Pathways

Children in the designated Early Years classes in Peter Turner Primary School and Margaret Brearley School work within the EYFS framework. Teachers and other practitioners adapt the approach to meet the needs of young children with autism or severe learning difficulties. They experience free flow learning indoors and outdoors alongside activities which are structured by adults.

The curriculum supports them to focus their attention on things they enjoy and take part in a variety of play opportunities that support every area of learning. We aim that children and young people will feel happy, safe and understood. Adults support the children and young people through:

• building good relationships with children and their families
• observing and assessing them and adapting the curriculum accordingly
• tailoring communication to individual needs
• providing stimulating environments
• adapting the environment and approach to meet sensory and physical needs
• giving opportunities to learn off site
• modelling positive behavior and setting clear boundaries to support behaviour for learning

By the time they move to Key Stage 1 we aim that the children and young people will:

• confidently access the curriculum at their own level
• be developing their ability to communicate their needs
• enjoy a range of learning opportunities
• accept and enjoy the company of other people
• feel settled, safe and secure in their surroundings and with familiar adults and peers

The EYFS pathway is structured around the seven areas of learning and development - Communication and language development give children opportunities to experience a rich language environment; to develop their confidence and skills in expressing themselves; and to speak and listen in a range of situations

• Physical development provides opportunities for children to be active and interactive, to develop their coordination, control, and movement, to understand and make healthy choices.
• Personal, social, and emotional development helps children to develop a positive sense of themselves, and others; to form positive relationships and develop respect for others; to develop social skills and learn how to manage their feelings; to understand appropriate behaviour in groups; and to have confidence in their own abilities
• Literacy development encourages children to link sounds and letters and to begin to read and write.
• Mathematics provides children with opportunities to develop and improve their skills in counting, understanding and using numbers, calculating simple addition and subtraction problems; and to describe shapes, spaces, and measure
• Understanding the world guides children to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about people, places, technology and the environment
• Expressive arts and design enable children to explore and play with a wide range of media and materials and provides opportunities and encouragement for sharing their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a variety of activities in art, music, movement, dance, role-play, and design and technology.

Teachers complete the Early Years Foundation Stage assessment and participate in moderation with the local authority for children reaching the end of reception. Our expertise and provision allow us to have play-based learning for all pupils, including those that respond better to structure, need support to explore or learn new play skills or need physical assistance. Play can provide multiple ways for children to learn a variety of different skills and concepts.  These opportunities are designed and contextualised specifically for the development of children in our setting and if appropriate the EYFS approach is extended to support curriculum implementation for pupils in older classes.

A sensory curriculum for life and learning - Children and young people with profound and complex needs learn through consistent routines, sensory experiences and interaction with adults. The curriculum supports pupils to:

• express themselves in individual ways
• develop trusting relationships with adults and work coactively with them
• use and integrate their senses
• explore their immediate environment
• interact with other people
• anticipate and then engage actively with familiar routines
• gain confidence

We aim that children and young people will:

• feel happy, relaxed and safe
• be understood by the adults around them
• find a voice that others will listen to and be challenged at their own level

Adults support the children and young people through:

• planning sessions that are child-centered, using sensory profiles to structure activities
• planning 1:1, paired and small group activities as appropriate
• close observation and assessment which identifies very small steps of progress
• making sessions fun and engaging
• encouraging whatever independence is possible
• providing a safe and nurturing environment
• meeting medical and physical needs within the class team
• helping them to be part of a community, within school and beyond
• responding to their needs and interpreting their requests
• celebrating achievement

By the time they leave school we aim that the children and young people will:

• express their wants, needs, likes and dislikes in a way that others can interpret
• tolerate environments and experiences beyond the most familiar ones
• have worked towards a level of independence
• make choices and exert some control over their lives
• interact confidently with other people
• explore the world around them
• be confident when spending time on their own

The Reaching Out pathway is structured around the following subjects:

Communication and Interaction - supports children and young people to establish behaviours through which they can express their feelings, make choices and communicate with other people

Exploring and Ordering the World - supports children and young people to develop an awareness of the world around them through sensory exploration, responding to ‘real’ and virtual stimuli

Physical Development - supports children and young people to develop the physical skills through which they can control and explore their environment

Social and Emotional Development - supports children and young people to participate in the school community,

responding to other people and sharing activities and celebrations with them and to become more confident in the wider world

Creative Development - supports children and young people to express themselves or respond to others in the context of art and music and to take part in positive and enjoyable activities.

The progress of pupils following the Reaching Out pathway is accredited through appropriate modules within the following courses:

• Key Stage 4 – ASDAN My Independence Supporting Aspirations
• Key Stage 5 – ASDAN My Independence Supporting Aspirations
• All Key Stages as appropriate – Arts Award or OCR units

An exploratory curriculum for life and learning - Children and young people learn through play, exploration, practical activities and community involvement.

