Benefits of Fishing with the EP Pupils

 Fishing sessions have been an important part of the Engagement Pathways team’s work, giving pupils the chance to try and build skills in angling. Through regular sessions, pupils are introduced to fishing in a safe and supportive environment, helping them feel comfortable taking part.

As pupils gain experience, many grow from beginners into confident participants who can use equipment, understand techniques, and feel proud of what they achieve. This progress builds confidence and helps keep them engaged.

Fishing also helps pupils develop important skills such as patience, concentration, and resilience. It encourages them to focus and problem-solve, while also supporting teamwork and communication. For pupils who find the classroom challenging, fishing provides a different way to succeed and build self-esteem.

Spending time outdoors also adds to these benefits. The calm, natural environment helps pupils relax, reduce stress, and support their wellbeing.

Offsite Personal Development

 As part of their personalised timetables, pupils on the school’s Engagement Pathways all benefit from the opportunity to engage with some form of Personal Development.

Previously referred to as ‘Engagement’, Personal Development allows pupils to learn new skills individualised to their needs, gain new experiences that will benefit them in their education and future employment and help them to enjoy school in a non-traditional way, which they may have previously struggled with.

Some examples of this include:

 

Pupils going to the shop to buy supplies for future projects, this helps them to learn about budgeting and interacting with others.

Outdoor activities in the New Forest or large wooded areas that helps pupils to learn about and engage with nature in ways they may not have previously had the opportunity to.

Trips to museums and car showrooms which are tremendously beneficial for pupil’s education and building a better relationship with their schooling

MoHo Front Garden Transformation

The front garden at Morris House has had a transformation over the half term break.

   

It is now a clear area with the borders covered with bark chips and various plants. 

Over this term as the weather (hopefully) brightens up, we plan to build a picnic bench to set up on the patio to provide an outdoor area to sit for the pupils. 

Personalised Transitions on the Engagement Pathways

All new pupils who come to the Polygon School are given a transition program. However, some of our new pupils benefit from fully-personalised transition periods before they start with us in September. Staff work closely with these pupils, their families and current schools to develop positive relationships.

Engaging activities and academic sessions are provided to support the pupil's transition to the Polygon.

We want our new pupils to feel confident and supported when they join us in September.

Year 7 trip to Fairthorne Manor

 Fun at Fairthorne Manor!

A group of pupils ventured to Fairthorne Manor for 2 days of activities.  For some this was their first residential.  Pupils took part in an obstacle course, zip wire, knife throwing, paddle boarding and a blind trail!  These activities tested pupils problem solving, resilience and encouraged team spirit.  They had a fantastic time, strengthening friendships and trying things they hadn't done before.  

            

 

Another project with the River trust complete

3LBH and the River project

Alongside Amy from the River Trust, 3LBH have recently completed another successful river project. As with previous groups, the project began with Amy visiting the school to find out what the pupils already knew about rivers. She introduced them to river life, ecosystems, and the different parts of a river, helping to build their understanding and curiosity about the natural environment.

Following group discussions, the pupils decided that they wanted to investigate how a river changes as it moves downstream.

To carry out their project, the group visited four different sites along the Tanners Brook. At each location, they measured the speed of the water flow, assessed water quality, recorded the amount of litter, and identified the plants and animal species living in and around the river. They also observed and compared the surrounding environment at each site.

The first site the group visited was The Close in Maybush. This was a fantastic starting point, as the boys were able to safely catch several fish. They carefully transported them back to school, where they have been keeping them in a tank to monitor, care for, and observe as they grow. This has given the pupils a wonderful opportunity to take responsibility for living creatures and learn more about river habitats firsthand, before releasing the fish back into the river at the end of the project.

The second site was Lordswood. This was a fantastic location because it offered a hidden woodland escape in the middle of a large housing estate. It gave the pupils a valuable opportunity to see how nature can continue to thrive even within highly suburban areas.

The third site was Olive Road, an area the school has visited before when building a woody berm. It was great for the pupils to return a year later and see how it has become part of the landscape and is supporting the river’s ecosystem. The boys especially enjoyed this visit because they found lots of crayfish, which they thought were both exciting and unusual.

The final site was very different — The Climbing Hanger car park, located within a busy industrial estate. Although it contrasted greatly with the other locations, it provided an important opportunity for pupils to observe the river as it approaches Southampton Water.

After visiting all of the sites, the pupils gathered and analysed their data. Working in pairs, they each selected a site and collated their findings into presentations for Miss Kinder.

They all did incredibly well throughout the project, showing enthusiasm, teamwork, and growing confidence. Most importantly, they had a lot of fun and should feel extremely proud of themselves for presenting their work so successfully to the Deputy Head.

 

Recent Dishes at Morris House

 The boys on Engagement Pathways have been cooking some great dishes over the last few terms. 

It is always interesting to see the things they come up with to share with family and friends.

A highlight was a beautiful Kinder Bueno cheesecake! 

   
There have been some good demonstrations of knife skills and other useful utensils in the kitchen.  

We also experimented with cooking mackerel in the tin, which was a fun experiment and a different way to cook something!