Oakland School

Welcome to Oakland School, part of Calthorpe Academy

As Head of Centre, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Oakland School, part of Calthorpe Academy. Opened in February 2025, Oakland School provides an excellent learning environment with high-quality facilities specifically designed to meet the needs of our learners.

Oakland School caters to 48 autistic learners across six classes, covering Key Stage Two and Key Stage Three. Classes are organised by age group while also considering individual learner needs. Our school features a large shared indoor learning space connected to classrooms, along with two outdoor areas designed to promote learning and independence.

Situated next to Oakland Recreation Ground and surrounded by shops and community facilities, our location offers excellent opportunities for learners to engage with their community while developing the "Skills for the Life We Want."

Our highly trained staff specialise in supporting profoundly autistic learners, implementing effective strategies to foster development in all key areas of life. This includes the use of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Makaton, and Intensive Interaction to enhance pupils’ language and communication skills.

Oakland School is specifically designed for learners with a diagnosis of ASD. Our learners follow the "Foundation for Life" curriculum, a personalised approach that respects each individual’s pace while focusing on key developmental areas. We utilise a range of evidence-based strategies to ensure that skills and knowledge are transferable across different environments and are retained over time. The curriculum places particular emphasis on communication and social skills, emotional regulation, and daily living skills, ensuring that every learner receives the support they need to thrive in line with their Educational, Health & Care Plans, as well as their personal dreams and aspirations.

Antonio Ferraz
Head of Centre

Oakland School
10 Boughton Road
Birmingham
B25 8AJ

The School Day

09.00–09.30	My Self-Regulation
09.30–10.15	Lesson 1
10.15–11.00	Lesson 2
11.00–11.15	Break time
11.15–12.00	Lesson 3
12.00–13.00	Dinner time
13.00–13.45	Lesson 4
13.45-14.30	Lesson 5
14.30-15.00	Lesson 6
15.00-15.20	My Self-Regulation

Foundations for Life Strands

Communication and interaction (Literacy)	Problem-solving and thinking skills (Numeracy)	Emotional Regulation and Relationship
Interaction and relationships Shares attention Joint attention Interacting with others Social Communication Making requests Communicative intentions Requesting using symbols/pictures/signs/words Using AAC system Using sentence communication functions To answer a question To make a comment To answer yes or no Expressive communication in context Listening and understanding Understanding of language Receptive understanding in context Labelling skills Preferences Making choices Naming with symbols/ words/signs	Problem-solving skills Early Functional skills (attention) Early sequencing Rhythmic Movement Sequencing Using and Applying Time skills Using Money Understanding non-standard measures Visual skills Early functional skills (single object) Tracking Understanding money Object Permanence Understanding object function Visual skills (Matching and sorting) Shape Position Direction Modelling skills Early imitation Imitation Number skills Early number skills Understanding Numicon Counting numbers Recognising written numerals Counting visible items Spatial patterns Finger patterns Temporal patterns	Understanding and expressing emotions Showing a range of emotions Naming a range of emotions Identify the range of own emotions Comments on feelings Recognising emotions in others Managing emotions and behaviour Regulation with support Requests regulation Self-regulation Regulates emotion during new and changing situations Recovers from dysregulation on their own Understanding and expressing own sensory needs Sensory preferences Requests for preferences Positive relationships with adults Request a break Respond to wait Request help
Routines and engagement	Healthy Living	Independence and community participation
Learning through play/understanding and following rules and expectations Practical skills Exploratory movement Reaching Balance (gross motor) Actions (gross motor) Manipulation of objects (fine motor) Grasping skills Following instructions Following instructions in a group Motivation and engagement Cooperation Reinforcement Organisation and independent learning Organising self Following Schedule Understanding time sequences Indicating finished Working independently Transitions and change Coping with change Following daily routines Following routines (transition)	Personal Skills Personal care Using toilet Requesting toilet Dressing Keeping clothes safe Identifying clothes Grooming Washing hands Washing face Using toiletries Grooming hair Brushing teeth Keeping healthy Eating Using cutlery Opening food Eating with others Drinking Healthy choices Physical exercise Health needs Personal safety (Relationships and sex education) Personal body awareness Using ICT safely	Independent living Cleaning and tidying Pouring and preparing drinks Prepares breakfast cereal Prepares sandwich Uses Microwave Washes dishes Uses toaster Makes hot drink Order a meal Personal safety Keeping safe around school Keeping safe in a kitchen Keeping self-safe Keeping safe in the community Social awareness Road safety and travel Travelling around school Bus safety Road safety awareness Walking safely Crossing roads safely Using crossings Finding way Identifying people in the community Using public transport Leisure and Community engagement Using task cards to prepare Shopping Uses a shopping list Accessing a café/food Accessing the park Uses public toilet Managing money Preferences for leisure