The Stepping On curriculum in Key Stages 1 and 2 supports children to learn life skills, interact with others in a positive way (sharing, taking turns and co-operating with others), communicate with a range of listeners including familiar adults in and out of class, be as independent and autonomous as possible and enjoy school and engage with learning.

We aim that children will:

• be happy and curious about their environment
• feel a sense of wellbeing
• build positive relationships with their peers and adults
• be confident in their social interactions
• be willing to participate in new learning experiences
• develop the ability to accept and cope with change

Adults support children through:

• developing positive relationships with them and building rapport
• individualising the curriculum with a variety of activities which match each child’s needs
• providing opportunities to learn and explore
• creating classroom environments that help children feel safe
• using a total communication approach, identifying the right communication method for each child
• developing PCBP’s which support children to self-regulate and reduce behaviours of concern
• planning 1:1, paired and small group activities as appropriate
• using the environment on and off site to provide a range of contexts for learning
• planning effective transition

By the time they move to Key Stage 3 we aim that the children and young people will:

• explore and interact with resources and activities
• express their needs and wants and make meaningful choices using their preferred mode of communication
• engage with teaching and learning
• be independent in self-care activities

The Stepping On curriculum in Key Stages 3 and 4 builds on what young people have learnt in earlier stages and supports them to:

• learn the best ways for them to communicate
• make positive and meaningful choices
• build relationships
• increase independence and develop functional life skills
• cope with different emotions and sensations as they grow older
• learn how to safeguard themselves

We aim that the young people will experience a sense of achievement individually and as a group; feel included, valued and respected within the school community; feel safe in the school environment and become more confident in the local community.

Adults support young people through:

• using a total communication approach and giving all students a voice
• providing motivating opportunities for them to communicate and make real choices
• providing opportunities to experience the community
• providing routines and structure
• tailoring work to their academic and personal targets
• planning 1:1, paired and small group activities as appropriate
• giving students a sense of responsibility through practical tasks
• modelling life skills and appropriate behaviour
• teaching skills to assist with self-regulation and ask for help e.g. asking for a quiet space
• supporting students to be more independent in life skills
• providing broader experiences and choices so that interests can change
• celebrating achievements
• being in constant communication with families
• treating young people with dignity and respect so they know they are accepted and liked
• using assessment to build upon the young person’s previous knowledge and set meaningful and achievable next steps

By the time they move to post 16 we aim that the children and young people will:

• enjoy interacting with others and build positive relationships
• make themselves understood and take part in communication as a two-way process
• take care of their immediate environment
• enjoy a range of sensory and structured activities
• confidently access the local community
• use their independence skills to take some control over their life
• use self-regulation strategies to keep calm and manage challenging situations
• safely make their own choices
• use previous knowledge and experience to support new skills and increase independence

The Stepping On curriculum in Margaret Brearley School supports children and young people in the same way. We recognise that the children and young people in MBS have other complexities that may impact upon their learning. Teachers take into account the individuals need and work creatively to adapt the curriculum in accordance with this.

The Stepping On pathway is structured around the following subjects:

Communication and Language – supports children and young people to communicate with other people using speech, sign, objects or symbols, expressing themselves confidently and understanding what other people are communicating to them

PSHE - supports children and young people to develop positive relationships with other people, to live and work within a community, to become more independent, to be safe and healthy and to care for their environment

Literacy - supports children and young people to enjoy reading books, stories and rhymes, pictures and written

information, to participate in positive experiences sharing all forms of literacy with adults and other children and to learn strategies to take meaning from pictures, print and symbols. This underpins progress in other areas of learning, particularly communication and SED/ PSHE and supports life skills.

Mathematics - supports children and young people to explore, organise and communicate about the physical world, to develop basic concepts in numeracy, shape space and measures and to apply those concepts in meaningful activities

Science - supports children and young people to explore and talk about the natural world, to investigate and observe change and to develop their interest in and knowledge of living things, materials, forces and light and dark

ICT – supports children and young people to use a wide range of technology purposefully and safely as a means of communication, to make practical tasks easier, to share information, to gain information about the wider world and as a leisure skill. Children and young people use basic control technology and some may access coding. ICT is taught as a discrete subject and children and young people use technology across the curriculum.

Humanities - supports children and young people to develop an interest in the world around them and to build a sense of time, a sense of place and a sense of community. Children and young people learn about and celebrate their own faith, language and culture and the faith, language and cultures represented in our rich community.

