Each pupil is assessed upon entry to ascertain their needs and level of development. They are placed onto a learning pathway which meets their needs at an appropriate level but with suitable challenge to enable the pupils to make progress in all areas. The learning pathways run throughout the school with outcomes appropriate for each pupil and their level of need as they grow and develop.
Pupils on this pathway learn best through play, exploration and consistent routines. To support this, teaching is adapted by reducing and combining some subject areas, with a focus on key learning areas from EHCP, helping pupils access learning in a manageable and meaningful way. The current cohort continue to benefit from highly structured, practical approaches to strengthen their engagement.
To support access and progress in Pathway 1, teaching is adapted through the reduction and combination of some subject areas, alongside the incorporation of individual learning goals into timetabled sessions. These are based on pupils’ IEP and EHCP targets and are used to ensure learning is personalised and appropriate to individual need. A thematic approach is also used to deliver multiple subjects through a central topic or theme. This supports holistic learning, strengthens pupil engagement and helps to create meaningful real-world connections across the curriculum. By linking learning in this way, pupils are better able to access and retain key concepts, whilst also developing their understanding in a more coherent and purposeful context.
Learners in this pathway typically make the most progress when they are taught through a semi-formal, subject-specific curriculum that is carefully structured to meet their individual needs. Pathway 2 will therefore continue to provide a curriculum with a strong emphasis on practical, active and sensory learning approaches, delivered within targeted subject lessons.
This approach enables pupils to access learning through hands-on experiences, clear routines and highly scaffolded activities, supporting both engagement and the development of key skills. Subject learning will be made as purposeful and accessible as possible, whilst maintaining a clear focus on progression within each area of the curriculum. The use of practical and sensory experiences will help pupils to consolidate understanding, strengthen retention and apply learning in meaningful contexts.
Pathway 3 represents the most formal strand of the curriculum and is intended for pupils who are able to access National Curriculum subjects cognitively and who typically make rapid, linear progress in subject-specific learning. This pathway offers an adapted and differentiated National Curriculum, allowing pupils to engage with formal subject content in a way that remains appropriate to their individual needs.
Teaching within this pathway combines formal learning with active, practical and real-life contextualised experiences, supporting pupils to apply their learning in meaningful and relevant situations. The curriculum is designed to extend knowledge, develop subject understanding and promote academic progress, whilst also nurturing curiosity, independence and confidence.
Our curriculum pathways are built on the principle that every learner should be supported to succeed through a journey that is tailored to their unique needs, strengths and aspirations.
Within all Pathways, the long-term aims included in the EHCP are planned for and worked towards on a termly basis.