Curriculum

The curriculum intent is underpinned by our ethos: OPSS

Opportunity - Pupils will have the opportunity to engage in education through bespoke, individualised timetables to re-engage in mainstream education and vocational learning.

Purpose - Pupils will be encouraged to discover their purpose in education after being permanently excluded or at risk of being permanently excluded from mainstream settings to provide them with a clear direction for the future.

Support - Pupils will be supported through their individual challenges to develop and improve their well-being, social interaction, academic progress and achievements.

Success - Pupils will experience success through their curriculum pathways to fulfil their individual potential enabling them to secure positive and aspirational futures.

Across our sites, we cater for a variety of need and ability; following an induction meeting we work with pupils and their parents to ascertain the most appropriate programme of study and interventions. Pupils join the academy at various stages of the school year, and prior learning is taken into consideration when determining a pupil's provision plan.

Curriculum Ambition

We aim to provide a stimulating and engaging curriculum which based around elements of the national curriculum, that recognises the individual needs of our young people, to better the life chances for all. Each key stage considers the current developmental needs of pupils, and is constructed to support transition and reintegration, whilst facilitating personal and social development.

Across our curriculum we intend to:

promote safety and wellbeing, including the promotion of healthy lifestyles
promote resilience and self-regulation within a nurturing and inclusive environment that affords young people the opportunity to reflect on their behaviour and make better choices
provide a broad and balanced curriculum, where subjects are equally valued and where the transfer of skills is encouraged
ensure that progress is continuous, and that assessment is used to ensure a pupil's readiness for their next life stage or transition
recognise the importance of numeracy and literacy, promoting them through both subject and individually focussed delivery
provide high-quality Careers Education and Guidance, focussing on destinations and reintegration as a core measure for success, to ensure that pupils are fully prepared for transition, further education and employment
Provide our pupils with recognised qualifications to support them reaching their future goals and ambitions

KS2

INTENT: To specifically focus on helping young people to build core social skills and regulate their behaviour.

IMPLEMENTATION:

Thematically organised curriculum where learning occurs across a broad range of subjects, with the aim of mastering transferable skills
Therapeutic intervention to support communication and social development
Reading intervention to support age related expectations

IMPACT: Pupils are successfully reintegrated into their mainstream school or new educational placement and regulate their behaviour, avoiding permanent exclusion

KS2 Curriculum

At KS2 we offer both a full and part-time Curriculum at Kirk Hallam. The students are a mixture of permanently excluded and dual registered pupils. Pupils attend their Primary school in a morning or afternoon and Kirk Hallam site when not at their mainstream placement. Pupils are taught via a thematic based approach and have access to English, Maths, Art, PHSE and ICT.

KS3

INTENT: To build on both the social and academic skills that pupils need to either:

successfully reintegrate in to their existing or new mainstream school OR
prepare them for KS4 provision

IMPLEMENTATION:

Learning occurs through a board and balanced curriculum with a focus on core subjects, functional skill approaches to learning and varied vocational curriculum content.
Kirk Hallam currently support dual registered pupils through a thematic curriculum with the aim of mastering and enhancing transferable skills
Reading intervention to support functional reading ages

IMPACT: Pupils thrive in our KS3 curriculum; they engage with learning and learn to enjoy being in school. They:

are ready to return to mainstream school, equipped with the relevant social skills and ability to regulate their behaviour OR
are prepared to move on to the challenges of KS4 study and bespoke learning pathways
Pupils have secured the expected numeracy and literacy skills when they reach key transition points

KS3 Curriculum

At Kirk Hallam, the KS3 curriculum comprises of: Maths, English, PSHE, Art, ICT, Humanities.

At Bennerley, the KS3 curriculum comprises of: Maths, English, Science, IT, Art, Humanities, PSHE, Citizenship, Design Technology, PE and Exploring Art Media. For one afternoon a week, students also have access to outdoor education.

KS4

INTENT: To prepare pupils for further education opportunities and employment; setting them on a path to a positive destination.

