To support the development of a range of non-academic skills, such as speaking & listening, turn taking, self-regulation and building friendships, Friday afternoons are dedicated to providing elective sessions as outlined below. Students will attend their electives for a half term at a time.
Students identify activities that they are interested in, in an order of preference. If they do not get their first choice, their name is placed on a waiting list for the next half term.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness allows us to manage emotions and to bring some calm and balance into our lives. This elective will provide you with strategies to regulate your emotions, develop your resilience and self-esteem, whilst encouraging a balanced attitude. Activities will include a range of breathing exercises, yoga sessions and practising gratitude. We will also look at creating calm cards and other crafting exercises that support being mindful.
Football
Join like-minded players who share your passion for football. You will work on individual skills, such as moving with the ball, turning, dribbling, passing, shooting, tackling and intercepting. You will practice these skills in drills and apply them in small games. You will be introduced to concepts like positioning, movement of the ball and teamwork. You will learn about tactical principles and how those can guide your decision making process while playing games.
Multisport
A selection of different sports. Each week will focus on a different sport, with a focus on the rules of the game and some drills. The second half of the lesson will be a game.
Arts and Crafts
We will be exploring a range of arts and crafts methods. We will be designing and creating small projects that will not only get us imaginatively creating, but have also been proven to be beneficial for our wellbeing, as it is a great way to relax and unwind. We will be making fiddle toys, friendship bracelets, desk organisers and much more.
Performing Arts
Work on your acting, directing and technical skills to create a short film trailer.
Woodworking
Build the outdoor chairs for the new school. Tasks will include cutting, measuring and constructing 12 chairs and 6 coffee tables. You will also be sanding and painting.
Construction
A mixture of junk modelling, Lego and K’nex to bring your ideas into 3D.
Sewing
You will learn different types of stitches, explore the skill of threading a needle, and use different types of materials.
Games
A great opportunity for the students to make friends and have fun whilst practising many important social, cognitive and physical skills. There will be a lovely range of games for the students to choose from each week. Playing board, card and floor games is a good way for young people to develop vital social skills such as turn-taking, supportive and persuasive language and co-operation. Some games such as ‘Snap’ and ‘Grabolo’, require fast reactions, which will help to improve dexterity. Other games, such as ‘Connect Four’, involve thinking ahead, developing strategy skills and practising memory skills. Floor games, such as ‘Twister’ allow students to practise their co-ordination and balance, while games like ‘Giant Jenga’ and ‘Operation’ can help to improve precise fine motor skills and accuracy.
Challenge
Every week a new challenge is set. Can you get your partner to the finish line with just your instructions? Can you build a house of cards? Think you can complete a game without your thumbs? Test your creativity and problem-solving skills and see if you can survive the Challenge.
Film
Students will communicate with each other to choose a film and then write a review on it.
Outdoor Cooking
Release your inner Bear Grylls by learning different techniques and recipes for cooking outdoors.
Cooking/Baking
We will build a repertoire of simple recipes that can replicated at home and adapted for different diets. We will prepare for adulthood through developing life skills, such as weighing and measuring, kitchen skills, health and safety including food and personal hygiene. We will also consider sustainability and look into reducing our food waste.
