The pre-formal curriculum

The pre-formal curriculum recognises the importance of play and the need for multi-sensory experiences, enabling pupils to explore and make sense of the world around them. It is designed to meet the needs of pupils by focusing on early communication, physical, and personal, social and emotional skills that are the foundations of learning –. These areas correlate to the main EHCP sections and ensure that each pupil’s learning is directly linked to the outcomes in their EHCP and their SCERTS individual outcomes. In the pre-formal curriculum, there is a significant focus on specialist provision such as Rebound therapy, physiotherapy, Intensive Interaction and physical movement programmes.

Social Communication Emotional Regulation and Transactional Supports.

At Croft Community school we employ a range of approaches and interventions to ensure that the curriculum we offer meets the needs of individual children.  We recognize that pupils in our autism-specific classes need a wider reaching curriculum that enables them to work on the skills connected to a clearer understanding of non-verbal and verbal communication, social understanding and social behaviour, understanding and controlling their own emotions and thinking and behaving flexibly.  We therefore use  the SCERTS approach, when appropriate within these classes.  Our aim is to use SCERTS to help provide the best possible provision for pupils who are taught in the autism-specific classrooms.  SCERTS is to be used as a framework which enables a range of interventions to be used in a holistic approach to autism (e.g. TEACCH, PECS, Intensive Interaction, Sensory Diets etc).  SCERTS will be taught within aspects of the National Curriculum as identified by subject leaders.  As children begin to move successfully through the SCERTS programme, they will be able to more fully access other curriculum areas. The SCERTS programme will be used in cooperation with Parents, S.A.L.T, Occupational Therapist and outside agencies when required.

 

We look at each child’s personal motivators and use these to plan activities which will support their development and work towards their personal learning goals. Not all of these are academically based. Each half term activities are geared around different topics which support the acquisition of new knowledge, experiences and skills.

The aim of this to:

~ enable children to better communicate their likes, dislikes, wants and needs.

~ enable them to recognise their emotions and regulate these effectively.

~ support them in becoming more independent.

~ create a personalised learning pathway which is geared to individual needs of each child.

A typical day within the classroom setting would consist of:-

Session 1 – TACPAC. TACPAC draws together touch and music to create a structured half hour of sensory communication between two people. TACPAC creates sensory alignment and helps people of any age who have sensory impairment, for example, visual impairment, developmental delay, complex learning difficulties, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) or limited or pre-verbal levels of communication.

Session 2 –Activities and Read Write Inc. Rea d Write Inc is delivered 1:1 with each child whilst the other children access activities in our different areas. Read Write Inc is a synthetic phonics scheme that teaches children to read and blend using a range of accessible materials and resources.  Practise and repetition is used to embed recognition of letter sounds and the use of practical methods to develop blending of phonic sounds.  Books are sent home regularly once a pupil is able to confidently blend phonic sounds.

Session 3 – Activities are either based around our PSHE, Communication Language and Literacy, Physical well-being or Outdoor Learning.

Session 4- Sensory story. Sensory stories convey simple narratives using a mixture of text and complimentary sensory experiences. Each section of the story (normally just a short sentence or two in length) is accompanied by a sensory experience to help bring the story to life. These are stories chosen to support our main World Around Us theme. Each story is repeated daily for 2 weeks to encourage anticipation.

Session 5 – Activities are based around our World Around Us theme. We still maintain the different areas within the classroom which we set up to support the development of pupil individual learning plans; gaining knowledge, skills and experiences through play. This is free flow, both outside in inside, but facilitate by adults to ensure pupils are working towards their outcomes. In addition, children receive sessions in SSE (Sign Supported English), Music, Independence and Art as well as 1:1 or small group teaching for our World Around Us Theme.

Throughout the day pupils are encouraged to communicate their feelings, likes, dislikes, wants and needs. Pupils have constant access to an OT area where they can get the regulatory input they need throughout the day. Initially this may be prompted by an adult but eventually children know what works for them and will access it independently. We also work on our problem solving, play skills and interactions with others (sharing, turn taking, waiting etc).

Please find below a description of each area of the SCERTS approach.

 

Social Communication

The aspirational goal for all pupils is to become confident and competent communicators so that they are able to actively participate in social activities. Pupils who are able to communicate effectively are have access to increased opportunities for play and learning and are able to participate more fully in enjoyable social relationships.

 

 

 

Social Communication skills are needed to participate and learn:

• Understanding intentions
• Expressing preferences, needs and emotions
• Sharing ideas and playing with others
• Communicating for a variety of purposes
• Initiating interactions
• Imaginative play
• Relating to peers
• Understanding routines and expectations

 

Children following the SCERTS programmer are all set a goal linked to the development of their Social Communication skills.

 

Emotional Regulation

This is another aspect of the SCERTS curriculum.

This is the ability to be actively engaged and be able to adapt to different situations. The child’s ability to regulate emotional arousal so they are more able to attend to, process and filter environmental and sensory information is the focus of this section. When our children are emotionally and sensory regulated they are more likely to be ready for learning.

 

At Croft we recognise that in order to be ready to engage and learn a child needs to be able to:

• Attend to the most relevant information in an activity or setting

 

• Remain socially engaged with others

 

• Process verbal and non-verbal information

 

• Initiate interactions using appropriate communication strategies

 

• Respond to others in reciprocal interaction

 

• Actively participate in everyday activities

 

• Understand Levels of emotional regulation strategies

 

Within SCERTS we look at children’s ability to deal with their emotions, feelings and sensory needs within three levels, which are:

Behavioural Level:

Child uses simple motor actions or sensory-motor strategies the child to regulate their arousal level, remain alert, and/or self-soothe these can include behaviours such as rocking or spinning an object and   having a hand massage.

Language Level:

Children use words or symbols the child uses to regulate their arousal level, such as using an individual timetable or saying “It’s ok”. At this stage children are learning about a wide range of emotions and how to deal with emotions appropriately.

Metacognitive Level (Knowing about knowing):

Child is able to think about, plan  and talk about ways of helping themselves regulate

Within the Social, Language and Conversational Partner Stages there are targets related to developing children’s ability to self-regulate their emotions and sensory needs and well a respond to mutual regulation strategies from others.

 

 

Transactional Support

Transactional Support is the planned supports and strategies that adults use to help the child participate in social interactions and everyday activities.

The SCERTS programme focused on ensuring that the adults within school provide the correct supports for children at all times in order for children to achieve set objectives. These supports take the form of:

Interpersonal support: 

This refers to the way that communication partners (adults or peers); adjust their language, interaction styles and how they provide models of play and behaviour for individuals.

 

 

Learning support:

Ensuring that the environment and activities are structured in a way that ensures social communication and emotional regulation are encouraged.