CURRICULUM POLICY
The Chiltern School
Status
Statutory
Main ECM outcomes: all
Purpose
We believe that learning is a lifelong process through which everyone can achieve their potential and exceed their expectations. We will challenge and support our pupils to do their very best by providing an extensive range of learning experiences beyond the statutory requirement.
Who/what was consulted?
Consultation was through a questionnaire to parents and staff, which is subject to review annually. The National Curriculum Handbook, DCSF circulars and guidance from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority also informed the policy.
Relationship to other policies
The school policy on the curriculum should be read in conjunction with policies and procedures for admissions, assessment, careers education and guidance, charging, collective worship, drugs, equality, health and safety, homework, nutritional standards, performance management, school visits, SEN, sex education, teaching and learning and the curriculum statement Apendix 1.
Roles and responsibilities of head teacher, other staff, governors
The head teacher will ensure that:
all statutory elements of the curriculum, and those subjects which the school chooses to offer, have aims which reflect the aims of the school and indicate how the needs of individual pupils will be met. This will include how the subject will be taught and assessed, the use of language (reading, writing, speaking and listening), and the use of information and communications technology
the amount of time provided for teaching the curriculum is adequate and is reviewed by the governors annually
the procedures for assessment meet all legal requirements, and pupils and their parents/carers receive information to show how much progress the pupils are making, how they compare with school or national expectations, and what is required to help them improve
the governing body is fully involved in decision-making processes that relate to the breadth and balance of the curriculum
the governing body is advised on statutory targets in order to make informed decisions.
It is the responsibility of the head teacher to ensure that reference is made to this policy in other associated policies, and, where changes are made to this policy, all other school policies and procedures are checked/amended.
Other staff will ensure that the school curriculum is implemented in accordance with this policy.
The governing body will ensure that:
it considers the advice of the head teacher when approving this curriculum policy and when setting statutory and non-statutory targets
progress towards annual statutory targets is monitored
National Curriculum test and teacher assessment results are published in the school profile, and progress towards meeting agreed targets is described
parents and carers receive timely reports on the progress of their child against clearly defined expectations
it participates actively in decision-making about the breadth and balance of the curriculum
staff understand that political issues must be presented to pupils in a balanced way.
Arrangements for monitoring and evaluation
The governing body will receive an annual report from the head teacher on:
the standards reached in each subject or groups of subjects, by every year group, against prior attainment, national averages and similar schools
the standards achieved at the end of each key stage by gender and ethnicity, compared with national and local benchmarks
the evidence of the impact of external intervention and support and national strategies on standards
the views of staff about the action required to improve standards
the nature of any parental complaints.
Date established by governing body
Date for full implementation
Date for review
CURRICULUM POLICY STATEMENT
Appendix 1
At the Chiltern School we provide opportunities for all pupils to learn and achieve through a broad balanced and relevant curriculum. We aim to promote pupil’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and to prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life.
In the Early Years our pupils work towards the Early Learning goals supported by the curriculum guidance for the Foundation stage. At Key Stage one and two, the subjects of the National Curriculum provide a vehicle through which the pupils learning needs are met. These subjects are taught in ways appropriate to enable access to all our children and provide a wide range of learning experiences for pupils in each key stage suitable for their age. The National Curriculum alone cannot provide the breadth and balance necessary for the development of all our pupils. We therefore address other important priorities within the Chiltern Curriculum.
The development of communication skills. social skills, personal independence and autonomy, are particular priorities in the Chiltern's Whole Curriculum. We aim to:
Enable pupils to express preferences, communicate needs, make choices, make decisions and choose options that other people act on and respect.
Enable all pupils to interact and communicate with a wide range of people
Promote and develop self-advocacy
Increase pupils awareness and understanding of their environment and of the world
Encourage pupils to explore and to question.
Many of our pupils have personal priority needs, which are central to their learning and quality of life. We aim to meet these needs through a range of therapies provided by and in consultation with our colleagues from the Education and Health authorities. These may include speech, music, occupational and physiotherapy’s as well as individual programmes provided by our colleges from the service for sensory impairment and communication difficulties. Medical needs are met and programmes are developed by our onsite medical team.
We aim to develop the Six Key skills across the curriculum. These include:
Communication (including literacy)
Application of number
Information technology
Working with others
Improving pupils own learning and performance
Problem solving in everyday situations.
Complemented by the development of sensory awareness, perception and thinking skills.
