Community Access | Craigmarloch School

Getting out into the community has a vital role in the development of learning for our primary pupils. We are lucky to have access to our own buses and allocated times for classes to choose how best to utilise their weekly slot. These outings are an ideal way to enhance ongoing learning in topic work or can be used to support pupils to experience places or activities that they find difficult, such as a visit to the barber or shopping in a supermarket. During outings the pupils learn how to behave in social settings, pay for goods, experience the various jobs people do, overcome anxieties and learn to communicate with a variety of people using their own means of communication. Each outing is planned well in advance including phone calls or visits to new places by staff members before the class go to ensure all risk assessments are carried out. Social stories are used to support pupils before and during outings as they are a visual reminder of the steps to be taken to make the visit a successful and enjoyable experience.

Although most of our community access is carried out in Inverclyde it can also include visits to parks, theatres, museums, cinemas, theme parks, zoos etc in other towns and cities.