Community Learning

To be prepared for adulthood and play an active part in society it is important that we prepare and expose pupils to the community and world around them.  Community learning at Watling View aims to promote learning outside the classroom and learning in the local area. We aim to provide pupils with the ability to develop their confidence, independence and key skills when in the community and travelling outside of school. Priority learning when in the community includes developing an understanding about how to be safe when in the community and knowing about what is in the world around them through accessing the local community.

Each class has a weekly timetabled slot for community learning and classes will access the community in a variety of different ways, with the aim to explore, experience and participate in a range of exciting opportunities in the local community. Where possible teachers will link community learning to the current half termly theme, the long-term planning document provides an overview of places to visit alongside objectives to be developed and build skills and knowledge.

As well as weekly community visits, we also aim to provide a range of different opportunities for pupils, this can include Travel Training lessons for some pupils in the Upper School, sporting trips and visits both locally to other schools and to visit sporting events, alongside whole school and departmental celebration visits.

Community learning aims to build on learning which has happened in the classroom and challenges pupils to apply the knowledge they have learnt in one context and apply this into another environment or context. Examples of this include using communication systems to order an item at a café and using money in a practical real-life situation. By regularly exposing pupils to community learning we see our pupils are able to transfer this knowledge into different contexts, as well as this we aim to break down barriers and challenges that our families can face in supporting their child when accessing the community. We have heard from our families how they have then been able to take their child out in the community to different locations following on from visits we have taken our pupils on.  

If you would like to know more about Community Learning at Watling View, please click on the links below.

• Intent Implementation and Impact - Community download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineIntent Implementation and Impact - Community
• Long Term Plan - Community Learning - LMS download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineLong Term Plan - Community Learning - LMS