Core Skills Analysis
Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE)
Amy observed that Daisy was able to dress herself independently, manage personal hygiene tasks like washing, brushing her teeth, and using the toilet, and carry out basic chores with minimal prompting. She noted Daisy’s growing ability to say “yes” and “no,” to request help when something spills, and to express preferences, which demonstrated increased self‑advocacy and emotional regulation. Amy also recorded that Daisy could describe simple events, use temporal words such as “now” and “before,” and share jokes, showing progress in social communication and confidence. These milestones reflected Daisy’s developing independence and interpersonal skills.
Physical Education
Amy reported that Daisy spent a lot of time being active outdoors, using a trampoline, walking in parks, and feeding ducks and horses during nature outings. She noted Daisy’s enjoyment of movement, her willingness to explore new outdoor spaces, and her ability to engage in physical play despite occasional mood‑related challenges. Through these experiences, Daisy improved her gross‑motor coordination, balance, and stamina while also learning to follow simple safety rules during outdoor activities.
English – Speech and Language
Amy highlighted that Daisy’s speech had expanded from single words to sentences of six to ten words, and she could now use comparative language such as “before,” “now,” and “after.” Daisy was able to initiate short conversations, describe accidents, request items, and even tell simple jokes, indicating growth in vocabulary, syntax, and pragmatic language skills. Amy also mentioned Daisy’s occasional stimming sounds, which are typical sensory behaviours linked to her autism spectrum profile, and noted that Daisy continues to enjoy reading food labels.
Science (Nature & Environment)
Amy described that Daisy participated in regular nature walks, observed animals like ducks and horses, and explored garden spaces, which gave her direct contact with living organisms and seasonal changes. Daisy’s curiosity about food labels showed an emerging interest in the composition of everyday items, linking observation to basic scientific inquiry. These experiences helped Daisy develop foundational concepts of habitats, animal care, and the role of observation in learning about the natural world.
Tips
To deepen Daisy’s independence, create a visual routine chart that outlines each step of dressing, hygiene, and chores, allowing her to check off tasks herself. Incorporate a “movement journal” where she can draw or photograph her outdoor adventures, then discuss what she saw, heard, and felt to strengthen language and scientific observation. Set up a simple “story‑telling circle” at home where Daisy retells a recent walk or a funny incident, encouraging longer sentences and the use of temporal connectors. Finally, introduce a sensory‑friendly calm‑down corner with soft lighting and tactile objects to provide a safe space for her stimming behaviours and reduce frustration.
Book Recommendations
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle: A colourful picture book that introduces basic concepts of growth, change, and nutrition while encouraging sequencing skills.
- The Berenstain Bears Go to School by Stan and Jan Berenstain: A gentle story about school routines, independence, and social interaction that mirrors Daisy’s daily achievements.
- Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty: Celebrates curiosity and scientific inquiry through a young girl’s love of asking questions and exploring the world around her.
Learning Standards
- PSHE – D1: Understanding relationships and personal well‑being (independent dressing, hygiene, expressing needs).
- PE – PE1: Development of movement skills and physical fitness (trampoline use, walking, outdoor play).
- English – EN1, EN2, EN3: Listening, speaking, and language development (sentence length, temporal language, conversational turn‑taking).
- Science – SC1, SC2: Understanding the natural world and basic scientific enquiry (nature walks, animal observation, curiosity about food labels).
Try This Next
- Create a “Dressing Steps” worksheet with picture prompts for each clothing item.
- Design a short quiz: match the sentence starter (e.g., "Before I...", "Now I...") with a picture of an activity.