Croft Community School is a generic special school that caters for pupils with a range of special educational needs.  We believe each pupil is entitled to a curriculum that is personalised and appropriate for them. All of our children and young people have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and require modified approaches to achieve their aspirations and goals. Our curriculum reflects the National Curriculum with adaptations and main EHCP areas; and addresses pupils’ individual needs and barriers to learning so that each pupil can develop to reach their true potential.

Curriculum Pathways

Across the school, there are four curriculum pathways: pre-formal, static-formal, formal and a needs-based curriculum. The pathways offer four different progression routes for pupils and ensure they access teaching and learning at the most appropriate level.

The pre-formal curriculum pathway is for pupils who have profound and multiple learning difficulties and disabilities. They require a very special approach to learning and high levels of adult support for their physical needs, personal care, speech and communication. The curriculum focuses on developing early skills in:

• enabling children to better communicate their likes, dislikes, wants and needs.
• enabling children to recognise their emotions and regulate these effectively.
• supporting children in becoming more independent.
• creating a personalised learning pathway supporting the individual needs of each child.

This approach is reflected in the SCERTS approach. A more detailed description can be found in the pre-formal document.

The formal pathway is for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities who are working at the level of National Curriculum attainment targets. Pupils receive an adaptation of the National Curriculum focused on developing knowledge, understanding and skills that are relevant and meaningful. Pupils will progress to external qualifications ranging from Entry Level to GCSE.

Students in the KS3 static formal class will continue to follow the National Curriculum at a level that is appropriate to their needs. This class has a static base to reduce movement around the school as much as possible this supports students with the transitions that they find challenging. Alongside their formal curriculum the students in this class will follow an adapted pastoral curriculum targeted at their specific needs. At KS4 the class with follow a range of qualifications at Entry Level with a focus on Life Skills

Pupils may move from one pathway to another according to their needs. In addition, pupils may straddle two pathways for some or all of their time at school, particularly if they have an uneven learning profile. Teachers in each pathway recognise the importance of repetition and over-learning to allow pupils to embed and generalise what they learn.

Lesson Structure

Monitoring

Overall responsibility for the co-ordination and quality of the school curriculum lies with the senior leadership team. The three assistant headteachers work closely with the subject lead practitioners, the responsibilities are as follows:

Assistant Headteacher primary Mrs Ridley has responsibility and oversight of English, Maths and Science as part of the primary Curriculum.

Assistant Headteacher Mrs Beckham has responsibility and oversight of Maths and Science as part of the Secondary Curriculum.

Assistant Headteacher Mrs McGladdery has oversight of secondary English and other secondary subjects.

Deputy Headteacher has oversight and responsibility of subjects delivered in the pre-formal and static-formal curriculum.

Lead practitioners also have a responsibility for overseeing curriculum planning and delivery within their departments. Curriculum leads are responsible for advising and leading the school in relation to their curriculum area. They monitor the delivery of the curriculum and support staff across the school to understand and utilise the best approaches to teaching and learning for pre formal, semi-formal and formal learners. In order to ensure the quality of teaching and learning and develop consistency across the school, curriculum leaders monitor classroom practice using a range of approaches.

Curriculum monitoring may include:

• Work scrutiny and inspection of assessments
• Classroom observations and learning walks
• Pupil voice
• Questionnaires or surveys to staff and to parents and carers

Curriculum development is one of the key areas in the School Improvement Plan (SIP). Our aim is that the curriculum at Croft Community School continues to develop and improve, ensuring that it effectively maximises the achievements of our pupils, and responds to and addresses the needs of all our children and young people. Ongoing curriculum monitoring and development ensures that we deliver a curriculum that is broad, balanced and well planned, so that individuals cumulate relevant knowledge, understanding and skills for their next stage in education, training or employment.

Our curriculum:

• Creates a learning environment in which pupils are happy, confident and secure
• Provides a personalised approach linked to each pupil’s individual needs and learning intentions
• Provides opportunities for all pupils to develop key skills for life, including the ability to communicate, socialise and be as independent as possible
• Promotes high expectations and challenges pupils to achieve their very best
• Promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and prepares all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life
• Enables pupils to become active, lead healthy lifestyles and enjoy physical activity
• Enriches pupils’ lives with a wide range of on and off-site learning experiences, which promote participation in community life
• Recognises achievement, through school systems and external accreditation

School Curriculum Policy