Communication and interaction (Literacy)

Problem-solving and thinking skills (Numeracy)

Emotional Regulation and Relationship

Interaction and relationships

Shares attention
Joint attention
Interacting with others
Social Communication

Making requests

Communicative intentions
Requesting using symbols/pictures/signs/words
Using AAC system
Using sentence communication functions
To answer a question
To make a comment
To answer yes or no
Expressive communication in context

Listening and understanding

Understanding of language
Receptive understanding in context

Labelling skills

Preferences
Making choices
Naming with symbols/ words/signs

Problem-solving skills

Early Functional skills (attention)
Early sequencing
Rhythmic Movement
Sequencing
Using and Applying
Time skills
Using Money
Understanding non-standard measures

Visual skills

Early functional skills (single object)
Tracking
Understanding money
Object Permanence
Understanding object function
Visual skills (Matching and sorting)
Shape
Position
Direction

Modelling skills

Early imitation
Imitation

Number skills

Early number skills
Understanding Numicon
Counting numbers
Recognising written numerals
Counting visible items
Spatial patterns
Finger patterns
Temporal patterns

Understanding and expressing emotions

Showing a range of emotions
Naming a range of emotions
Identify the range of own emotions
Comments on feelings Recognising emotions in others

Managing emotions and behaviour

Regulation with support
Requests regulation
Self-regulation
Regulates emotion during new and changing situations
Recovers from dysregulation on their own

Understanding and expressing own sensory needs

Sensory preferences
Requests for preferences

Positive relationships with adults

Request a break
Respond to wait
Request help

Routines and engagement

Healthy Living

Independence and community participation

Learning through play/understanding and following rules and expectations

Practical skills
Exploratory movement
Reaching
Balance (gross motor)
Actions (gross motor)
Manipulation of objects (fine motor)
Grasping skills
Following instructions
Following instructions in a group

Motivation and engagement

Cooperation
Reinforcement

Organisation and independent learning

Organising self
Following Schedule
Understanding time sequences
Indicating finished
Working independently

Transitions and change

Coping with change
Following daily routines
Following routines (transition)

Personal Skills

Personal care
Using toilet
Requesting toilet
Dressing
Keeping clothes safe
Identifying clothes
Grooming
Washing hands
Washing face
Using toiletries
Grooming hair
Brushing teeth

Keeping healthy

Eating
Using cutlery
Opening food
Eating with others
Drinking
Healthy choices
Physical exercise
Health needs

Personal safety (Relationships and sex education)

Personal body awareness
Using ICT safely

Independent living

Cleaning and tidying
Pouring and preparing drinks
Prepares breakfast cereal
Prepares sandwich
Uses Microwave
Washes dishes
Uses toaster
Makes hot drink
Order a meal

Personal safety

Keeping safe around school
Keeping safe in a kitchen
Keeping self-safe
Keeping safe in the community
Social awareness

Road safety and travel

Travelling around school
Bus safety
Road safety awareness
Walking safely
Crossing roads safely
Using crossings
Finding way
Identifying people in the community
Using public transport

Leisure and Community engagement

Using task cards to prepare
Shopping
Uses a shopping list
Accessing a café/food
Accessing the park
Uses public toilet
Managing money
Preferences for leisure

Lunch at Oakland School

Week One

MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY
MAIN COURSES
Chicken Mini Fillets	Sausage and Yorkshire Pudding	Lamb Kebabs	Marinated Chicken Breast	Battered Fish
Fish Fingers	Vegetable Samosa	Fish Fingers	Cheese and Onion Pasties	Pizza
Omlette	Fish Cake	Omlette	Omlette	Fish Cake
Baked Potato Bar	Baked Potato Bar	Baked Potato Bar	Baked Potato Bar	Baked Potato Bar
Salad / Packed Bar	Salad / Packed Bar	Salad / Packed Bar	Salad / Packed Bar	Salad / Packed Bar
POTATOES AND VEGETABLES
Beans	Beans	Beans	Beans	Beans
Fresh Vegetables	Fresh Vegetables	Fresh Vegetables	Fresh Vegetables	Fresh Vegetables
Diced Herbed Potatoes	Potato Wedges	Chips (Oven)	Diced Herbed Potatoes	Chips (Oven)
Mashed Potato	Mashed Potato	Mashed Potato	Mashed Potato	Mashed Potato
SWEETS
Fresh Fruit	Fresh Fruit	Fresh Fruit	Fresh Fruit	Fresh Fruit
Yoghurts	Yoghurts	Yoghurts	Yoghurts	Yoghurts
Jelly	Cheese and Biscuits	Chocolate Bars	Cookies - Oreos	Cake and Custard

