Each student has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which sets out long term outcomes within five areas: Communication and Interaction, Cognition and Learning, Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Sensory and Physical, and Independence. These outcomes form the golden thread of each student’s individual provision.
The curriculum at each key stage supports the development of communication, functional literacy and numeracy, problem-solving, awareness of the community and world around them as well as social skills and citizenship. Each student’s personalised planning places an emphasis on addressing the core characteristics and challenges associated with autism by offering a comprehensive educational programme via their personalised timetable designed to promote social communication, language, literacy, problem-solving and self-management of behaviour and emotions. Ensuring our students make progress holistically is at the heart of our curriculum to ensure they achieve their potential. Formal recognition and celebration of that achievement is via ASDAN accreditation, Entry level foundation Maths and English and AQA unit awards at KS4 and KS5 .
The curriculum is broken down into key, meaningful areas including social, emotional and mental wellbeing, communication and interaction, creativity, thinking skills, sensory and physical, literacy, STEM, outdoor learning, understanding the world, community inclusion and learning for life (incorporating PSHE, SRE, careers and independence).
Relationships, connection and belonging are central to our ethos and empathic approach to curriculum delivery, which is based upon respect for each child’s personal experience to inform what motivates or what may frighten, preoccupy or distress them. We use sensitive but persistent intervention, including Intensive Interaction and play based approaches, supporting students to develop the capacity for self-regulation. We have a low arousal approach based upon individual sensory profiles and positive behaviour support, creating an environment of physical and psychological safety. We use structure to create predictability and create links through a thematic approach and multi-disciplinary team-work with the student, their family and significant others.