Curriculum

Curriculum Intent

Our curriculum is personalised to meet the needs of each learner and to provide them with high quality, engaging learning opportunities and experiences through which they can become:

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  • Successful learners who enjoy learning and make outstanding progress.

  • Effective communicators who can express themselves, make choices and build positive relationships with other people.

  • Confident individuals who take a full part in activities within school and the community.

  • Responsible citizens who behave well and make a positive contribution to the school and the wider world.

  • Lifelong learners who leave school equipped for the adult world whether in paid employment, education or supported living.

At the centre of our curriculum are each pupil’s strengths and needs as identified within their Education, Health and Care Plan as well as fulfilling the aims of the National Curriculum where appropriate. Pupil and family aspirations are key in shaping our personalised provision and we endeavour to plan with ‘the end goal in mind’. For younger children following our Stepping Stones / Key Stage One pathway the end goal is transitioning into the right pathway that allows for progression. For learners in our secondary phase and in particular for those in Year Nine and above there is a clear focus on preparing for appropriate destinations and adulthood. Our curriculum is designed to prepare children to move on to the next stage whilst always recognising the importance of the current stage in the child’s development.

We aim to ensure that our curriculum

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  • keeps the strengths, knowledge, skills, needs and aspirations of each child and young person at its centre.​
  • is broad, balanced, relevant, engaging and ambitious.​
  • presents knowledge and skills in a well-structured way which makes links and builds on what has already been learned.​
  • teaches a breadth of real life skills and provides opportunities to apply these to real world contexts through community based activities and experiences.
  • fosters a lifelong love of learning and develop interests which will continue beyond school​.
  • promotes independence, resilience and ​healthy lifestyles.
  • ensures each child and young person has a voice.
  • always prepares each child and young person for; beyond 3 o’clock, Friday, 19 and beyond!

Curriculum Implementation

“If a child can’t learn the way we teach, we have to teach the way they learn

​We recognise that in order to meet the diverse needs of the children and young people at Penn Hall School, we need to provide our different groups of learners with a different curriculum offer. Our curriculum consists of four broad pathways, each tailored to the distinct learning needs of specific phases or groups of learners within our school. Within each pathway, skills, knowledge and understanding along with the most appropriate pedagogies to teach these are presented in a well-structured way, making links and building on what has already been learned.

Learning is delivered in different styles depending on the pathways. This is a mix of:

  • Immersive

  • Thematic

  • Subject specific

 Each pathway has curriculum documents that ensure that concepts, knowledge and skills are taught in an appropriately sequenced manner. Retrieval and opportunities to consolidate learning are golden threads through our delivery.

Our pupils are based in class groups according to the curriculum pathway which is most appropriate to their learning and developmental needs. Wherever possible children and young people will be placed in class groups with peers from the same key stage. Our primary concern however is ensuring that each pupil receives the most appropriate curriculum offer so our first consideration when grouping children and young people will always be their stage of development rather than their age. Our pupil’s progress is carefully monitored to ensure that they are always following the most appropriate pathway with changes made as the need arises.

Each class group is the responsibility of a teacher, supported by at least two teaching assistants. Different phases of the school are encouraged to work collaboratively, resulting in a positive life-long approach to learning, which prepares our pupils for the transition through school and towards adulthood from their earliest years.