Curriculum
Curriculum Intent
The Meadows’ curriculum focuses on enjoyment and engagement in learning. It has a clear purpose on ‘getting it right for everyone’ by ensuring that learning is personalised to the needs of our learners. It is characterised by a broad, balanced, relevant, holistic and personalised curriculum, which accommodates and supports the needs of our learners, so they can reach their potential – learning and preparing today, for tomorrow’s new journeys and destinations. Communication, wellbeing, independence and enjoyment are the key drivers: we want our students to be happy, to feel safe, to achieve their potential and to feel valued as a member of the community
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The curriculum has been developed across three Key Stages and four pathways to ensure appropriate provision for all students:
Our pre-formal pathway offers a multi-sensory approach which will encourage students to respond and communicate their emotions and feelings, develop preferences and make choices to support their independence.
The semi-formal pathway is partly cross-curricular, with a focus on developing transferable skills. Students will be offered Entry Level 1 accreditation opportunities in Key Stage 4 through WJEC Personal Progress Units and in Key Stage 5 through ASDAN Life skills Challenge.
The formal pathway offers students more discrete subject-based provision. Students will be offered Entry Level 2 and Entry Level 3 accreditation opportunities in Key Stage 4 through WJEC Entry Pathways and in Key Stage 5 through ASDAN Personal, Social Development (PSD).
We recently introduced a 4th pathway, the braided pathway. Students within this pathway take their curriculum content from across pre formal, semi-formal and formal, however the resources and approaches used to deliver this content are designed to cater for students with complex autism.
Please click below here for the Key Characteristics of the Four Pathways
The curriculum was guided by the outcomes of the Rochford review and places the EHCP at the heart of our provision, enabling us to incorporate individualised targets and measure progress in a wide range of contexts and applications in a truly inclusive way. The curriculum is distributed across five ‘bubble’ areas: My Thinking; My Communication; My Independence; My Body and My Lifestyle. This was developed in line with the structure of the EHCP, and defers to both Local Authority and national statutory requirements; British Values and the new RSE, PSHE and CIG statutory entitlement are taught within the bubble areas and through cross-curricular whole school theme days.
The curriculum map and planning ensure that we build on students' prior learning, and enables them to recap, revisit and consolidate learning across the three Key Stages.
We recognise and celebrate the fact that every member of the school community is unique and we have created a curriculum that is appropriate for each individual across all pathways and Key Stages. Accreditation is offered to all students along with a range of recognised awards such as the Duke of Edinburgh award. Community partnerships are integral to our provision and we work closely with the onsite specialist multi-agency team to develop bespoke programmes that support the individual needs of our students.
Please see below the 3 long-term curriculum plans for each Key Stage.
For more information on our curriculum, please contact Graham Spencer on graham.spencer@themeadows.sandwell.sch.uk
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