Curriculum Implementation 5-16 – Engage Curriculum
Intent
The Engage pathway offers an alternative learning pathway for learners that are working at very early levels of development (pre subject specific learning), identified through the triangulation of prior data, observations and assessment tools.
The Engage pathway provides a nurturing environment where learners develop their sense of belonging, security and awareness of the school environment and the wider community.
The priority is to promote positive communications and relationships; provide opportunities to explore the world around them safely, enhancing their ability to control their immediate environment and develop their life skills and independence preparing for transitions up to adulthood.
Our curriculum is designed to support learners to:
- Make connections
- Develop communication skills
- Increase flexibility
- Celebrate milestones and achievements
- Explore how they learn
- Increase tolerance and patience
- Develop strategies to remove barriers to learning
- Increase engagement and awareness
- Explore a variety of environments
- Experience social interactions
- Build a variety of self-help strategies
Curriculum Overview:
Learners will focus on their individual areas of development cited on their EHCP through accessing activities that cover the areas below through a thematic approach.
All learning experiences are underpinned by appropriate and meaningful communications and interactions.
Learners will have a blended diet of teacher and therapist input throughout the week, both directly and indirectly. They will also access the community as much as possible, focusing on generalising life and functional skills linked to their EHCP and learning experiences.
Implementation
We believe our learners need to be comfortable in their environment.
We ensure that the engage pathway accesses a stimulating, varied & purposeful sensory environment which promotes individualised exploration and experiences.
We believe that our learners need to be ready to learn.
Learners access a range of ready to learn activities using a variety of resources to ensure they achieve a ready to learn state. In order to achieve this, we work closely with a multi-agency team including Speech & Language, Occupational Therapist, Disability Nurse and other multi agency teams.
We believe that our learners need to be as independent and possible.
The learners access the curriculum through individual, small group and whole class sessions. Learners experience planned learning sessions with a balance of adult led and learner initiated activities in different environments both inside and outside. Learners access the community regularly to enhance, generalise and consolidate their learning experiences, functionality and life skills. Learners benefit from joint EHCP, therapy and appropriate academic learning target setting to address individual needs and barriers to learning.
We believe our learners need a personalised approach.
We employ the use of different teaching and learning methods and tools to ensure accessibility, engagement and enjoyment. These include:
- Visual resources
- Workstation activities
- Talking mats
- Individualised timetables
- Total communication approach, including Makaton, proloquo2go, communication boards, non-verbal communication etc.
- Attention autism approaches
- Intensive interaction
- TEACCH
- Rebound therapy
- Music therapy
- Sensory integration
- Occupational therapy
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Swimming
- Outdoor learning
- Play based interventions
- Sensory stories
- Social stories
- Multi-sensory approaches
Learners benefit from repetitive experiences to increase their resilience and develop their skills, understanding and independence.
Impact
Baselining
On entry, learners are baseline assessed to establish their EHCP needs; cognition & learning level; communication & interaction skills; social and emotional needs and physical & sensory needs. Using this information, learners are set cognition & learning targets; therapy targets and prepration for life targets. These will be worked on hollistically throughout the week, term and year through a blended teacher/ therapy approach.
