Nursery
St. Gerard's Nursery offers a high standard of pre-school provision for children with Special Educational Needs.
Each child follows the same curriculum as in a mainstream nursery setting, based upon The Early Learning Goals, at a level appropriate to their ability and stage of development. Specific targets for each child are identified, recorded on Individual Education Plans and used to inform planning.
St. Gerard's Nursery provides a stimulating and nurturing environment with a favourable adult/pupil ratio. We adopt a multi-sensory, play based approach to teaching and learning across different areas of the curriculum to ensure children's personal social/emotional, physical, creative and pre-academic needs are identified and developed to their full potential. Speech and language therapy is provided on site where required.
On going assessment on each child is carried out over the year. Children are observed across the different areas of learning each month via samples of children's work, recording the children's own language, non-verbal communication and photographs. These observations are used to assess how children have progressed in each area in relation to targets set and new targets planned where necessary.
In Term 2 an Educational Psychologist assesses the children. In consultation with parents, class teacher and all the specialists involved with the child throughout the year a decision on the appropriate Primary 1 provision is made.
Foundation Stage
Primary 1 and 2
St. Gerard's Foundation Stage curriculum, builds upon the skills and concepts previously learnt in the Nursery or at home.
The children are assessed in September to establish starting points and then individual targets are set for each child across the seven areas of learning. They also follow a curriculum based upon the Early Learning Goals.
Each day is spent engaged in purposeful play and through a combination of adult led and child initiated play. Early literacy and numeracy skills and concepts are also taught through a wide range of practical, stimulating and fun activities.
On-going progress is monitored against the Early Learning Goals. This allows teachers to build a well-rounded pupil profile and track individual children's progress across the Foundation Stage. Termly assessments in literacy and numeracy are carried out in September, January and May.
These Pupil Profiles contribute to smooth transition of Foundation pupils into Key Stage 1 (Primary 3 and 4), where Structured Play is still an important part of the curriculum but there is a move to more activity based learning.
Please browse through our class photos and see some of the amazing work and the stimulating and varied experiences the children at St. Gerard's encounter every day.
