Year 3/4 visit Marwell Zoo

Off to the zoo!

With our backpack to hold iPad, workbook and our lunch, we are ready to be independent, taking care of our equipment.

First stop, the Education Centre at Marwell for some hands on learning.

A sad display of furs and skins confiscated by customs, now put to an educational use.

Some close up investigation of a snow leopard pelt.

And a tiger skin.

Then live hands on learning when we meet a hissing cockroach! Luckily no hissing today, in fact it was quite friendly!

The python was also quite intrigued by the children and enjoyed the gentle strokes he was given.

Then to the tropical house, where iPads again were used well to zoom in on the leaf cutter ants as they went on their long journey through tubes all around the hot house.

After lunch we boarded the land train to give us a lift up to....

...the giraffes. They were so close inside the Giraffe house, but still out came the iPad for a closer look.

What a fantastic day, full of memories and learning! Thanks to Marwell for being so welcoming.

Mothers Day In Reach

We have a very floral Mother's Day themed In Reach this month.

The children had a lovely messy time creating hand print pictures.

While also making tactile Mothers Day cards.

There was also time to investigate a range of flowers, inside and out, using a variety of LVA's or Low Vision AIDS.

Then time for chat and a snack.

Thanks to all who came along. Next month some music making and hopefully if the weather is good, some outdoor activities.

Toynbee School In-Reach

We were very fortunate to have VI pupils from The Toynbee school come and lead this month In-Reach.

The pupils came with a selection of VI sport activities for our younger pupils to enjoy.

This provided a great afternoon of fun. The children loved the opportunity to work with older VI pupils.

Whether inside or out there was lots of talk.

It was also great to see ex pupils from Kings Copse who had moved on to The Toynbee school.

Thank you Toynbee, we are now looking forward to the VI Paralympic day for our KS2 pupils in April at Toynbee. 

Stomp!

Our last In-Reach was a very noisy session! 

Our pupils and guests were treated to a 'Stomp' music making session utilising a 'load of junk' to make a great sound.

Whether establishing a rhythm with a biscuit tin....

....or destroying a milk bottle, all the children thoroughly enjoyed the experience!

And when it came to the pots and pans section, well, it had to be heard to be believed! Wow!!!

A special thank you to Mrs Keene, who led the session and to all of our guests and their parents. It was a fun session!

 

Next month our In-Reach is to be led by pupils from The Toynbee Schhol's VI resource, who will lead some VI Sports. 

PCSO Visit

On Friday our monthly VIP club were joined by PCSO Berry and PCSO Barfoot.

They came to the Oasis with mountains of equipment, which the children were then able to explore, close up.

This provided a great opportunity for our children not only to find out about all the things the police carry, but also to meet the people in the uniform.

The PCSO's spent a lot of time with our children, helping them to have a go at dressing in the equipment....

What a fine figure he makes!

they also looked a handcuffs and an 'asp'.

However the crowning glory of the afternoon was the Police car!

All the children had a go at waking the world up with the car's siren....it was loud.

This was a fantastic hands-on afternoon. The children got to investigate an officers equipment that normally they could not see, they also got to meet and talk with the PCSO's to discover the 'human side' of the Police service. 

Thank you PCSO Berry and Barfoot!

(sorry for the noise!)

Firework In-Reach

Our theme for the November In Reach was Bonfire Night. Our pupils and our guests were presented with two activities to fill the afternoon. 

Rolling out and decorating 'Firework biscuits' was the first located in the school kitchen.

Accompanied by parents or caters, this provided a little 1:1 quality time.

In the hall was the second activity, creating firework pictures using a washing up brush!

The pupils thoroughly enjoyed banging the brushes to get a good firework pattern.

But we are never narrowly prescriptive, so when the hands and fingers were suddenly being used, we were impressed at the effects created!

The In Reach sessions at Kings Copse not only are lots of fun, they also give adults attending a chance to catch up or even make new contacts, whether from Open Sight, the PROVI (mobility officer) or the STAVI ( VI teacher advisors).

A surprise addition this month was Ms Stout, the teacher in charge of Great Binfields VI resource in Basingstoke. 

Thank you to all those who attended, it was a good session with some great work (I have kept all the paintings safe and ready to pick up next month). Surprisingly there were no biscuits left at the end of the day! 

Special visitor

We had a special visitor to our VIP Friday club before half term, Tom McInalty and Brunel theGuide dog 

Tom came in especially to talk to our VI pupils about how he maintains his independence as an adult with a visual impairment.

Brunel came for all the attention! The children had a good question and answer session with Tom, while Brunel had a break. The key message Tom gave was, always know you can ask for help to make sure you can be as independent as possible. 

Thanks for making the time to come and see us Tom & Brunel. 

Out next VIP Club visitors are our local PCSO's, hopefully with a police car!