Curriculum
Informal (Nurture) Curriculum
Our Nurture Curriculum is a process based, sensory and developmental curriculum designed for learners who have complex learning difficulties. Many also have physical disabilities alongside other difficulties such as cognitive processing, sensory and/or complex health needs. These learners require experiences and opportunities which promote the development of functional skills, communication, emotional wellbeing, confidence and independence. It is important for them that achievable aspirations for transitioning to their adult lives remain at the heart of our curriculum and time is dedicated to ensuring a progression of skills throughout school.
The intention of the curriculum is for students to become confident communicators who effectively self-advocate to shape their own lives by being able to think and problem solve as independently as they possibly can. As young people, our students will gain group or individual voluntary sector work within their local communities. These young people will be able to make choices about their day-to-day lives and work towards supported living in the long term.
The Nurture Pathway delivers steps of progression guided by both child development and personal aspirations. Our pupils learn differently and therefore our approach starts with each student’s specific needs, highlighting strengths, and identifying areas to develop. Teaching is adapted and play-based, and significant milestones are celebrated such as the progression through the key stages. Classrooms are set up to provide continuous provision and sensory exploration activities throughout the day with therapies integrated as part of the curriculum and not seen as an addition.
The curriculum focuses on four broad learning areas which are Communication (Physical Well-being &Outdoor School) Independence (Art & Drama), Thinking & Problem Solving (Relationship and Sex Education & The World About Me) Play & Leisure (Music & Dance). However, within the curriculum we are further able to take a personalised approach for each student focusing on developing each individual students’ specific needs.
Semi Formal Curriculum
The Semi Formal Curriculum is designed for learners with a range of moderate to severe learning difficulties. These learners can sometimes access subject specific learning but are consistently and over time working at levels below age related expectations. The curriculum is therefore developmental in nature, and open to personalisation. It is a blended offer for pupils that we feel should not be limited to a nurture offer, yet realistic to the fact that a formal curriculum can be too challenging all the time across the week. It is individualised so that learners work according to their own abilities. Our aim is always to transition pupils from Nurture to Semi formal or even Formal as they progress through the school, depending on their individual progress.
Our curriculum intention for learners who follow this pathway is that they develop as confident independent individuals, who can access, work and thrive within their local communities. We support these young people to develop a core foundation of skills and knowledge that will prepare them for further study, training and employment and aim for them to attain the highest level of recognized qualifications appropriate to them. Our Semi Formal pathway is absolutely driven by a commitment to develop an outstanding provision with a focus on high expectations, supporting pupils to achieve and aspire to succeed.
The curriculum is designed thematically to focus on the following areas: English, Mathematics, Science, Religious Education, DT, PE, Play and Leisure, Sex and Relationship Education, Independence, Outdoor schooling, Physical wellbeing and The World Around Us. This is achieved alongside the development of early literacy and numeracy skills using Accelerated Reader and STAR Maths Program.
The Primary phase consists of KS2 AND KS3 pupils who may be working at a lower-than-expected National Curriculum age level or whose anxiety or other needs mean that they are unable to cope with the demands of secondary school transition. The learning for each child is personalised with built in therapy support to ensure that they are able to achieve their maximum potential. Literacy and Numeracy remain a key focus throughout their time with us with bespoke interventions in place for each child. There is an abundance of opportunities to experience a broad and balanced curriculum which incorporates rich academic, therapeutic and outdoor leaning such as Forest School. The curriculum also includes opportunities to build Cultural Capital with all children experiencing different sports such as Kayaking, swimming etc. as well as various valuable educational visits.
The key stages 3 pupils where appropriate, will be able to complete ASDAN qualification and take entry level qualifications in a range of subjects depending on their ability and interests, and by the end of Key Stage 4, we expect them to achieve ASDAN qualifications, Entry Level 3 and/or Level 1 qualifications in at least five subjects including English and Maths. By the time students leave us at the end of Post 16, we expect them to have achieved a range of ASDAN, Entry Levels 3, Level 1 and/or Level 2 qualifications including English and Maths.
Formal Curriculum
Our Formal Curriculum is designed for learners who are able to access the National Curriculum in a broadly age-appropriate way but adapted to meet their individual. The curriculum is designed organically to develop each pupil at an individual level to provide an offer that is bespoke to them and challenges them from their own individual starting point. In doing so, pupils have every opportunity to make progress at Bronze, Silver, or Gold Standards in their overall Key Stage Curriculum towards our Socio-Education Model.
The school curriculum comprises all learning and other experiences that the school plans for the pupils. The national curriculum forms one part of the school curriculum however we do this in a local way that recognises the required personalization to ensure SEND pupils excel at our school. Each pupil in this pathway as with all other pathways receive a bespoke therapy, literacy and numeracy intervention to ensure that they are able to achieve to their maximum potential.
