Ysgol Ar Y Traeth : School On The Beach

Designed to suit the changing needs of the children, the days can include:OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Beach ecology, adaptation, habitats, food chains, using identification keys. Navigation with maps and compasses, using the wind, boat design and sails, making and flying kites. The weather, beach formation, waves and tides. Language associated with or inspired by the sea, myths and legends, storytelling Art on the beach, light, natural materials, modelling on sand and producing large scale pictures. Problem solving, teamwork, leadership, and emotional intelligence. Practical skills, knot work, building shelters, modelling sand. Water safety, hazards on the beach, survival, risk assessment. Innovative use of technology such as film making or recording and composing using the sounds of the beach. Numeracy, literacy, science and technology curriculum requirements. Opportunity to go on the water in boats or sit on kayaks or building their own rafts with qualified instructors. This course offers children the opportunity to get to know an environment in different conditions and see it change. They work closely with a beach school leader who has time to develop trusted relationships with the children and respond to both intellectual and emotional needs and offer challenges that inspire deeper learning. This is recommended in the Welsh Government guidance for educational opportunities of this type. Throughout the course we seek to develop emotional intelligence and offer plenty of adult supported and child led experiences that allow social skills, self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation and empathy to flourish. There will be the chance to problem solve, work as a team and independently and show leadership skills. Children will be encouraged to think creatively, to enquire and to reflect on their own learning. Beach Days Single days can meet a specific curriculum or school community need and can be planned with users. They can inspire a school project, add depth to a topic, offer a completely different and exciting experience and offer a chance for children to shine in a new environment. These days are planned to suit the needs of the group and could focus on: The beach environment with rockpooling, identification and animal adaptations. The development of a seaside town over time. An introduction to forces through a range of activities. A book, such as Kenzuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo, with activities inspired by the story. Outdoor pursuit challenges in line with the primary PE curriculum. Information and communication technology While on the beach we can use technology to capture the experience in pictures, words, sound, film or music. Back at school we can support the innovative use of technology to develop learning further. Our most popular day is “A Day at the Beach” which is often used by year 1, though has been adapted for preschool and years 2-5.