Sharing the learning journey
"We recognise that learning is a holistic process and a life application that is required at school, when out and about and at home. We regard sharing the learning experiences of our learners paramount to ensuring that parents can help further the developments with their child through using these experiences in real life situations"
Day to day learning:
The Alternative Pathway Seesaw Blog has been established to celebrate and share the learning experiences with parents.
As part of the 1:1 Ipad program the Seesaw blog allows the learners to have easy access to its application, where learners record text, pictures and movies about their learning. Teachers also blog memorable moments for social learning. Parents then are given a personalised family website link where they have 24hour access to view the recent learning.
Mainstream lessons
We recognise that due to communication barriers, parents sometimes find it harder to keep in touch with the mainstream learning. Our mainstream teachers are always available to discuss any curriculum information and ideas to enable progression in their subjects. Our Co-teachers work alongside them to make this communication productive and timely to the learners needs. Alternative Pathway Co-teachers will also blog photo’s of the learners work or shared learning intentions from lessons so parents can continue to have discussions with their child to share what they have learnt or homework that needs to be completed.
Homework tasks will be shared using the schools system through Google Classroom where parents and tutors can receive notifications and updates.
Learner Led Conferences
Twice a year parents are invited in with their child to share and celebrate the learning achieved against the specific curriculum goals set at the start of each term. Achievements and challenges will be discussed and next step strategies agreed with all.
End of Year Transition Meetings
Each year parents will be invited in to meet to discuss the transition for their child to the following year. Proposed timetables will be shared with parents and learners who are given the opportunity to discuss any changes where required.
Parents Working Party
We currently have a dedicated parents working party who attend termly meetings to discuss developments and we also provide training in the Alternative Pathway as well as reviewing any developments. It has created a great opportunity for parents to meet and form friendships with other parents who may also have similar experiences. We consider this working party an integral part of collaborative learning for all stakeholders and follow a democratic process with change and developments in the Alternative Pathway.
Our doors are always open to parents and although we do promote our learners independence, we recognise that parents have just as much ability as our Nexus Staff to teach our learners the skills for life.