Physical Development - supports children and young people developing physical control, take part individually or as a group in play, leisure and fitness activities and to develop a healthy lifestyle

Creative Development (Art, D&T, Music) – supports children and young people to explore colour, texture, shape, pattern, form and space in 2 and 3 dimensions, to listen to and participate actively in a range of musical experiences, to develop their imagination and to plan and generate designs

Children and young people following the Stepping On pathway do not routinely study a modern foreign language. For the children and young people on this pathway the idea of another language is a very complex concept. Children and young people are supported to develop the understanding that other people use different languages through being part of a multicultural community, through the school’s international work and within Humanities.

The progress of pupils following the Stepping On pathway is accredited through appropriate modules within the following courses:

• Some pupils in KS3 will towards accredited awards from ASDAN
• Key Stage 4 – ASDAN My Independence Transforming Aspirations (check booklet)
• Key Stage 5 – ASDAN My Independence Realising Aspirations
• All Key Stages as appropriate – Arts Award, OCR units

The Stepping on Sensory pathway is structured around the following subjects:

• Communication and Language – With a focus on developing expressive and receptive skills, children and young people are supported to communicate with other people using speech, sign, objects or symbols. The curriculum is stretched fully to incorporate the use of communication APPS’ which are tailored expressively to support our learners who can use and benefit from the communication APP.
• PSHE - supports children and young people to develop positive relationships with other people, to live and work within a community, to become more independent, to be safe and healthy and to care for their environment. The children and young people take part in a programme designed to obtain an external accreditation (ASDAN). ASDAN offers a wide range of opportunities of real-life experiences like recycling, gardening, RSE, work experience and creativity
• Literacy - supports children and young people to enjoy reading sessions, stories and rhymes, pictures and written information. The in-depth aspect of literacy is embedded in all aspects of teaching where the use of photos, symbols, print and engaging sensory resources are incorporated in lessons to offer a rich experience that is engaging and draws our students to have the capacity to communicate more expressively and meaningfully
• Mathematics - supports children and young people to explore, organise and communicate about the physical world, to develop basic concepts in numeracy, shape space and measures and to apply those concepts in activities designed to promote a healthy development of life skills which is essential to develop self-confidence and independence with reference to everyday living
• Science - supports children and young people to explore, investigate and observe change and to develop their interest in the knowledge of living things, materials, forces and light and dark. Our science topics incorporate an enjoyable sensory experience which gives our children the opportunity to understand the real world of everyday use of items, materials and ingredients in a direction that develops self-confidence and independence
• ICT – supports children and young people to use a wide range of technology purposefully and safely as a means of communication, to make practical tasks easier, to share information, to gain information about the wider world and as a leisure skill. Children and young people use basic control technology which includes digitized gadgets like CTOUCH screens, desktops, IPADS, microwaves and ovens which is essential as a life skill for everyday living. ICT is taught as a discrete subject and children and young people use technology across the curriculum.
• Knowledge and understanding of the world - supports children and young people to develop an interest in the world around them and to build a sense of time, a sense of place and a sense of community. Children and young people learn about and celebrate their own faith, language and culture and the faith, language and cultures represented in our rich community.
• Physical Development - supports children and young people developing physical control, take part individually or as a group in play, leisure and fitness activities and to develop a healthy lifestyle. The curriculum uses specialist equipment designed to be more engaging to meet the needs of our children and young people and getting the best out of them.
• Creative Development – supports children and young people to explore colour, texture, shape, pattern, form and space in 2 and 3 dimensions, to listen to and participate actively in a range of musical experiences, to develop their imagination and to plan and generate designs

Children and young people following the Stepping On pathway do not routinely study a modern foreign language. For the children and young people on this pathway the idea of another language is a very complex concept. Children and young people are supported to develop the understanding that other people use different languages through being part of a multicultural community, through the school’s international work and within Knowledge and Understanding of the World. The progress of pupils following the Stepping on Sensory pathway is expressed with the use of assessment tools that recognise completed and achieved modules designed to reflect their abilities and level of competence.

The progress of pupils following the Stepping On Sensory pathway is accredited through appropriate modules within the following courses:

• Some pupils in KS3 will towards accredited awards from ASDAN
• Key Stage 4 – ASDAN My Independence Transforming Aspirations (check booklet)
• Key Stage 5 – ASDAN My Independence Realising Aspirations
• All Key Stages as appropriate – Arts Award, OCR units

An academic curriculum for life and learning with provision for pupils’ specialist needs - The ‘Climbing Up’ curriculum focuses on developing both academic and life skills. Learning draws on the National Curriculum Programmes of Study and/or the syllabi for examinations, adapted and augmented in the light of individual needs. Young people also access other areas of learning which are intended to prepare them for future settings whether that is our own Post 16 provision, Project Search, colleges or school sixth forms.