Week Two

MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY
MAIN COURSES
Lamb Kebabs	Chicken Burger	Fish Fingers	Beef Burger	Battered Fish
Fish Fingers	Cheese and Onion Pasties	Vegetable Samosas	Vegetable Spring Roll	Pizza
Omlette	Fish Cake	Omlette	Fish Cake	Omlette
Baked Potato Bar	Baked Potato Bar	Baked Potato Bar	Baked Potato Bar	Baked Potato Bar
Salad / Packed Bar	Salad / Packed Bar	Salad / Packed Bar	Salad / Packed Bar	Salad / Packed Bar
POTATOES AND VEGETABLES
Beans	Beans	Beans	Beans	Beans
Fresh Vegetables	Fresh Vegetables	Fresh Vegetables	Fresh Vegetables	Fresh Vegetables
Diced Herbed Potatoes	Potato Wedges	Chips (Oven)	Diced Herbed Potatoes	Chips (Oven)
Mashed Potato	Mashed Potato	Mashed Potato	Mashed Potato	Mashed Potato
SWEETS
Fresh Fruit	Fresh Fruit	Fresh Fruit	Fresh Fruit	Fresh Fruit
Yoghurts	Yoghurts	Yoghurts	Yoghurts	Yoghurts
Jelly	Cheese and Biscuits	Chocolate Bars	Cookies - Oreos	Cake and Custard

Week Three

MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY
MAIN COURSES
Jerk Chicken and White Rice	Lamb Kebabs	Sausage and Yorkshire Pudding	Marinated Chicken Breast	Battered Fish
Fish Fingers	Macaroni Cheese	Fish Fingers	Vegetable Samosas	Pizza
Omlette	Fish Cake	Omlette	Fish Cake	Omlette
Baked Potato Bar	Baked Potato Bar	Baked Potato Bar	Baked Potato Bar	Baked Potato Bar
Salad / Packed Bar	Salad / Packed Bar	Salad / Packed Bar	Salad / Packed Bar	Salad / Packed Bar
POTATOES AND VEGETABLES
Beans	Beans	Beans	Beans	Beans
Fresh Vegetables	Fresh Vegetables	Fresh Vegetables	Fresh Vegetables	Fresh Vegetables
Diced Herbed Potatoes	Potato Wedges	Chips (Oven)	Diced Herbed Potatoes	Chips (Oven)
Mashed Potato	Mashed Potato	Mashed Potato	Mashed Potato	Mashed Potato
SWEETS
Fresh Fruit	Fresh Fruit	Fresh Fruit	Fresh Fruit	Fresh Fruit
Yoghurts	Yoghurts	Yoghurts	Yoghurts	Yoghurts
Jelly	Cheese and Biscuits	Chocolate Bars	Cookies - Oreos	Cake and Custard

Menu Rotation

Week Commencing	Menu Week	Week Commencing	Menu Week	Week Commencing	Menu Week
17/02/25	Holiday	24/02/25	Week One	03/03/25	Week Two
10/03/25	Week Three	17/03/25	Week One	24/03/25	Week Two
31/03/25	Week Three	07/04/25	Week One	14/04/25	Holiday
21/04/25	Holiday	28/04/25	Week One	05/05/25	Week Two
12/05/25	Week Three	19/05/25	Week One	26/05/25	Holiday
02/06/25	Week Two	09/06/25	Week Three	16/06/25	Week One
23/06/25	Week Two	30/06/25	Week Three	07/07/25	Week One
14/07/25	Week Two

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05/06/24
Pre Strip out
Photographs of the Oakland site prior to being striped out.
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Oakland School

Welcome to Oakland School, part of Calthorpe Academy

The School Day

Foundations for Life Strands

Lunch at Oakland School

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Menu Rotation

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Pre Strip out

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