Curriculum Overview
Our mission is to deliver a curriculum that profoundly impacts every pupil, regardless of their pathway or age. We aim to create a learning environment that is ambitious, communicative, opportunity-rich, resilient, and responsive to individual needs.Intent
Our ACORN is at the core of everything we do.
Always Ambitious: We set high expectations to inspire and challenge every pupil, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous growth.
Enhances Communication: We prioritise effective communication, ensuring that pupils develop strong interpersonal and expressive skills essential for their personal and professional lives.
Provides Opportunity: We offer diverse learning experiences and opportunities that cater to a range of interests and aspirations, preparing pupils for a broad spectrum of future possibilities.
Builds Resilience: We equip pupils with the skills to overcome challenges and setbacks, promoting a growth mindset and perseverance.
Meets Needs: We tailor our approach to address the unique characteristics and requirements of each learning pathway, ensuring that every pupil’s needs are met effectively.
Implementation
Our ACORN underpins every aspect of educational development, ensuring all pupils are both supported and challenged appropriately.
Learning Structure: We have crafted a coherent and progressive learning journey with clear end points, ensuring that prior knowledge and skills are continuously built upon. The curriculum is structured around whole-school themes and broken down into topic-based learning, integrating core subjects, the wider curriculum, and enrichment activities. based learning, integrating core subjects, the wider curriculum, and enrichment activities
Tools and Resources: We utilise a range of high-quality resources and specialist interventions to meet the diverse needs of our pupils. These include Speech and Language Therapy (SLT), Occupational Therapy (OT), and evidence-based approaches such as Attention Autism, Colourful Semantics, Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), the SCERTS® Model, and Zones of Regulation to support pupils' communication and emotional regulation.
Timetable Organisation: Our timetables are carefully structured to balance core subjects with enrichment activities, reflecting the wide-ranging needs of our pupils. This ensures a well-rounded education that fosters both academic growth and personal development.
Pathway Adaptation: While our core principles guide the curriculum, it is adapted for each of our five pathways to ensure that the content remains relevant, effective, and tailored to meet the individual needs of every pupil.
Impact
The impact of our curriculum is seen in the meaningful progress each pupil makes, both academically but also in their personal and social development. Our approach ensures that:
Always Ambitious: Every pupil, regardless of their starting point, is challenged to aim high. This fosters a culture of achievement and ensures that all students make significant progress in their learning and development.
Enhances Communication: Through our focus on communication, pupils develop the ability to express themselves more clearly, engage with peers and adults, and participate more fully in school life. This enhances their social interactions and prepares them for future opportunities.
Provides Opportunity: By offering diverse learning experiences, pupils gain confidence in their abilities and develop independence, preparing them for life beyond school and helping them to pursue their aspirations.
Builds Resilience: Our curriculum equips pupils with the resilience and problem-solving skills to handle challenges and setbacks. This builds their perseverance and adaptability, qualities that will serve them well in all aspects of life.
Meets Needs: Through tailored pathways and specialised support, each pupil receives an education that addresses their unique needs. This ensures all students, no matter their pathway, are supported in a way that maximises their potential and prepares them for adulthood.
Our curriculum's success is measured by the progress pupils make towards their EHCP targets and academic goals, their preparedness for future life stages, and their ability to thrive in various environments.
curriculum themes year a b c 1 .pdf
To find out more about our curriculum please contact admin@thegarden.hackney.sch.uk
