Enrichment

At The Marlborough, we offer a varied enrichment timetable allowing learners to experience awe and wonder in the world around them as well as promoting physical, psychological, social and educational growth.  Each class will have a unique timetable of enrichment activities across a year.  Some activities are offered to all classes with others carefully selected to meet the needs and abilities of a specific class or group. We regularly review our enrichment offer to ensure we offer the best possible range of experiences for all of our learners.  
 
Some of the enrichment activities that a learner may be able to take part in during their time at The Marlborough are detailed below.  Please note that activities are subject to change and not all activities will be offered to all classes.  
 
Forest School   
Swimming  
Horse riding  
Yoga  
Dance  
Skiing   
 
Some of our enrichment activities take place on site whilst others are provided at external venues.  Where an activity takes place off-site, travel will be on our school minibus, which allows for an additional learning focus surrounding safety when travelling.   
 
In addition to our enrichment, we regularly enter teams in to the Medway Disability Youth Games, allowing access to a range of sports.  These events also promote our school values of Courage, Confidence, Respect and Belonging through a focus on team spirit.  We always celebrate participation and effort at such events over winning prizes, however the camaraderie of entering a competition is an excellent stimulus for social development.  
 
A range of trips, visits and visitors linked to topics or themed school weeks complement the above enrichment.  

Forest School

What could be better than an outdoor classroom where pupils not only learn about but also experience the world around them?  Forest School does just that! The natural setting of the wood encourages pupils’ learning within a natural environment and promotes their independence by challenging them to adapt to the different situations they encounter.  Our students thoroughly enjoy gaining invaluable experience at our offsite Forest school area, located at Bredhurst Forest, Gillingham.

Forest School is an innovative outdoor learning programme allowing children the freedom to explore and experience the natural world through practical involvement. It also helps install confidence and self-esteem through an achievable hands-on learning experience.  It is a wonderful opportunity to extend their opportunities for learning out of the classroom.

The natural environment offers numerous learning opportunities for children, and with a private space to explore, the grounds at Bredhurst forest offers the perfect setting.

We currently have 2 classes per term accessing the forest school sessions, during which they will engage in a range of child led activities. The sessions are adaptable to meet the varied needs of our students, ensuring inclusivity.

Yoga 

Many children with ASD are in a constant heightened state. This is the body’s response to stress and sleep disruptions, which can be exacerbated into full-blown anxiety. This can be seen physically through their breathing. You can see them chest breathing or hyperventilating, which can worsen the anxiety symptoms. The yogic practice of breathing exercises, poses and guided imagery helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, an activity also known as “rest, relax and digest.”

Benefits of Yoga:

Yoga can reduce anxiety…

Yoga can provide consistency. ...

Yoga can increase self-awareness and improves motor skills. ...

Yoga can help with emotional regulation. ...

Yoga can help improve confidence…

At The Marlborough we currently offer yoga as a one to one session and have plans to have whole class sessions during academic year 2021-2022.

BEAM – Educational and Movement Programme

An education and movement programme is split into three blocks of graded activities, where the emphasis is on achievement and fun.

Early screening using BEAM ensures prompt identification of children with balance and movement difficulties.  Research has shown that co-ordination and balance are necessary for children to develop classroom skills, such as the ability to sit still, to concentrate and listen, eye contact and tracking, as well as hand-to-eye co-ordination.

Horse-Riding

At The Marlborough we have enjoyed visiting Squirrells' riding school at Blue Bell Hill for many years. One class per term attend Squirrells’ taking part in a range of activities with the horses, including mounting, riding the horses, supporting grooming and the husbandry of the horses.  These sessions help a great deal in promoting physical, psychological, social and educational growth in our children. Horse riding helps stimulate the whole body. Regardless of their age, when the child mounts the horse, there is an evident surge in their self-esteem.