Shirehampton Canberra
Welcome to Canberra Class at Shirehampton Primary School.
Canberra is our Specialist Resource Base class for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.
Children in Canberra are an important part of our wider school community. They benefit from a smaller, highly supportive learning environment alongside opportunities to learn, play and participate with their mainstream peers.
Throughout the year, we support children to develop their knowledge and skills across the curriculum while also developing confidence, independence, emotional regulation and positive relationships.
Meet the Canberra Team
Class Teacher
Miss Olivia Jones, Mrs Tracy Clark [Kangaroo Class Lead], Mrs Louise White [Koala Class Lead]
Support Team
Michelle Williams, Nicola Thompson, Cody Leonard (Maternity leave)
Our Canberra team works closely together to provide a consistent, nurturing and engaging learning environment where children feel safe, supported and ready to learn.
The team also works closely with children's mainstream class teachers and other staff across the school.
Learning in Canberra
Children in Canberra access a broad and ambitious curriculum which is adapted to meet their individual needs and starting points.
Children continue to develop their knowledge and skills in reading, writing and mathematics alongside learning across the wider curriculum.
Teaching is carefully structured and adapted to enable children to engage successfully with learning. This may include smaller teaching groups, additional modelling, visual support, pre-teaching, opportunities to revisit learning and adaptations to the pace or presentation of activities.
Children are also supported to access learning within their mainstream classes where appropriate. The balance between learning in Canberra and within mainstream is individual to each child and may change as their needs develop.
→ Explore our Curriculum
Reading
Reading is an important part of learning in Canberra.
Children are supported to develop their reading from their individual starting points, with teaching and reading materials carefully matched to their needs.
Children have regular opportunities to develop their decoding, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension and to enjoy a range of books and texts.
Where appropriate, children receive additional support or intervention to develop their reading skills.
We encourage children to read regularly at home and for families to share and talk about books together.
What We Are Learning
Children in Canberra access learning across the curriculum, with teaching adapted according to their individual needs and starting points.
Alongside the wider school curriculum, children take part in additional learning and experiences which support their social, emotional and personal development.
This includes:
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Weekly Forest School
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A weekly social and emotional curriculum
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Weekly life-skills learning, including cooking
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Opportunities to develop independence and practical skills
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Support to develop emotional regulation and positive relationships
Children also access learning and experiences alongside their mainstream peers where appropriate.
Social & Emotional Learning
Social and emotional development is an important part of learning in Canberra.
Children take part in a weekly social and emotional curriculum which supports them to develop their understanding of emotions, relationships and communication.
Throughout the school day, children are also supported to recognise and communicate their emotions, develop strategies for regulation, manage challenges and build positive relationships with others.
These skills are taught and practised alongside academic learning and are an important part of helping children become increasingly confident and independent.
Forest School & Life Skills
Children in Canberra take part in Forest School each week.
Forest School provides opportunities to learn outdoors, explore the natural environment, solve problems, work with others and develop confidence, resilience and independence.
Children also take part in weekly life-skills learning, including cooking. These practical experiences provide opportunities to develop communication, teamwork, independence and problem-solving while applying skills within meaningful, real-life contexts.
Home Learning
Home learning in Canberra is appropriate to children's individual needs and learning.
Children are encouraged to read regularly at home and may be given opportunities to practise key skills which support their current learning.
Where appropriate, additional activities may be shared with families to help children consolidate learning taking place in school.
We recognise that children's needs are different and work with families to ensure that expectations around home learning are appropriate and manageable.
How You Can Help at Home
There are lots of simple ways you can support your child's learning and development at home.
You can help by:
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Reading and sharing books together
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Talking about what your child has been learning
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Practising individual reading, spelling, number or multiplication targets where appropriate
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Encouraging independence with everyday routines and belongings
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Providing opportunities to practise practical life skills
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Using consistent routines where these are helpful for your child
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Celebrating effort, perseverance and progress
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Encouraging your child to use strategies they have learned to manage emotions and challenges
The Canberra team will work with families to share any specific strategies or areas of learning which may be particularly helpful to practise at home.
Learning With Our Mainstream Classes
Children in Canberra remain part of the wider Shirehampton school community.
Children are expected to access aspects of mainstream learning, with the nature and amount of this planned according to their individual needs.
Children also join their mainstream peers during wider aspects of school life, including playtimes and lunchtimes, with appropriate support from Canberra staff.
This enables children to develop relationships with their peers, experience the wider life of the school and maintain a strong sense of belonging within the whole-school community.
Useful Information
PE
Children access PE as part of their individual curriculum and timetable.
Reading
Children are encouraged to read regularly at home. Individual information about reading books and reading records will be shared by the Canberra team.
Forest School
Canberra children take part in Forest School each week on a [add day].
Life Skills
Children take part in weekly life-skills learning, including cooking.
What Children Need
Children should bring a named water bottle to school each day.
Please ensure that clothing and personal belongings are clearly named.
Any additional items required for Forest School, PE or other activities will be communicated to families.
Communication
Important class information and reminders will be shared with families through Arbor.
Families are also encouraged to communicate with the Canberra team about anything which may affect their child's day or the support they may need. For non-urgent but useful information that does not require an immediate response you can email canberra@shirehampton.jun.bristol.sch.uk. Please note emails are checked once a week during term time only.
▼ Find Out More About Our Specialist Resource Base
Canberra Class forms part of Shirehampton Primary School's Specialist Resource Base for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs.
More detailed information about the Resource Base, including our provision and admissions arrangements, can be found within the Inclusion section of our website.