Like all schools we make provision for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), drawing on good practice. This curriculum is also embedded across all subject SOL to reinforce SMSC and British Values.
The National Curriculum provides pupils with an introduction to the essential knowledge they need to be educated citizens. It introduces pupils to the best that has been thought and said, and helps engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement.
The National Curriculum is just one element in the education of every child. There is time and space in the school day and in each week, term and year to range beyond the national curriculum specifications. The National Curriculum provides an outline of core knowledge around which teachers can develop exciting and stimulating lessons to promote the development of pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills as part of the wider school curriculum.
The curriculum at Serenity School is designed to ensure it meets the needs of the individual child first and foremost and therefore students’ timetable and curriculum offer will be be-spoke and differentiated across the school community.
Curriculum
Curriculum – Statutory Requirements from September 2014:
As an independent special school, we work towards the principles of the National Curriculum and commit fully to offering a curriculum which is balanced and broadly based and which:
- Promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society.
- Prepares pupils at the school for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
The school curriculum comprises all learning and other experiences that each school plans for its pupils. The national curriculum forms one part of the school curriculum however we do this in a local way that recognises the required personalization to ensure SEND pupils excel at our school.
We aim to publish information in relation to each academic year, relating to the content of the school’s curriculum for each subject and details about how additional information relating to the curriculum may be obtained and how we meet the Independent Schools Commission Education Standards.
Like all schools we make provision for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), drawing on good practice. This curriculum is also embedded across all subject SOL to reinforce SMSC and British Values.
The National Curriculum provides pupils with an introduction to the essential knowledge they need to be educated citizens. It introduces pupils to the best that has been thought and said, and helps engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement.
The National Curriculum is just one element in the education of every child. There is time and space in the school day and in each week, term and year to range beyond the national curriculum specifications. The National Curriculum provides an outline of core knowledge around which teachers can develop exciting and stimulating lessons to promote the development of pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills as part of the wider school curriculum.
The curriculum at Serenity School is designed to ensure it meets the needs of the individual child first and foremost and therefore students’ timetable and curriculum offer will be be-spoke and differentiated across the school community.
Adapted & Differentiated:
Meeting the needs of pupils within a richly imaginative, creative, exciting, inspiring, challenging, fun & dynamic curriculum
The curriculum at our school is complex, however despite its complex structure; our curriculum ensures that all our pupils have the very best opportunities, as is appropriate to their age, ability and entitlement. We have high expectations – we believe that all pupils can achieve, and through our creative curriculum we ensure they have opportunities to achieve by promoting our core values of positive attitudes, supportive relationships and respect for everyone. Our curriculum is carefully planned and structured to enable all pupils to develop their personal characteristics, attitudes and values, to their fullest potential.
Our curriculum is based on:
- Early Years & Foundation Curriculum
- The National Curriculum
- A Creative Curriculum
We are totally committed to the development of our pupils, to offer them the best start to their formal education – an education that is rich in opportunities & experiences; one that positively influences & ensures lifelong learning, broadening the aspirations, values & opportunities for every child as they grow & develop with us through key stages of learning into adulthood and a chosen career pathway after their post 16 education.
The curriculum forms the basis for the learning & experiences our pupils enjoy during their time at school. To us, our school curriculum goes far beyond the required elements of the National Curriculum, its strategies & frameworks, & involves richly imaginative, creative, exciting, inspiring, challenging, fun & dynamic opportunities, with the development of communication skills at the core. As a specialist school for SEND this enables teachers and therapists to work collaboratively – bringing the two disciplines together in new and innovative ways. This significantly impacts on their communication skills, pupil voice, and the development of personal autonomy promoting improved self-worth and stronger relationships built on mutual respect.
Our curriculum uses the national frameworks to ensure that every child has opportunities to develop the key learning steps defined within that documentation, but our curriculum provides a much more expansive approach to its delivery that ensures pupils receive experiences & opportunities to develop their knowledge, acquire new skills & attributes in ways that will guarantee that learning is relevant with respect to SEND needs. Our curriculum effectively promotes pupils’ holistic development, enhances their self-esteem, & enables them to celebrate & feel pride in achievement gained from the acquisition of new skills, & a desire to succeed.
At Serenity School, we recognise that there are pupils of widely different abilities in all classes and we provide suitable learning opportunities for all pupils by matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the pupil. We achieve this by:
- Setting common tasks which are open-ended and can have a variety of responses
- Setting tasks with a varying degree of challenge, some children not completing all tasks
- Grouping children by ability and setting different tasks to each ability group
- Providing resources of different complexity
- Using Progress Partners to support the work of individual pupils or small
Pupils of all abilities have the opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding, through planned progression throughout their school career, and by offering them an increasing challenge as they move up through each key stage.
- first-hand experiences
- practical activities
- creative opportunities
- pupil independence and choice
- opportunities to work in depth
- visits and visitors
- fun and enjoyment
