Curriculum

Curriculum Rationale

Our curriculum at Old Hall is designed to give every pupil the best possible opportunities to develop the skills and knowledge they need for life.

We support our pupils to foster the characteristics of effective learning in ways appropriate to their individual and developmental levels and to make progress across all areas of learning, however small those marginal gains may be.

With our strong links with our families and the wider community we are able to support pupils to develop their understanding of themselves and the world around them enabling them to become well rounded individuals. 

Federation Curriculum Aims

• To provide a safe, happy, caring and stimulating environment that meets the individual needs of our pupils. 
• Encourage independence, self-confidence and resilience.  
• To support all pupils to achieved the best possible outcomes and to reach their fullest potential.
• To support successful transitions throughout the schools and the wider community.

Curriculum Aims

To support individuals in becoming:

• Confident and successful learners who enjoy learning, make good progress and achieve excellence.
• Self-sufficient citizens able to live healthily, enjoyable and fulfilling lives.
• Well prepared individuals, equipped with the knowledge and skills needed for the next stages of their lives.

At Old Hall we strive to provide an education that is challenging, personalised and meets the needs of every pupil in school, whatever their ability or background.

Strategic intent

To provide a robust and articulate curriculum which:

• Takes into account individual needs and learning styles
• Is ambitious and challenging for learners at all levels.
• Supports the development of cognitive skills, taught in context of the rich knowledge that each subject provides.
• Maximises the impact of teaching and learning in order to fully prepare pupils for success in life
   

Curriculum Implementation

The curriculum in Early Years is based around planned, purposeful and fun play activities geared to meet the complex and varied needs of our pupils. Planned continuous provision activities are provided to enable pupils develop their skills across the seven areas of learning.  Pupils work towards individualised targets through a balance of both child Initiated and adult directed skill based activities.

Within our ASC and SLD departments, subjects such as English, Maths, Science, PSHE, PE and RE are taught as discrete subjects throughout the curriculum.  At Old Hall we also follow a Creative Curriculum which sees subjects including History, Geography, Art, Music, D&T and Computing taught through holistic cross curricular sessions which allows pupils to learn in context and truly embed skills and knowledge.

The PMLD department has a bespoke curriculum designed to meet the very specific needs of our learners. Subjects delivered include Communication, Problem solving, Sensory Exploration, Physical Health and The World around us. Every subject is planned and taught with the aim of meeting pupil’s holistic needs, with a strong focus on the four main areas of need which are linked to our deep learning categories.

Class groups are designed with individual needs in mind in order to give pupils every opportunity to achieve the best possible outcomes. As a result, classes comprise of pupils from a number of year groups, therefore the curriculum is designed to be suitably flexible, utilising several rolling programs with differentiated objectives so that every individual has the opportunity to study the full breadth of the curriculum at a challenging and engaging level. A personalised approach is used throughout the curriculum with targeted support, further interventions, key strategies and additional challenge, enabling all learners to make at least good progress.

The tailored approach to the curriculum also grants frequent opportunities for learners to make progress towards individual targets outlined within their Education and Health are Plans.

Implementation – Deep Learning

Our curriculum utilises deep learning and enhances opportunities for pupils to develop key knowledge and skills within these areas.  The categories outlined in the table below highlight specific areas which are embedded throughout the curriculum and can be identified on curriculum documents by the corresponding colours.

Deep learning allows pupils to transfer knowledge and skills across the different ‘vehicles’ and topics that the thematic approach offers.  This, alongside the schools’ robust careers strategy, supports individuals in making informed decisions about their next steps and enables them to fully prepare for life beyond the federation.

Supporting four main areas of need, deep learning ensures that the curriculum provides ample opportunities for pupils to make progress towards individualised targets stated within their EHCP and scaffolds development around these four golden threads.

Impact

Pupils attain an in-depth knowledge across the breadth of the curriculum having developed an array of key skills and knowledge which they are able to apply within their daily life. They have an excellent self-awareness, understanding their own personal, emotional and medical needs.

Pupils leave with the best possible outcomes with regards to their personal targets including those outlined within their Education and Health Care Plans. This includes the ability to communicate their wants and needs successfully, articulate their thoughts and feelings and participate as fully as possible within daily life having developed strong independence and life skills.