We plan a curriculum which ensures progression and continuity in learning for both groups and individuals. Children come into Gloucester House with varying levels of knowledge, skills and understanding, are grouped according to their emotional, social, neurodevelopmental and academic needs, and move through the school at varying time scales.
Our curriculum framework reflects this challenge. Modifications to the curriculum are made in order to ensure that the emotional and learning needs of our children are met. The children’s chronological age is between KS1-3. Schemes of work are planned which represent the full range of attainment in the School. In termly planning, learning is identified which best matches the children in their class regardless of their chronological ages which, for example, could include a key stage 2 child learning from a key stage 1 programme of study.
Our curriculum provides bespoke, flexible support and challenge. It is guided by the strengths and needs of each individual and each cohort year on year whilst also maintaining expectations of progress and the capacity to achieve.
The Gloucester House curriculum is implemented through an integrated multi- disciplinary team approach.
Assessment
Children and families have a multi- disciplinary assessment prior to joining Gloucester House and the timetable children come in with is informed by this process.
After the pupil joins there is a 6-12 week assessment period to further understand the pupil’s academic, social, emotional and mental health needs. During this period there are a range of formal and informal assessments to provide us with a baseline.
This period is concluded with a network meeting with the family and the professional network and the programme of multi-disciplinary support and intervention is discussed and agreed.
The pupil then falls into the cycle of academic and mental health assessments and outcome measures that are part of the Gloucester House programme.
(See Assessment, Recording and Reporting Policy)
Following initial assessment period
Children have a combination of 1:1 and group intervention to provide a balance of work across:
- Educational and academic progress
- Behaviour for learning
- Personal development
- Social communication, development and friendships
- Emotional regulation, insight and literacy
- Individual empowerment, choice and responsibility.
All of these strands are of equal importance in order to prepare the pupils for their next step in education and to prepare them with life skills for adulthood.
Sequencing
Curriculum content and children’s individual programmes are developed in response to:
- Assessment (formative and summative)
- Observation (clinical and educational)
- Children’s interests (individual and group)
- Gaps in learning/ knowledge
- Emotional development and attachment needs indicating appropriate levels of dependence and independence
- To ensure breadth over time
- To prepare children for their next steps and towards adulthood
- To develop their behaviour for learning and their concept of themselves as (a) learners and (b) to be able to understand their triggers and how to manage them/self-regulate
- To develop their social skills and ability to work and play alongside others.
Curriculum organisatio:
- Lessons are planned, and Schemes of Work/ Topic Webs used and written, to engage children who have significant barriers to learning due to emotional, social, cognitive, behavioural and mental health needs as well as differentiated for individual needs within that:
- Most lessons are organised on a carousel basis which supports learning for children who need a variety of activities for a variety of learning styles.
- Children have personalised timetables including a range of educational, therapeutic and CAMHS interventions. These are included in carousels and held in mind by the class team.
The carousel
The carousel is an approach specifically designed for complex mixed age range cohorts of pupils with a range of academic and social, emotional and mental health needs.
Rationale
- Does not reflect mainstream teaching where systems and approaches did not ‘fit’ for their needs in their personal experience.
- Develops independence – for example it can provide the opportunity for pupils to start work straight away as they can see what their tasks are for the session.
- Enables teacher to focus teaching in groups with widely varying abilities as groups will start at different points on the carousel.
- Supports children to feel less exposed in their learning abilities and/or struggles.
- Gives opportunities for a range of activities for different learning styles and opportunities for extended activities and learning.
- Provides opportunity for group/paired work but also allows individual work so that the development of social skills can be included in the objectives.
- Offers flexibility for teachers.
- Supports children with neurodevelopmental needs such as ADHD and ASC by segmenting learning into sections allowing for learning breaks if required and offering a clear visual of steps and expectations.
Design
The carousel is a three part structure that pupils follow. Some of the lesson will be independently led and some with support/teaching form a teacher or PSW.
For some pupils they work better when they are allowed to choose the order of the carousel, for others it works better if the order is stipulated.
The order may also be informed by the teacher who will need to decide when s/he needs to see each child/group for the teacher led section.
The carousel is concluded for all with a plenary which can be done as a group, in a pair or an individual basis with adult support.
- Divides a lesson up into 15 minute slots.
- For extended work children can do 2 parts of the carousel on one activity. Children work individually, in groups or in pairs.
- Different groups/pairs individuals start at different points of the carousel.
- The children know where they start and work round. For some children they may be given the option to work through it in any order.
- The teacher keeps to the timings as this applies consistency and structure.
- The children will start at different points on the carousel on different days depending on their needs – e.g. a particular child/group on Monday may need to start with the teacher so the following day they can start independently having had the input the previous day. Other children may be better suited to starting with a reinforcement/revision task independently, with an adult or with a peer. This might be a game, a practical task or a computer based activity
- Children rarely start the lesson in one big group. Children look at where they are starting on the carousel and go there independently.
- The work will either be out or if it is game/computer the child can self-select as appropriate.
- Children come together at the end for the plenary if appropriate. The plenary can also be done individually alongside an adult or with a peer.