Pupils/ Students are respected for who they are and we strive to ensure that each individual makes the best possible progress and achieve their potential regardless of their barriers to learning.
Respect is shown for pupils/students by staff ensuring that pupils:
- are the centre of everything we do
- are never talked over and that all adult conversation is about supporting the learning of the pupils/students
- learn in an environment that is appropriate to the needs of each individual and is bright and stimulating or low in sensory arousal, depending upon need
- are kept safe and happy at all times
- personal information and that of their family is kept confidential at all times. This includes no direct or indirect work comments on social media or other external forms of communication
- work with adults who adhere to all school policies and procedures and uphold high personal and professional standards
- work with staff who maximise each and every moment of the day to support pupil/student progress and achievement
- have outstanding adult role models at all times
Staff will work and support each other. They will:
- work together for the common goals of each pupil/student and school
- always be focussed on pupils/students
- have a can-do attitude
- be confidential at all times about our work, our pupils, their families and each other
- be positive about each other’s’ strengths and achievements and help each other to improve constructively and professionally
- be a positive role model for our pupils/students and our school
- treat each other with respect and value each other
- seek solutions to any problems positively and professionally
- set and achieve high standards for both the pupils/students and themselves
- celebrate the success of others
- respect and value each person’s individuality, differences and beliefs operating within the school policies and procedures
We will do this through our:
Intent
In all our phases, the overall intent is that each pupil/student engages, achieves, and makes the most personal progress they can over time, to enable them to have the most fulfilling, enjoyable, and independent life possible.
The school has mapped out:
- for pupils working at below the Curriculum for Wales standards that are pre-subject specific, the intended progression of fundamental key skills and knowledge. The Curriculum for Wales Four Purposes, provide a context for multi-sensory delivery to engage pupils in learning and to achieve the pre-subject specific/cross curricular skills and knowledge and also the outcomes set with parents/carers at the annual review of IDP. However, some pupils will also access elements in the continuum in the subject specific skills and knowledge based on their next steps.
- for pupils who are working towards/within subject specific learning the school has mapped out the intended progression of skills and knowledge leading to the end points that are outlined in the Curriculum for Wales. Pupils work on the outcomes set with parents/carers at annual review of the IDP. The outcomes target key next steps to achieve and retain.
For each pupil/student their next step will be based on their assessed previous skills and knowledge rather than for their age or year group, learning will be highly personalised. Due to the particular special needs of an individual pupil, some pupils may not have an even profile and steps may be broken down and further personalised. The curriculum provides the opportunity for pupils to access a broad and balanced curriculum at a highly differentiated leve.
The following form the foundation of all our delivery:
- engagement and enjoyment
- communication and understanding
- personal and social development including increasing awareness of self, their own emotions and relationships with others.
- independence including life-skills
Progression is not necessarily about movement up a ladder of skills and knowledge.
Lateral progression is just as important in being able to apply the skills and knowledge that have been learned e.g. to different contexts, situations, with less scaffolding and support, with different people and in different environments.
Retention of the foundation, fundamental skills and knowledge to embed into the long-term memory is also important- to know more, do more and remember more.
We want all pupils/students to have a successful transition both through the various phases of the school and into and out of our setting.
Implementation
Ysgol Cedewain provides high quality teaching. Teachers carefully assess each pupil’s/student’s abilities. Teachers work with parents/carers and any linked professionals to target the next key steps in priority areas that include communication/understanding, personal and social development and key skills. These are agreed outcomes set as part of the IDP process and are reviewed on a regular basis with parents/carers. Teachers also plan the next individual pupil/student steps in all curriculum areas. Teaching is informed by the planned and sequenced knowledge and skills aquired in all areas.
Alongside this, teachers identify the strategies that each pupil/student needs to access the curriculum and engage to achieve and make progress. This is individual to each pupil. Strategies include: Intensive Interaction, structured visual support, PECS, work/reward/ multi-sensory delivery, repetition etc. Teachers use a range of strategies to support pupils to learn and retain information. In partnership with parent/carers elements of a NHS health linked professional therapy programme may be implemented or integrated into the school day balanced with the educational access to the wider curriculum.
English and Maths are taught through daily functional skills sessions and timetabled lessons. They are based on careful assessment of pupils’/students’ abilities and needs and their progressive sequenced next step of learning. Pupils/students are also supported through the whole curriculum where communication and understanding, early literacy and maths skills and knowledge and personal development are integrated into all learning as appropriate. The sequence of learning as it is in all subjects is personal to each pupil/student based on their prior learning and engagement in learning is central to all.
The curriculum overview that outlines the units of work to be delivered across the rolling programme. The rolling programme allows pupils/students to be placed in mixed age classes in phase. This, therefore, allows pupils to be grouped in classes based on a range of factors e.g. pupil needs, abilities and friendships. The content has been carefully planned to enable repetition but also development over time.
Pupils with profound learning difficulties, for whom the units provide a multi-sensory varied theme context for the pre-subject specific knowledge and skills progression, may access reduced number of units to enable time for other priorities. For pupils working at this early stage of development, the planned curriculum units provide a theme/context for multi-sensory delivery. Pupils/students work on cross curricular priority areas of learning often including those set in the outcomes of the IDP. The planned curriculum units enable pupils/students to access a wide range of creative and exciting planned activities to extend and build on known interests and motivations. The curriculum theme also enables repetition to sustain each pupil’s/student’s achievements. There is an intensive focus on all aspects of communication and personal outcomes and engagement through the themes. The planned units have the same titles as our pupils/students who are working on subject specific learning so that it leads to shared opportunities for all to learn together and it does not create a ceiling on pupils’/students’ progress.
Parents/carers are informed about the curriculum units being covered in our regular communication. The units enable key skills and knowledge to be worked on in each unit within an exciting and motivating context. Each subject has skill and knowledge progression mapped but each pupil/student will work on their next steps and teachers will break down into further small steps or widen due to the unique nature of each pupil/student and how they engage and access the curriculum.
Enrichment- wider personal development opportunities
The curriculum also provides many enriching, creative learning contexts. Other wider opportunities are provided such as whole school projects linked to citizenship such as Red Nose Day and Comic Relief, National Celebrations etc.
Use of external coaches/ professionals or internal programmes e.g. linked to sports, arts, science
Phase or whole school days e.g. World Book Day, Arts or Science days.
Opportunities can be planned and offered regularly linked to a Phase group or may be that things are capitalised on when opportunities arise.
Impact
The aspiration for all pupils/student who attend Ysgol Cedewain is they achieve their potential in all aspects of their development. All pupils/students who attend our School, have a range of learning difficulties. Many pupils/students have additional needs such as autism, physical disabilities, sensory impairments, complex medical needs etc. We work in a determined way to ensure that all pupils/students can achieve the most they can.
The outcome of the curriculum is highly individual. All achievement and progress is celebrated. Progress for our pupils/students can be demonstrated by:
- Pupils/students making progress towards/achieving their intended outcomes set with parents/carers within the IDP annual meetings. These outcomes are informed by any relevant professionals working with the pupils/students.
- Pupils/students making progress towards outcomes when reviewed in review meetings with parents/carers.
- Pupils/students making progress/achieving in the curriculum planned by teachers. Progress and achievement in all subjects are within reports to parents in either IDP (annual review) report or annual Curriculum report.
- Achieving external accreditation for secondary aged pupils e.g. OCR accreditation.
- Using existing skills in a wider range of contexts.
Supported transition within, in and out of the setting.