Tag Archives: Article 29: My education helps me to develop my abilities to the full.

Merry Christmas from Ochiltree

We have had another busy term in Ochiltree and we can’t believe we’re already at the Christmas holidays!

This term we have been busy working towards some of our ASDAN challenges. The first was through our weekly health group where we really enjoyed our sessions with Childsmile. We explored healthy food through games and we practiced using the big mirror and toothbrush to brush Monty the puppet’s teeth. We completed our second challenge by learning about the festival of Diwali through music, dance, art and sensory activities.

We’ve also had a busy couple of weeks getting into the festive spirit, we had a lovely Christmas lunch, a fun packed singalong and enjoyed games and dancing at our Christmas party, we topped this all off with a trip to the shopping centre to see all the lights.

Team Ochiltree wish you all a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year!

MATP Challenge Event 🏅

This term we hosted our very first Special Olympics Motor Activity Training Programme (MATP) Challenge Event.

Athletes in Hopetoun, Lomond, Pentland and Glendevon had the opportunity to showcase the skills they had been working on during training for their family and friends.

Every athlete did absolutely amazing and handled the spotlight so well! 👏 🌟

A HUGE thank you to everyone who came along to support our athletes and make the event such a success. I loved all the cheering, signs, posters and t-shirts ❤️

We asked for some feedback and this is what our parents said…

 

Term 2 Secondary PE

And that’s a wrap on our first block of activities. All athletes in Ochiltree and Duntarvie have now completed striking & kicking activities with Louise, music & movement with Jill and Boccia & New Age Kurling with Rachael.

Here are our athletes taking part in their final activity…

Striking & Kicking

Music & Movement

Boccia & New Age Kurling

We will be continuing with our Secondary PE groups next term, so check back to see what new skills and activities we have been working on! 👀

Pentland Class Term 1

What a fantastic first term we have had here in the Pentland Class.  We have loved spending time together, getting to know our new friends and adults in class – we all have lots of fun together!

We have all settled into our routines and have been working hard on all of our activities and groups.  We have been busy with our topic ‘The Owl Who is Afraid of the Dark’ making lots of fantastic art work and some really yummy cooking sessions.

We have had some lovely sessions with the Clown Doctors and love when they come to visit our class.  We have also spent time enjoying the outdoors, gardening and exploring the playground equipment.

We are looking forward to the busy term ahead!

Autumn term in Hopetoun

We have had great fun in Hopetoun this term as we have settled in to our new class. We have enjoyed lots of different activities like gardening, going on the wheelchair bike and art. We have been exploring new foods during our messy play food group and some of us got messier than others! We are looking forward to seeing what the winter term will bring.

Ochiltree Term 1

What a busy first term we have had in Ochiltree, we’ve really enjoyed making the most of the last of the sunny weather!

We particularly enjoyed our beach themed sensory sessions out in the garden which has now been swapped for a lovely cosy Autumn sensory session which we’re enjoying just as much. We’ve been busy focusing on our health and wellbeing through our weekly health group looking after our bodies and we have been keeping fit and healthy through our cross class PE groups where we have been exploring music and movement, team games and ball skills.

We’re looking forward to next term where will begin working on our ASDAN challenges so we’ve got lots more exciting things to come!

Team Ochiltree wish you all a healthy October break.

Term 1 Primary PE

Our athletes in Hopetoun, Lomond, Pentland and Glendevon have been working hard, training towards our first ever MATP Challenge Event on Monday 1st December. They can’t wait to showcase their unique achievements to family and friends (more details will be shared closer to the time, but I am excited to see everyone supporting their athlete with posters, banners or maybe even personalised t-shirts!).

What is MATP?
The Special Olympics Motor Activity Training Programme (MATP) is a unique programme specifically designed for athletes of all ages with Profound and Multiple, Physical and Intellectual Disabilities and/or Complex Support Needs.

It focuses on developing individual skills and abilities rather than direct competition, ensuring each athlete can achieve personal bests and celebrate their achievements.

It is made up of 4 core sport specific MATP skill areas:
• Mobility (gross motor skills)
• Dexterity (fine motor skills)
• Kicking (lower body skills)
• Striking (upper body skills)

 

MATP enables our athletes to increase physical activity, improve motor skills, build confidence, increase participation in sport activities and foster a positive self-image.

Hopetoun Athletes

Lomond Athletes

Pentland Athletes

Glendevon Athletes

 

Lomond Term 1

These dark nights and dark mornings are creeping up on us citing the end of Term 1.

It has been a term for trying different activities out and seeing where we can fit everything we want to do into our timetables. We are settling down now and have good plans in place moving forward into next term when we will continue to work on our targets as well as trying new experiences.

We have been enjoying the farm topic with lots of songs, art and messy play activities. Night time is our other topic which we have started and will continue onto December.

Horse riding was fantastic fun and all experiences either riding the horses or the sensory experience of looking after a horse – thank you to RDA for a wonderful experience.

Lomond is most definitely an outdoor class and we are loving using the wheelchair bike, drive deck, trikes and all the playground equipment for fun as well as developing independent skills using walkers,  playing with others and communicating needs and wants. Lets hope it is a good autumn to allow us continue.

Thank you for all the support throughout the term and look forward to seeing you all for parents night and our Christmas event.

Group 1 Swimming 🏊

Well done to our first group of swimmers who just completed their block at Bathgate Xcite.

They worked so hard, gaining confidence and developing skills in the early stages of buoyancy, co-ordination, spatial awareness, breathing, and entering and leaving the pool safely.

3 swimmers achieved their Beatlie Aqua Bronze Award and 1 swimmer was presented with a Beatlie Swimming Progress Award. Well done everyone ⭐ we are so proud of you 😊

Term 1 Secondary PE

On Monday afternoons athletes in Ochiltree and Duntarvie have been coming together to develop their physical activity and motor skills.

After a fun warm-up altogether, we split into 3 groups:
  • Striking & kicking activities (based on the Special Olympics Motor Activity Training Programme) with Louise
  • Music & movement (using activities from Physiobods and the MOVE programme) with Jill
  • Boccia & New Age Kurling (focusing on teamwork) with Rachael

Then we finish off with a whole group cool down and relax.

Striking & Kicking Activities

Music & Movement Activities

Boccia & New Age Kurling