Pupils have opportunities to acquire, practise, apply and extend their skills in a range of contexts across the curriculum within our Key Skills for life programme. Other priority areas may include:
Physical, orientation and mobility skills: fine and gross motor, positioning, managing aids.
Organisation and study skills
Personal and social skills: personal care, health skills, managing own behaviour and emotions
Daily living skills: domestic skills, community skills.
Leisure and recreational skills
Pupils are encouraged to implement the skills they have learnt in school and the wider community. Long term curriculum plans and schemes of work are devised by staff to meet the common needs of pupils at different stages of development. Medium and short term plans:
Identify objectives from schemes of work that promote access, participation and achievement for all pupils at their relevant developmental levels.
Include targets from IEP’s
Take account of pupils individual support needs
Differentiate for pupils learning needs
We aim to achieve an appropriate balance between the provision of familiar experiences and activities and the presentation of new challenges. Some pupils may need frequent repetition of the same experience in the same setting in order to begin to notice events and start to learn. Others may need to revisit and repeat similar experiences over an extended period to stimulate learning. A particular learning opportunity may remain relevant and important to pupils for many months or years, but its context will be modified according to curriculum experiences provided and the motivation, current interest and age of the pupils. The Chiltern schemes of work cover priority topics areas on a three-year rolling programme. In this way, each pupil covers nine topics during their first three years – one for each term. During the following three years they revisit the same topics to generalise skills and move on to extend their skills in all areas if appropriate. The topics relate to classes rather than year groups, allowing opportunities for pupils to progress through a broad and balanced developmental curriculum.
The staff team participate in curriculum planning and delivery. They share information and views about how pupil’s interests, aptitudes and prior achievements should influence the content and progress of lessons.
CURRICULUM BALANCE
The precise balance between the whole curriculum and aspects of the National Curriculum will vary to meet the relevant needs of each child. This individual balance will ensure that time is allowed for children’s priority needs.
In order for the Whole Curriculum to reflect the Chiltern's priorities, we believe that the “balance” should be as follows: -
Time Weekly / KS2 / KS1English / Communication / Hours
7 / Hours
51/2
Maths / 51/2 / 5
PHSE / 4 / 4
PE / 1 / 1
Expressive Arts / 11/2 / 11/2
IT / 1 / 1
Science / 1 / 1
RE / 1/2 / 1/2
Humanities / 1 / 1
Design @ Technology / 1 / 1
231/2 / 21
Teaching takes place in small groups, larger class groups or in individual teaching sessions. Groups may be of mixed or similar ability depending on individual needs.
The Chiltern's schemes of work are evaluated, reviewed and revised termly
LEARNING AND GROWING TOGETHER
We will ensure that all our Children and Young People (CYP) are given access to a curriculum that offers as wide a range of experiences as possible, acknowledging that a small step for one young person may be a giant leap for another. We will encourage and celebrate achievement at all levels, and help pupils reach the highest personal standards so that as they grow towards adulthood they will become valued members of the community.
Aims
1.To provide a setting in which CYP’s dignity and safety can be maintained
2.To work in partnership with, parents, carers and other professionals
3.To continue to develop skills and expertise amongst staff
4.To promote recognition of the contribution our CYP make to the wider community.
Curriculum Statement:
The Chiltern School will provide a curriculum for CYP across KS3 ,KS4 and Post 16 which is broad and balanced and includes statutory National Curriculum. The curriculum will promote the spiritual, moral, cultural and physical development of CYP, preparing them for adult life and a role in the community.
The curriculum will also provide:
Opportunities, to develop work related and where appropriate to participate in work experience activities and transition programmes for local colleges.
Curriculum practice should:
be based on a large degree of mutual trust and respect between learners, teachers, parents, carers and the wider community
Cultural Diversity
The school is part of a wider multi-cultural community and the schools curriculum in all its aspects will consistently encourage understanding of cultural diversity and community cohesion.
Age appropriateness
As a secondary school, whilst recognising individual CYP developmental needs, the curriculum will, where possible, respect learners age by providing age appropriate content and learning context for all CYP.
To provide a setting in which CYP’S dignity and safety can be maintained.
To deliver a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum which will promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of all the pupils and which prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.
To promote recognition of the contribution our pupils make to the wider community.
CURRICULUM AIMS
To offer all pupils the opportunity to share educational activities with their peers within their own school and to extend their learning within the local community
THE WHOLE CURRICULUM
The curriculum at the Chiltern School is conceived as an entire planned learning experience and is delivered throughout the school day. This extends into the experiences that CYP have outside school that are designed to promote their learning into the wider community. It also enables the school to respond to our whole school and curriculum aims and focus on preparing our CYP’s for the future by optimising achievement and progress, personal development and forming young people towards becoming responsible citizens.
