Our curriculum at Mayfield School reflects all the different stages of education from 3-19yrs. It adapts, grows and changes as the needs of our children and young people adapt, grow and change. The curriculum includes different learning pathways, which are designed to meet the needs of different types of learners and help them to achieve our overall whole school curriculum aims. The golden threads of our Curriculum Drivers, which are evident across all phases and all pathways, focus and tie together the whole school, and underpins all teaching and learning. To ensure a breadth of learning, the curriculum content is arranged into eight different curriculum blocks, which incorporate not only the National Curriculum subjects but also the learning areas of the Equals Curriculum and the development areas of those children working on non-subject specific learning.

Those curriculum blocks are

 

English, Reading, Writing and Communication

 

Maths, Numeracy and Personal Finance

 

Physical Development

 

 

Humanities and the World Around Us

 

 

Science, Technologies and Computing

 

Creative and Performing Arts

 

 

Daily Living Skills

 

 

Personal, Social, Emotional and Relationships

 

These eight areas are delivered via termly topics. With each topic, again underpinned by our curriculum drivers. The composite and component knowledge, skills, and content of each curriculum block are sequenced within these topics based on individualised aims and target setting and recorded via our Classroom Monitor assessment system. This takes influence from systems such as Routes for Learning, Equals pre-formal, Equals semi-formal, Equals formal, Pre-Key Stage Standards, National Curriculum expectations and Read, Write, Inc phonics scheme.  

 

Curriculum Pathways

Across the school, we deliver different teaching and learning approaches, relating to age, learner needs and delivery and learning styles, which make up our different curriculum pathways.

Age or Stage

Curriculum Pathway

Curriculum Description

 

EYFS

 

EYFS

 

In the EYFS pathway, the children are given the opportunity to learn through playing, exploring, active learning, developing creativity and problem solving. The overarching principles of this curriculum is that every child is unique and constantly learning, the environment is enabling and different children are allowed to develop at their own individual rates.

 

Yr1 – Yr11

During this phase of education, we offer our pupils three different pathways. These pathways are based on the EQUALS curriculum, which has been specifically designed for pupils with additional learning needs.

 

 

Pre- Formal Curriculum

 

 

This is curriculum is a person centred, holistic curriculum, designed for our pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties. It aims to give pupil an environment, which they can understand and encourages them to build routines, facilitate changes and make choices.  Additional programs such as MOVE, hydrotherapy, intensive interaction and other personalised packages supplement the curriculum. 

 

 

Semi- Formal

 

 

The semi-formal curriculum pathway is developmental in nature and open to personalisation. This is a non-subject specific learning pathway and incorporates key skill areas. It aims to builds skills in communication, independence and social skills. An adapted literacy and numeracy programme is delivered alongside the semi-formal curriculum.

 

Formal

 

 

Our Formal Curriculum is a subject specific curriculum based largely on National Curriculum subjects but also bring in elements of developing independence, life skills and thinking and problem solving, building on the semi-formal curriculum. The formal route offers pupils the opportunity to take traditional subject learning and apply it in a functional way.

 

Post-16 Curriculum

Our Post-16 pupils follow three different ASDAN curriculum pathways.  ASDAN is a national recognised awarding body whose curriculums help young people to develop knowledge and skills for learning, work and life in preparation for adulthood.

 

 

 

Towards Independence – Sensory

 

 

Towards Independence sensory awards are specifically designed for our pupils with Profound and Multiple learning difficulties. They focus on developing key skills such as communication, controlling and understanding their environments and making choices.   

 

Towards Independence – Progression

 

 

Towards Independence provides a framework of activities to develop and accredit personal, social, work-related and independent living skills for those pupils working below Entry Level 1. It offers units of work in the following areas.

 

ASDAN Personal Development Programme

 

 

This curriculum pathway is suitable for those pupils working at Entry Level 1 and above. This pathway allows pupils to develop a range of skills such as teamwork, independent learning and coping with problems that will help them to become more independent when they leave school and move on to their next step in life. Maths, English and ICT are delivered through Open Awards allowing additional opportunity for pupils to gain qualifications.

 

LifeSkill Challenges supplement the Sixth Form Curriculum, which allows for a personalisation of the learning. Pupils can be matched to the units, which will best develop the skills and knowledge, they will need to access their post-school destinations.

 

We recognise that some pupils will fluctuate and excel in specific parts of the curriculum. Where this is the case, pupils are given the opportunity to work across different pathways. For example, a semi-formal pupil who excels at numeracy will access formal numeracy sessions. We also have the opportunity to bring in subject experts or link with local mainstream secondary schools, to allow our pupils to access higher qualifications if they show a particular talent for a subject.

 We aim to expand the learning of our pupils beyond the classroom and offer many opportunities to broaden the experiences of our children and young people. Trips and visits to the community are commonplace and a good way to practise functional skills. We are a warm, welcoming school which enjoys visitors from a diverse range of organisations. In recent times, we have enjoyed Science shows from the London Science Museum, shows and performance from visiting theatre groups, drummers and dancers from Uganda and we even had a visiting Meerkat. We are proud to offer our pupils the chance to complete the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme and have a successful work experience programme.

The ultimate aim of our curriculum for our pupils is to provide them with a curriculum, which allows them to burst through the glass ceiling and gain the skills and knowledge they need to lead a fulfilled, happy, healthy life and be an active participant in their worlds.