we will be steadily increasing the student numbers on the site to 50. On another note, you may have noticed that the school has been reviewing it’s website to make it easier to find information you might be looking for, to remove old and irrelevant links and to make it more appealing to look at. As you can imagine, this is likely to take some time, so please bear with us if you are unable access a specific page for a while. As ever, the students have had access to a wide range of on-site and off-site learning opportunities linked to our day to day curriculum and special focus weeks. In particular, you will no doubt be aware that we have again prioritised reading across the schools since September, introducing additional time for all students to read. As a result we have seen students’ confidence levels and reading ability rapidly improve. Depending on the group, the reading session may take the form of additional ‘phonics/decoding’ lessons, or it may be reading for pleasure alongside a staff member using some of the new books and magazines that we have made available. If you would like to know more about what we are doing, or what you can do to support reading activities at home, please raise this with your child’s class teacher or teaching assistant.
Mental Health and Well Being Week An Amazing Success ! Students at the Shenstone Lodge site have had a fantastic week looking at the theme of 'connection'. A wide range of exciting trips and activities have been taking place, focusing on well-being. Students have been off-site to visit ‘Huggle Pets’, a therapeutic centre that uses animals to support children to understand their emotions and develop strategies for self-regulation. We have also visited the alpaca farm, developing our confidence and self-awareness. Groups have had a big day out visiting Harry Potter World, catching the train in and out of London to inspire and motivate a range of learning activities that have started in the classroom. In addition to the off-site
learning experiences the school has opened its doors to the school nurses and other guests that have led activities framed around the key themes of SAFE, HAPPY, and LEARNING.