The curriculum model the school has designed is based on the QCA model for the whole curriculum adapted to meet the needs of our population of CYP. (See appendix 1. – A3 version available on request)
ORGANISATION
To facilitate the effective delivery of the curriculum and to ensure that there is an appropriate learning environment for CYP’s as they progress through the school, The Chiltern School is divided into two departments Key stage 3 for our 11 to fourteen year olds and Key stage 4 and post 16 for our 14 to 19 year olds.
CYP’s are grouped into mixed ability classes at key stage 3 and 4 and tutor groups at Post 16. Teaching groups will often be different from class or tutor groups and reflect CYP’s learning styles and abilities. Staff are used flexibly to reflect the needs of CYP’s in a group but always have one teacher and two Teaching assistants with a group of approximately six CYP’s. Some CYP’s with very specific needs, particularly those with PMLD or Autism, may be grouped to facilitate the creation of the very specialist environment in which their particular learning needs can be met.
THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
The school provides a range of learning environments to suite CYP’s learning styles and the focus of curriculum content. The school has a number of classes set up with high levels of physical structure to respond to the needs of CYP with Autism and sensory areas for CYP who require multi-sensory input to maximise their learning.
The School has created an ‘Arts Centre’ which consists of a drama studio, art room and a hair and beauty studio within the school to support the schools specialism as a ‘Centre for the Performing Arts’.
Other specialist teaching environments include the school café and the horticultural areas which support the delivery of the vocational and enterprise elements of the curriculum.
These specialist environments are designed to promote active, experiential and relevant learning for our CYP which we believe is the most effective way for them to grow, develop and learn the transferable life skills that they will need to take full advantage of opportunities in the future.
CONTINUITY AND PROGRESSION
The learning experiences planned for CYP’s are mapped out across the departments. Each department has a distinctive ethos and style so that as CYP’s move through the school the expectation and focus progressively changes with increasing emphasis on independence and life skills as they move towards adulthood and life beyond school. The learning experiences which provide access to the curriculum are organised on a modular basis. The modules are mapped out across the terms and years to ensure that there is appropriate coverage and that there is progression for all CYP’s.
Each CYP has an individual action plan which is formulated at an annual review in consultation with the CYP, their parents and professionals working with the CYP. Each action plan contains personal targets which are monitored throughout the year and progress reported on a half termly basis and at annual review.
ENTITLEMENT
Entitlement will be secured for all CYP'S by providing them with a balanced and progressive programme described it the model below:
BALANCE
Individual Needs
(Therapies, Care Needs etc.)
Content
Time
KS3 / KS4 / P16DIFFERENTIATION / INDIVIDUALISATION / PERSONALISATION
Access all subject areas / Access core & choice from menu / Access to choice & core & tailored programme. Focus on strengths, interests & needs
CURRICULUM LEADERS
The school has identified individuals or groups of qualified teachers to take a lead on the monitoring and the development of one of the six curriculum dimensions:
Communication, Language and Literacy,
Creative Development,
Knowledge and Understanding of the World,
Mathematical Development,
Personal Social and Emotional Development
Physical Development
Curriculum leaders are responsible for the development of policy, ensuring that there is continuity and progression across the Key Stages and that staff have the skills and knowledge to effectively teach the subjects in each of the curriculum dimensions.
Departmental leaders are responsible for monitoring the whole curriculum within their department liaising with each other and ensuring that the content of the curriculum is broad, balanced and coherent.
PSHE & CITIZENSHIP POLICY
The Chiltern School
Status
Statutory
Main ECM outcomes: All
Purpose
Personal, Health, Social and Citizenship Education (PHSE&C) is at the heart of our School Curriculum, and influences the whole of the Individual Education Plan for each child at Chiltern School. The philosophy and aims of PHSE&C inform the planning and presentation of all National Curriculum subjects and the Foundation Stage. All planning is mindful of the ECM outcomes so that all lessons are sensitive to the needs of each child and are designed to encourage the child’s progress in PHSE&C.
At Chiltern School we focus on three areas with targets and evaluations recorded for each child in the following: (see appendix A)
1.Independence, Self-help and Organising skills.
2.Interacting, Communicating and working with others.
3.Attention and Personal Safety.
Who/what was consulted?
Teachers and support staff were consulted in producing this policy
Relationship to other policies