The Curriculum – David Lewis School
As a school we want our students to have the opportunity to –
- Access learning through academic studies and vocational programmes within a unique and personalised curriculum
- Maximise their independence and everyday skills for life
- Have their health and medical needs met
- Have access to additional therapies appropriate to the individual
Through these opportunities students will –
- Gain academic skills
- Gain skills for practical activities and work
- Gain independence skills
- Become part of the school and wider community
- Become confident students
- Feel safe and comfortable
- Be healthy, happy and resilient young people
Whole School Curriculum Intent
David Lewis School is a non-maintained special school for children and young people with a variety of complex learning and health needs. Owing to this, the school caters for a wide range of abilities and does this through 4 flexible curriculum pathways. Each pathway caters for students needs through an individualised, broad and balanced curriculum. The pathways are ambitious and progressive. The ‘purple pathway’ is a pre-formal, sensory curriculum for students with PMLD, working around P1-3. The orange pathway is an informal sensory curriculum for students working around P4-5. The ‘green pathway’ is a semi-formal curriculum that is designed for students working within Pre Key Stage 1-4 (P5-8) and beyond. The ‘blue pathway’ is a more formal curriculum for students working around Pre Key Stage 5-6 to National Curriculum 4 and beyond. There are currently no students working on this pathway. Students may move between the pathways as they progress through school, or have elements of more than one pathway within their individualised curriculum.
Literacy and numeracy are embedded within every lesson as well as being taught as discreet lessons of their own on the blue pathway. Phonics is delivered to every student working at that level on a daily basis through Read, Write Inc Fresh Start. Reading is embedded throughout each pathway in every lesson as well as being taught discreetly where appropriate through read write inc fresh start. Each pathway also has an emphasis on independence, personal, social and physical development and vocational skills. David Lewis provides access to a variety of assistive technologies to support students learning across the curriculum. The curriculum we offer provides learning that is relevant to each individual to maximise engagement and support outstanding progress. The personalised curriculum allows teachers to differentiate and plan to cater for student’s individual needs, interests and aspirations. It promotes lifelong learning and prepares students for each phase of their education and the transition into adult life.
Accredited learning is promoted at KS4+5 through ASDAN and Pearson.
Whole School Implementation
Students are assessed before coming to school and on entry to the school through observations, baseline assessments and professional judgements. Teachers and Senior Leaders are then able to make decisions on which pathways will best suit their individual education, health and therapeutic needs. Planning is informed by a number of curriculum providers including EQUALS, White Rose Maths, PSHE association, and the DfE. 3 phases of planning are used to ensure the delivery of a robust and varied curriculum. There are the long term plan (yearly), medium term plan (termly) and short term plan (weekly). The weekly plan is personalised to each individual student and is adaptable on a daily basis to suit students mood and needs. Students each have targets that are linked to their EHC plan, which they work towards throughout the school day. Targets are monitored and evidence is recorded online through Evidence for Learning to ensure appropriate progress is being made. Targets are regularly reviewed with input from the teacher, senior leadership, and therapists.
Whole School Impact
The curriculum is regularly reviewed to monitor its impact on teaching and learning. By providing a wide range of opportunities it supports students to make the maximum possible progress throughout their time at school. It also supports students to transition out of school and into adult life whether that be in further education, social care provision, or employment. Students leave school having had the opportunity to maximise their confidence, independent living skills, skills for work, social skills and educational progress.
David Lewis School Curriculum Pathways
Purple Pathway – PMLD
The purple pathway at David Lewis School is based around a person centred and holistic curriculum for Students with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties. The key, core areas of the curriculum focus on Well-being, Communication, Social Relationships, Sensory, Physical, Cognition and Challenge, Self-Determination and Independence, and Creativity. PSHE-SRE is embedded throughout the curriculum. Students also have the opportunity to engage with work experience that is relevant to their level of learning and interests.
Orange Pathway – Pre KS1-2
The orange pathway at David Lewis is based around an informal curriculum which again places the learner at the centre. The informal curriculum provides opportunities for students to develop their skills in independence, play, communication, socialisation, physical and sensory needs, and problem solving. PSHE-SRE is embedded throughout the curriculum. Students also have the opportunity to engage with work experience that is relevant to their level of learning and interests.
Green Pathway – Pre KS3-4
The green pathway at David Lewis is based around a semi-formal curriculum which is developmental in nature and open to individualisation. At the heart of the curriculum there is a focus on independence, thinking and problem solving, communication and play and leisure; as well as creative studies, physical wellbeing, the wider world, relationships and sex education and work experience from KS4 onwards. Elements of the core national curriculum subjects are embedded within lessons where appropriate.
Blue Pathway – Pre KS 5-6 NC 4 and beyond
The blue pathway at David Lewis is based around a formal curriculum focussing on national curriculum subject specific learning, as well as providing opportunities for students to develop and engage with physical wellbeing, play and leisure, the wider world, independence and work experience from KS4 onwards.
