VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM
Expanding horizons and building confidence in the SEND classroom
is to ensure young people have every life opportunity and are supported to progress to the best of their abilities, in a complete holistic way. At Rivermead EPR, we help children and young
people with complex additional learning needs develop key life skills which will enable them to thrive not only in the classroom, but also prepare them for independent living and future employment. Our learners at EPR are all post-16 learners who are not quite ready for college environment and in need of additional education support. As a special educational needs and disabilities
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n our ever popular View from the classroom feature this month, we’re
delighted to hear from Aurelie Charles, teacher at Rivermead Entry Partnership Room (EPR), part of the Rivermead Inclusive Trust, who tells us about the school’s use of story-based learning platform Lyfta.
Tell us about your school Rivermead Entry Partnership Room (EPR) is part of the Rivermead Inclusive Trust, where our mission
(SEND) teacher, supporting all students no matter their age or ability, to excel both academically and as a well-rounded young person, is something very close to my heart. Typically, my learners have high medical or cognitive needs which all require personalised care and attention, and so we provide a holistic education experience which empowers them to progress and realise their full potential. We follow a tailored curriculum which has a focus on life skills, to help learners develop their independence, resilience and communication abilities as well as literacy and numeracy.
How do you ensure students gain the life skills required for further study, independent living and future employment? Many of our learners are highly sensory, and given their learning challenges, can find it difficult
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to develop key skills via traditional learning methods. As such, I am always looking for innovative ways of engaging our learners and bringing the learning to life, which is why our classroom looks a little different from most! To best support their learning, we try to create an interactive learning experience which helps learners connect their knowledge with practical skills. For example, our EPR is designed to replicate the experience of independent living with a domestic kitchen, accessible bathroom, living room area and a garden where learners can have lunch, relax and grow their own herbs and vegetables. This gives children the opportunity to learn how to take care of themselves and cook and clean. As part of the sensory learning experience, we
use Lyfta, an immersive story-based learning platform to help students ‘visit’ other parts of the world and develop their cultural awareness. The platform uses real-life based videos and an immersive environment to introduce children to new perspectives and experiences from people and communities around the world. Each ‘storyworld’ lesson is linked to the national curriculum and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, to give children the broadest possible education across a range of topics. .
When did you first hear about Lyfta? I first heard about Lyfta through the British Council’s e-twinning project, which aims to
October 2021
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