We aim that the children and young people will develop academic knowledge based around their strengths and interests; remain a part of the Whitefield community, building friendship groups and supporting other young people and reflect on what adult life will involve and develop their own dreams and aspirations. Adults support children and young people through providing a flexible curriculum with individualized timetables to support and build on the young people’s own strengths and interests and supporting them to access options off site. By the time they move to post 16 we aim that the young people will be able to achieve their potential in their future settings and have the skills, knowledge and understanding which they can build on at post 16 to be ready for independent adult lives

The Climbing Up pathway is structured around the following subject areas:

Core subjects – English, Maths, Science and ICT – provide access to key academic learning which underpins other curriculum areas and will equip young people for future college courses and employment

Well-being, Spirituality and Creativity – PE, PSHE, art and DT – support young people to develop holistically, to make informed choices about their lifestyles, to understand their community and to access positive leisure activities through creating and/or appreciating art. As in other pathways, PSHE includes Relationship and Sex Education.

Everyday living – focuses on the necessary skills for leading as independent a life as possible and keeping themselves safe.

The World of Work – supports young people to occupy themselves purposefully, to take their place in the community and to be ready for paid employment.

A curriculum for post 16 pupils equipping them for future choices in work, college and independent or supported living - Young people following the Taking Off pathway will have previously followed one or more of the other pathways and teachers’ planning will take account of the skills and knowledge gained by the end of Key Stage 4.

The curriculum aims to help young people at Whitefield acquire skills that will be of benefit to them at the next stage of their lives, whether in employment, a further education setting or a day centre, so they will be able to access the same rights as all young people with opportunities as appropriate to their needs and interests.

The Taking Off Curriculum supports young people to:

• enhance their communication and interaction skills through real-life and age-appropriate experiences.
• be involved in decision making regarding themselves, their school, education and plans for the future.
• form relationships with other young people and adults from a range of environments
• enjoy their experience of post-16 education

Adults support them by:

• communicating in a range of ways and responding to the ways the young people choose to communicate
• showing respect and treating them as young adults
• treating them as individuals
• providing a variety of opportunities for community involvement, including work experience
• planning a range of group activities to promote friendships and relationships
• celebrating achievement
• facilitating appropriate, meaningful and functional activities
• working in partnership with parents

Adults support the transition to adult lives by:

• arranging visits to adult provision for themselves and their family to support informed choices
• supporting families to work with the local authority and possible post school settings to achieve the most appropriate placement and curriculum post school
• providing opportunities to meet socially outside the school environment.
• supporting visits to future placements
• developing communication passports to take to the next setting

Young people based at college or on the Whitefield site continue to develop their skills within five key areas of learning:

Communication, language and literacy – young people continue to follow the Programme of Study for the relevant pathway, with an emphasis on broadening the group of people with whom they can communicate

The World of Work – supports young people to gain the skills for paid employment or to work alongside others within their home and community

Well-being - supports young people to keep as well physically, emotionally and mentally as is possible for them

Everyday living – supports young people to lead as independent a life as is possible for them and to take responsibility for their everyday lives

Creativity and spirituality - supports young people to express themselves and develop a sense of identity

Examinations and accredited courses

The progress of young people within the Taking Off Pathway is accredited through the following courses as appropriate:

• GCSE
• BTEC
• ASDAN My Independence Realising Aspirations
• ASDAN Employability Scheme

Phonics and Reading

At Whitefield School we are committed to ensuring our pupils develop their phonic skills to enable them the best possible chance in becoming lifelong readers. We use the Read Write Inc (RWI) programme which follows a method of teaching reading and writing, centred on learning the sounds of the letters and then blending them together to read words. The children will also learn to break down words into individual sounds in order to support them along their journey of developing their writing skills.

Teaching of phonics and the development of reading for each pupil is personalised according to each pupil’s individual needs. This may involve communication development, sound awareness, playing with sounds, reading their name, functional reading skills that will impact upon a student’s independence skills, or reading to access the curriculum which could then lead to a love of reading for pleasure throughout their lives. We lay firm foundations from the earliest stages of learning phonics and have established a consistent whole school approach to the teaching of phonics using Read, Write Inc.  However, we recognise that some pupils may use sight vocabulary more than a phonetic approach when learning to read.

A range of approaches for teaching phonics will be used alongside the prescribed approach when working with pupils with diagnosis of ASC because each child learns in a unique way. This may involve the use of visual resources, use of simple, concise language and minimal instructions. Depending on the need of the individual pupil they may use phonics using the Read Write Inc. approach or the whole word approach which combines concrete objects, photographs and picture symbols where appropriate and whole words in print.