Enrichment
We are very lucky at Polden Bower School to have amazing resources on our school campus. These provide regular opportunity for therapy and enrichment activities. These include:
- Immersive room
- Soft play room
- Rebound room
- Warm water pool
- Cafe
- Purpose built outdoor gym and play equipment
- Forest School area
- Sports facilities including sports hall, sports field and MUGA
- Drama and music suite
Outdoor Education
We are very lucky to have a large purpose built outdoor area in which to play, learn and work. We understand the importance of getting outdoors to transform knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours through direct engagement with the outdoor environment. Students at Polden Bower School can learn to take care of the land around them and to use it to stay fit and healthy. The outdoor spaces have been designed to create a range of learning and development opportunities, Early years have their own outdoor play space, with sand and water, blocks for climbing, walking over and balancing on. As you move into Woodlands, they have water tables with pipes and tubes, sand play and mark making with dedicated adventure play built for primary. Tunnels, slides, swings and roundabouts provide lots of opportunities for gross motor activity.
The school has a dedicated swings section which is fully inclusive and has a range of swing seats to cater for children and young people with different needs. Two courtyard areas, provide quiet spaces, one has a story tellers circle for story, music and drama the other has an outdoor gym for physical and heavy muscle work.
Forest school and outdoor learning is great for children and young people to learn, this area has the opportunity for den building, creating small fires. There are sensory tunnels and an outdoor classroom.
For our older students, a trim trail, football pitch and Multi-use games area are available for students to let off steam, play team sports and enjoy rich physical activity.
DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD
Young people in Key Stage 4 and Post 16 are given the opportunity to work towards Duke of Edinburgh Awards. We follow the four Duke of Edinburgh strands as follows:
Skills – Young people will work on a specific skill to achieve this strand.
Physical – Physical activity will be recorded over the course of three months.
Volunteering – Working in the community and doing a job which benefits others.
Expedition – Spending a night away from home: problem-solving, working as a team and developing independence skills that can’t be taught in school.
Creative Arts
We deliver a rich enrichment programme within the arts. We deliver in-house music and singing lessons, alongside dance and drama. We also work with a wide range of creative arts organisations to bring the Arts into school. These include Opera Project, Open Up Orchestra, Song Story and Jackdaws. We are always looking for visiting artists to work with us and inspire our creative talents.
Our young people enjoy using the art studio in school to create and express through a wide range of medium.
We try to give our children and young people every opportunity to explore the arts in the community and wherever possible explore museums, galleries and make visits to the theatre and cinema.
Alternative Provision
Our offer can include opportunities for alternative provision where it would benefit a child or young person’s educational experience. We work closely with local providers who support our ethos and values.
Community
Our curriculum at all key stages is underpinned by learning for life and preparation for adulthood and we believe that skills taught in the classroom should be directly transferrable to everyday activities and situations. We aim to offer all of our students opportunities to generalise the skills they have learned in school by supporting them to access their local community.