Curriculum Subjects
Functional Skills – Literacy
Literacy at David Lewis has a strong focus on communication as this is an essential part of learning for all of our children and young people. It encompasses the development of skills needed for reading, writing, listening and speaking. Communication and literacy is embedded throughout the whole curriculum as well as being taught discreetly on the blue pathway. Through literacy all students have the opportunity to develop reading, comprehension and recognition skills, writing and mark making skills and total communication. Some students will develop these areas further through specific elements of the national curriculum such as spelling, grammar and punctuation.
Phonics and Reading – Read Write Inc Fresh Start
Access to phonics is available to all through read write inc fresh start. Developed by Ruth Miskin, Fresh Start teaches students at their challenge point, so they learn to read accurately and fluently. They will also develop good comprehension, spelling and punctuation skills through targeted activities. Resources are age-appropriate, matched to students’ increasing knowledge of phonics, and finely levelled to accelerate progress. Read, write inc Fresh start is used to deliver an engaging reading programme adapted to suit all students at David Lewis School working from phonics to a confident reader level. The students below phonics level work to build awareness of environmental sounds working towards recognising sounds with meaning. Read Write Inc Fresh start is made up from age appropriate materials with layers of text for students to explore in depth to ensure all students develop deep comprehension. David Lewis uses practical and functional resources to motivate, monitor and manage students’ independent reading practice. Activities associated with reading help build vocabulary and literacy skills and play fundamental role in reading.
Functional Skills – Numeracy
Numeracy is embedded throughout the curriculum here at David Lewis. There is a focus on giving students confidence to problem solve and use maths functionally throughout their lives, supporting them to make sense of the world we live in. Practical numeracy plays a large part in the curriculum and students have the opportunity to develop their ability to work with numbers and understand mathematical vocabulary/symbols. Some students will also move on to more complex mathematical problems. The numeracy curriculum is bespoke and informed by White Rose Maths, and EQUALS.
PSHE-SRE
PSHE-SRE curriculum is designed with the support of EQUALS and the PSHE association and is split into 6 sections. These sections are self-awareness, self-care, support and safety, managing feelings, changing and growing, healthy lifestyles, and the world I live in. These sections are then broken down further into topic areas which can then be individualised to each student. By following the EQUALS and PSHE associations framework, students have the opportunity to experience taking and sharing responsibility, feeling positive about themselves and others, develop the ability to exercise personal autonomy, make decisions and contributions, maintain and develop relationships and celebrate achievements. On the purple and orange pathways PSHE-SRE is not taught as a discreet lesson and is instead embedded within lessons across the curriculum to ensure that learning is relevant and person centred. For some classes on the green pathway PSHE-SRE is taught as a discreet lesson to cover broader topics and individual sessions are delivered to address sex and relationship education when students are ready for this.
Citizenship
The aim of Citizenship is to provide students with the knowledge, skill and understanding to prepare them for life beyond education where they can play a full and active part in society. Citizenship at David Lewis equips students with an understanding of themselves, the community around them and wider communities. It prepares students to take their place in society and live a life with the most independence possible. The rules and laws of society, managing money and planning for the future are also key areas taught in Citizenship. Citizenship is delivered through discreet lessons, accessing community facilities, mini enterprise, assemblies, work experience and independence.
Creativity
Creative studies includes Art, Drama, Sensory Drama, Music and Dance. Creative studies engages students through different mediums and allows individual talents to flourish. There is a vast amount of opportunity for exploration of interests within creative studies and individual interests inform teachers planning. The creative curriculum has strong links to literacy and numeracy and it is a fantastic opportunity for students to transfer skills learned in other lessons.
Vocational Studies
Vocational studies at David Lewis is offered throughout the key stages, but with a particular focus at KS4+5. We have a lot of vocational opportunities on site including animal care, enterprise and Doggylicious and work experience such as working in the shop, juice bar, admin, laundry and maintenance.
The world about me
The World about Me is run on a half termly basis and covers topics that are drawn from humanities and science. Lessons are individualised to the students within the class and draws on areas of interest, as well as access to live resources on site at different times of the year. These lessons are flexible and provide a wide range of learning opportunities and strong cross curricular links.
Physical Development
All students take part in Physical Wellbeing and swimming lessons within their timetable. Some students receive additional physical development time in the form of rebound therapy and hydrotherapy. The overarching theme of Physical Development is to promote healthy, active lifestyles, as well as to ensure students get regular access to physical activity which supports health and fitness that promotes being part of a team and embedding values such as fairness and mutual respect. Physiotherapists provide input to ensure that student’s physical needs are supported and developed.
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC)
SMSC is embedded throughout the curriculum with a specific focus during our weekly assemblies. SMSC promotes personal development and encourages confident and responsible citizens. The spiritual aspect encourages students to explore a variety of beliefs, faiths and cultures and learn to respect others and their values. Through the moral focus students encounter right and wrong, the law, consequence and ethical issues. Using and developing social skills is promoted including engaging with others both within school and the local community. Opportunities are built into the curriculum for students to understand, respect, take part in and celebrate a wide range of cultures and associated activities.
Zones of Regulation
Zones of Regulation is embedded throughout the school day to ensure that all our pupils’ are ready to learn. Within the intervention, pupils’ are becoming aware of their own emotional and regulation state and developing skills to self-regulate and manage big feelings. It is encouraged that if a pupil is dysregulated, they engage in a regulating activity before continuing with their planned activities.
