Curriculum intent

Our values and context

At Manor School, we:

Believe that every pupil should access a curriculum that meets their unique profile of strengths and needs
Live by our Trust’s motto ‘Love, Learn, Laugh’; this underpins our approach to everything we do
Know that, within the context of SEN, personalisation of the curriculum is key so that each individual’s priorities can be considered in order to prepare them adequately for adulthood with the best possible quality of life
Adhere to the SEND Code of Practice, offering a broad and balanced curriculum, maintaining high expectations through appropriate assessment, ambitious target setting, and the removal of barriers to learning

Our aims

We want our curriculum to:

Focus on the core skills of Communication, PSHE, Literacy, and Numeracy
Develop pupils’ pre-requisite skills for learning in all areas at a level that is appropriate to their individual profile of strengths and needs
Be aspirational for all pupils by offering the opportunity to work towards gaining subject-specific knowledge and skills in areas including Reading, Writing, Phonics, Maths, Financial Education, Computing and Science, at an appropriate level
Incorporate meaningful and relevant aspects of History and Geography teaching, at an appropriate level
Ensure each pupil is enriched by their time at school and challenged to fulfil their unique potential
Enable each pupil to develop a functional mode of communication which they’re able to use confidently at school, home, and when accessing the community.
Support young people to be as independent as possible in their self-care, including dressing, food preparation and eating, shopping, hygiene, etc., respecting their dignity at all times
Equip pupils with the skills and knowledge required to keep themselves safe and healthy
Allow pupils to develop skills they need to actively contribute to their community, and safely access a range of indoor and outdoor environments/settings
Explore and develop pupils’ skills and interests across a diverse subject base (e.g. Music; Art, Craft, Design; Food Technology; Sports, Exercise; Information Technology, Media; Science)
Support pupils to develop resilience, confidence, and strong self-advocacy skills
Actively promote pupils’ Spiritual, Moral, Social, and Cultural (SMSC) development
Promote British Values throughout, supporting all pupils to experience these concepts at a level that is meaningful for them, e.g.
- Democracy – teaching functional requesting and appropriate refusal/rejection; respecting choices and using our understanding of pupils’ individual differences to personalise their offer; engaging with School Council elections
- The rule of law – class rules; clear boundaries and expectations; supporting pupils to self-regulate and maintain positive behaviour
- Individual liberty – personalised reinforcement schedules and constant assessment of motivation; teaching functional communication (e.g. no, stop)
- Mutual respect – modelling empathy and compassion; teaching functional communication, including requesting for attention politely and accepting no; honouring communicative attempts
- Tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs – celebrating special events relating to the diverse backgrounds of our pupils, families and staff, through assemblies, parades, stories, arts and craft, music, costume, bring and share buffets, etc., making these accessible and meaningful for all pupils

Our plan for implementation

To achieve our aims, we:

Use Themes (mapped across the Key Stages) to enrich activities and resources offered in teaching sessions, the creative curriculum subjects, and community visits
Take into account the pupils’ chronological and developmental age when progressing through the Themes
Ensure that teaching always builds on previous learning and is informed by the sequence of child development where appropriate
Ensure there is consistency in practice across school, for example, with regards to the teaching of Phonics or the delivery of Attention Autism
Train all staff to ensure they are equipped to take ownership of curriculum delivery for individual pupils; SLT and teachers lead and oversee this in collaboration with support staff whose contributions are valued and equally integral to the process
Utilise the Thrive Approach and take advantage of recent advances in neuroscience, attachment theory and child development to help develop healthy, happy and confident pupils who are ready and open to learning
Use specialist interventions, such as smiLE Therapy, to support pupils to become actively responsible for their own communication and equip them with ways to prevent or repair communication breakdowns
Use 1:1 or small group interventions where appropriate, to increase pupils’ skills and understanding in the core areas of Maths and Literacy
Provide all pupils with regular opportunities to develop independence by maintaining high expectations and keenly promoting a wide range of roles and responsibilities (or ‘jobs’) for pupils
Actively promote pupil voice through a range of initiatives including: Annual Review attendance, the School Council, and the School Ambassadors programme
Implement effective and relevant systems for target setting (Personal Intervention Plans) and assessment (Brent Assessment Route I Can System, Verbal Behaviour – Milestones Assessment and Placement Program ‘VB-MAPP’, Essential for Living)
Place strong emphasis on multi-disciplinary working, in particular with Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Behaviour Analysts
For some pupils: refer to the Verbal Behaviour – Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) and Essential for Living to ensure that Themes are delivered at an appropriate level and allow pupils opportunities to develop relevant skills and knowledge

For more information about our curriculum, please e-mail enquiries@manor.brent.sch.uk