IMPLEMENTATION:

A blended and bespoke curriculum offer depending on pupil needs
Academic study in the form of GCSEs, Functional Skills and entry level qualifications
Vocational qualifications suitable to the needs and potential career pathway of the individual
Personal development supported by unit awards
CEG and employability skills development
Reading intervention to support functional reading ages

IMPACT:

Pupils leave with the knowledge, skills and qualifications that support their next life stage and destination
Pupils maintain a positive destination after leaving the school
Pupils have secured the expected numeracy and literacy skills to successfully transition into the next stage of adult life

KS4 Curriculum

Students at KS4 have access to a variety of programmes, usually consisting of a combination of centre-based academic study and additional alternative provision. Some students attend KS4 site and sometimes their timetable is complimented by offsite alternative provision, suited to their needs and aspirations for the future and core academic subjects. Whilst some KS4 pupils are identified and supported with a bespoke curriculum offer through our alternative provision team and focus and on 1 to 1 functional skill learning and vocational options.

At the Sawley site, the site-based curriculum is comprised of GCSE qualifications in English Language, English Literature, Maths, Single Science, Citizenship and Geography. Pupils can also access Functional Skills in English, Maths and ICT. PSHE is also covered within a pupils timetable which focuses on the statutory requirements.

If you require any additional information regarding the curriculum please do no hesitate to contact the school office.

Curriculum Ambition

​

Across our curriculum we intend to:

​

promote safety and wellbeing, including the promotion of healthy lifestyles

promote resilience and self-regulation within a nurturing and inclusive environment that affords young people the opportunity to reflect on their behaviour and make better choices

provide a broad and balanced curriculum, where subjects are equally valued and where the transfer of skills is encouraged

ensure that progress is continuous, and that assessment is used to ensure a pupil's readiness for their next life stage or transition

recognise the importance of numeracy and literacy, promoting them through both subject and individually focussed delivery

provide high-quality Careers Education and Guidance, focussing on destinations and reintegration as a core measure for success, to ensure that pupils are fully prepared for transition, further education and employment

Provide our pupils with recognised qualifications to support them reaching their future goals and ambitions

​​

KS2

INTENT: To specifically focus on helping young people to build core social skills and regulate their behaviour.

​

IMPLEMENTATION:

Thematically organised curriculum where learning occurs across a broad range of subjects, with the aim of mastering transferable skills

Therapeutic intervention to support communication and social development

Reading intervention to support age related expectations

​

IMPACT: Pupils are successfully reintegrated into their mainstream school or new educational placement and regulate their behaviour, avoiding permanent exclusion

​

KS2 Curriculum

KS3

INTENT: To build on both the social and academic skills that pupils need to either:

successfully reintegrate in to their existing or new mainstream school OR

prepare them for KS4 provision

​

IMPLEMENTATION:

Learning occurs through a board and balanced curriculum with a focus on core subjects, functional skill approaches to learning and varied vocational curriculum content.

Kirk Hallam currently support dual registered pupils through a thematic curriculum with the aim of mastering and enhancing transferable skills

Reading intervention to support functional reading ages

​

are ready to return to mainstream school, equipped with the relevant social skills and ability to regulate their behaviour OR

are prepared to move on to the challenges of KS4 study and bespoke learning pathways

Pupils have secured the expected numeracy and literacy skills when they reach key transition points

A blended and bespoke curriculum offer depending on pupil needs

Academic study in the form of GCSEs, Functional Skills and entry level qualifications

Vocational qualifications suitable to the needs and potential career pathway of the individual

Personal development supported by unit awards

CEG and employability skills development

Reading intervention to support functional reading ages

Pupils leave with the knowledge, skills and qualifications that support their next life stage and destination

Pupils maintain a positive destination after leaving the school

Pupils have secured the expected numeracy and literacy skills to successfully transition into the next stage of adult life

Amber Valley & Erewash is part of the Esteem Multi-Academy Trust