Welcome to Willow Class!
At Old Bank Academy, Willow Class is our Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP). An ARP is a provision within a mainstream school, providing specialist and targeted support for children with long term special educational needs. Students within Willow Class range in age from Reception through to Year 6. Each child has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
There are several ARPs across Kirklees, offering support for a range of educational needs. Old Bank Academy’s ARP has been set up to support children with a primary need in cognition and learning. Our ARP provides targeted support to enable children to make progress, achieve their identified outcomes and continue to access the mainstream curriculum.
Our learning space and staffing allow small group teaching alongside opportunities for social interaction and learning experiences within a mainstream class. The time spent in mainstream classes will depend on the needs of each child.
The Learning Space
Multisensory Environment
We offer our pupils an exciting, multisensory, language rich environment where they can experience the curriculum through a wide range of activities. The carefully planned continuous provision allows the children to move around different themed areas and activities, enabling them to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, as well as their self-confidence and understanding of the world.Â
The pupils have access to a wide range of sensory equipment, from bubble tubes that provide visual stimulation and promote tracking skills, to weighted blankets that have a calming and grounding effect.
Outdoor Learning
Children in Willow Class benefit from our fantastic purpose-built outdoor learning space, which is largely covered, meaning that outdoor learning can take place all year round.Â
Our pupils love learning and exploring in our specially designed outdoor area. Research has shown that outdoor learning boosts the development of children’s physical skills, self-esteem, self-confidence, ability to work cooperatively and a positive attitude to learning.
Willow Class Staff
If you would like more information about additional resource provision at Old Bank Academy, please contact Mrs Sarah Kelly by email: skelly@oldbankacademy.co.uk
