Ruby Class
Ruby Class is a specialist enhanced resource within Brentnall Academy that caters for children who have autism spectrum condition (ASC).
It is staffed by a full time teacher and two full time teaching assistants. Ruby Class is a 12 place key stage 2 resource for children who have an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Our enhanced resource is overseen by our Assistant Headteacher and SENCO Mrs Mendham.
Ruby class is an integral part of Brentnall and the children join mainstream classes as part of their daily routine, this includes playtimes, dinnertimes and for assemblies.
Staff: Miss Follows, Mrs Roberts and Miss Savage
The Curriculum
As Ruby Class currently has children who are both key stage 1 and key stage 2 age, we deliver a curriculum that is based on the Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 National Curriculum. As Brentnall is an inclusive school, the staff work hard to ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of the individual. Special considerations are given to the teaching of life skills as well as basic maths and English skills.
Each child follows their own individual programme where they are taught carefully planned activities suitable to their stage of development. These activities are taught both in their own setting and when appropriate in mainstream classes. The children are supported at all times to ensure that they are working towards their individual targets and their individual progress is closely monitored through observations and formal assessments. Staff ensure that all achievements are celebrated and rewarded.
Where children are accessing Ruby Class full time, carefully devised transition programmes are tailored to meet the needs of the individual children with
their transition to mainstream being carefully planned. With additional support, all children access playtimes, lunchtimes and assemblies with the rest of the school. To ensure that all children experience success with their transition to mainstream, children access classes that they enjoy the most and the children will be given the option of which classes they would like to participate in. Each stage of the transition process will be closely monitored and taken at a pace that is appropriate to the needs of each child.
We split our school year into 4 cycles. We are now in Cycle 3, below is a table outlining what your child is currently learning.
| English | Understanding what non-fiction is
Writing a fact file about animals from the rainforest Descriptive writing – adjectives and adverbs Comprehension |
| Maths | Bar charts
Tally charts Pictographs Addition Subtraction Multiplication (times tables specific for each pupil) Time |
| Science | Water cycle |
| History | Explorers from history |
| RE | The Easter Story – how people celebrate Easter around the world |
| PSHE | Communication – how to tell someone how I feel |
| PE | Co-ordination
Strength and balance Teamwork |
| Computing | Searching the internet safely |
| Music | Carnival of the animals – describing what I can hear |
| Sign Language | Learning to sign different animals |
| Art and Design | Camouflage |
Home learning
All children have a reading book that is matched to their reading ability which are changed regularly. The children are encouraged to read each night at home as well as being listened to in school regularly. For each cycle, the children will be assigned home learning tasks that they are encouraged to complete which are based on life skills, for example the children might be asked to practise using a toaster safely to make themselves or someone else a piece of toast or practising how to cross a road safely. Please feel free to take photos and email these to ruby@brentnallschool.uk, we look forward to seeing any pictures you take.
Parental contact
As many children come to school on transport provided by the local authority, the children in Ruby Class have a home school diary which is used to communicate messages from school to home and vice versa. In line with the rest of the school, once a half term parents are invited in to their child’s class to access our PACT (parent and child together) afternoons. The PACT afternoons are an opportunity to see what your child is currently learning.
PE
This year we are lucky enough to have specially trained sports coaches in school who are delivering our PE curriculum. Children have PE on Wednesdays taught by one of our sports coaches and the rest of Ruby Class and then they have PE on another day with their mainstream class. We suggest that you send a clean PE kit in at the start of each new half term and we will send it home at the end of half term so it can be washed, that way the children will always have their PE kits on their PE days. If your child needs assistance in dressing, staff are available to support where necessary.
Please don’t hesitate to contact school if you have any further questions. Thank you for your continued support and assistance.
Mrs Mendham, Miss Follows, Mrs Roberts and Miss Savage