Problem Solving and Thinking Skills  (Maths & Computing) 

PSTS: Maths 

Problem solving and thinking happens every day at Netherhall Mead Academy. We create opportunities for all our pupils to use their problem solving and thinking skills in other key areas of the curriculum and to apply these skills to real life situations. Pupils engage in purposeful, discrete, cross curricular, PSTS activities that are enjoyable, challenging and prepare pupils for life beyond school. We use the CPA (concrete, pictorial & abstract) approach which is a system of learning that uses physical and visual aids to build a pupil’s understanding of mathematical concepts. 

 

PSTS: Computing  

Our computing curriculum aims to provide pupils with the understanding and experiences to navigate the digital world safely and appropriately. We aim to equip our pupils with computing skills so they can enjoy and achieve the digital world during their schooling years and beyond. We are currently, at the early stages of implementing the Sheffield SEND Computing Scheme of Work. By following this program, this will ensure that all areas of the curriculum will be covered, and key skills built upon. Online safety units are covered regularly throughout the curriculum, year on year which is designed to complement the online safety message being taught in PSHE and RSE.  

For pupils who do not access the Sheffield SEND Computing Scheme please refer to the Complex curriculum documents.  

 

Reading & Phonics at Netherhall Mead Academy 

Netherhall Mead Academy uses the DfE approved scheme – Phonics for Pupils with Special Educational Needs, written by Ann Sullivan.  It is a scheme that enables pupils with a range of additional needs to find reading and spelling success and is suitable for those with specific learning difficulties, autism, moderate and severe learning difficulties, specific language impairment and complex needs. 

Phonics for SEN is a complete, systematic synthetic linguistic phonics programme published in seven books. 

Working through the programme, the pupil: 

  • learns about and understands the concepts that underpin how the written English is constructed, 
  • learns, practices and masters the skills they need to work with sounds and letters, and 
  • develops the knowledge they need to learn, build up and retain to be able to read and spell well. 

The programme has a linguistic focus taking the pupils from sound to symbol, from spoken word to print. 

Frequently asked questions – 

Is Phonics for pupils with Special Educational Needs (PPSN) suitable for all pupils at Nether Hall School? 

Once we launched this new Phonics scheme, we were able to identify which reading stage all pupils were working towards.  We use PPSN’s robust baselining tool to determine the starting point for all of our pupils.  Whether this is working at a pre-reading level or at various stages of the PPSN scheme.  

As a parent, how can I support my child with teaching phonics at home? 

Please contact your class teacher for specific, personalised advice on supporting your child with this at home.  However, if you would like further information on our phonics scheme, please visit –  

 www.phonicsforpupilswithspecialeducationalneeds.com/about-1 

Is ‘Reading’ just about Phonics? 

At Nether Hall, we all have a clear understanding that reading is not just about phonics.  We work hard to ensure that we promote a language-rich environment where reading is promoted for pupils working at all levels.  Here are some examples of how we do this…