Meta Skills Assemblies
Every fortnight, our students take part in a special Meta Skills Assembly led by different members of the school. Each session focuses on building essential life and learning skills—such as problem-solving, creativity, collaboration, and resilience—helping our pupils develop the tools they need to thrive both in and beyond the classroom.
Communication Critters
Across the two weeks, multi-stage teams take part in a relay dingbat race. Pupils match pictures illustrating compound nouns with the words. There are 8 to solve and this task allows younger pupils to participate when identifying the pictures whilst working cooperatively with older pupils/siblings. Metal skills developed: Social Intelligence; communicating, collaborating and leading. Teams also play “Telephone Talk” when we whisper a statement to each other around a circle and discuss how it has changed by the end of the rotation. This enables us to think about the importance of listening carefully and repeating information accurately – or not at all!
The skills continue the following week with one member of a pair blindfolded, the other partner guides them to an obstacle and back. Groups have valued cleared communication, trust and partners understanding difficulties which has developed communication skills further whilst enhancing self management by providing leadership opportunities and the use of our initiative. We also have fun develop clear speech by challenging ourselves with tongue twisters.
Excellent Enterprise
Vertical learning continues as children create greetings cards for our local community using the skills of creativity and working together.
Pupils decided that they would like to make greetings cards for service users at Rays of Hope and residents of Elderslie Care Home. They would also like to sell some greetings cards to raise money for charity.
Pupils work together in pairs and trios to create greetings cards made from coloured buttons. Pupils have been creative and come up with their own designs for this project.
Outdoor Innovation
During Outdoor Activities we need use our communication, collaboration, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills to complete some physical challenges. Such as – getting all members of our group safely across the shark-infested custard without anyone being eaten or badly bitten!
We only have our own ideas and a foam mat for protection.
To give the younger ones a chance to use their leadership skills, we do it again but this time with the oldest member of each team blindfolded.
Oui Oui
We work on some simple French vocabulary:
Greetings,
How are you?
Head, shoulder, knees and toes.
Throughout we have to self-manage – We have to focus/pay attention to learn and share vocabulary. We have had to use social intelligence – collaborate/work together and lead others/help one another to complete tasks as a mixed group- of all ages and stages. For matching tasks we have to innovate – sense-making/having a go, creativity/trying different ways and critical thinking/thinking carefully. For our French song we had to innovate – Creativity/ having a go. Everyone tries hard to do their best and aim to say something out loud in French.
Data Dynamos.
Ready, Steady, Cook
Developing Critical Thinking Through Sensory Exploration-
In this engaging activity, children taste a variety of foods while blindfolded, encouraging them to rely on their senses of taste, touch and smell. Without visual cues, they must think critically about what they experience—describing flavours, identifying textures and classifying foods into groups. Learners use a rich range of adjectives to articulate their observations, then compare and contrast their reflections with peers. Through discussion and analysis, children discover how perceptions can differ and deepen their understanding of sensory experiences, vocabulary and critical thinking skills.
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Applying Critical Thinking Through Practical Cooking Skills
Building on their sensory exploration, children put their critical thinking into action by developing key cooking skills such as peeling and slicing potatoes using the bridge and claw techniques. Working collaboratively, they assess the safety of handling knives and peelers, considering both the potential risks and the benefits of using these tools correctly. Through guided discussion and reflection, children learn to make informed decisions about safe food preparation. Each group prepares their wedges and cooks them in the air fryers—some even using potatoes harvested from Wallace’s own vegetable garden—before tasting and evaluating their creations. This hands-on experience nurtures independence, responsibility, and an appreciation for the journey from garden to plate.
House of Games
Our House of Games assemblies provide pupils with exciting opportunities to put their meta-skills into action through a range of hands-on, team-based challenges. Each session features a variety of puzzles, problem-solving activities, and creative building tasks that encourage children to think critically, communicate clearly, and collaborate effectively. Using sensory materials and practical resources, pupils explore how to plan, test, and refine their ideas together. These assemblies not only make learning fun and engaging but also help children build confidence, resilience, and adaptability—skills that will support them both in school and in everyday life.
Gardening Gang
Wonderful Wellbeing
We have been working on a variety of ways to improve our physical and mental well-being. We’ve been enjoying themed cardio and aerobic exercise to popular music. We’ve experience team building with games using P.E. equipment. We’ve enjoyed mini discos allowing us to dance and make new friends. We finish with some mindfulness, taking time to relax and reflect on the week we’ve had so far and how it the rest of it might look. We focus on: Self-management: focusing, adapting / paying attention, doing the right thing and Social Intelligence: collaborating, leading / helping others, working together, understanding feelings
