Secondary - Ages 11 - 16

Key Stage 3  (Years 7 to 9)

Many students join us at the start of Key Stage 3 reflecting the changes which our students face in the transition from a primary to a secondary school environment. Our students find that more specialist and holistic educational, therapeutic and care provision is what is required to allow them to continue learning effectively. 

Throughout Key Stage 3, the curriculum is devised to encourage students to better understand themselves and develop their interests, raising aspirations so that they are fully engaged in the process of exploring future opportunities. The curriculum scaffolds their journey towards independence with an emphasis on life skills and their personal and social development.

Students’ curriculum is topic based, linked to their specific needs and interests. For some students, this allows them to explore themes in greater depth. For all students, it enables them to make connections between learning and brings together:

• core skills that are fundamental to ensure they gain the basic knowledge skills and understanding needed to make progress in e.g. English and maths
• students’ Education, Health and Care Plan to ensure learning is personalised in line with their needs
• purposeful themes used to spark students’ curiosity whilst consolidating and deepening their learning
• contexts to ensure students receives a broad and balanced curriculum
• community links to ensure that students receive experiences that challenge them beyond Treloar School
• access to careers and future provision tracked by Gatsby Benchmarks

Students will be encouraged to self-advocate and direct staff as part of their preparation for adulthood.

Students are taught predominantly in their own familiar classroom setting with access to specialist teachers and environments e.g. music and outdoor learning.

As the students move through the Key Stage, they are prepared, assessed and given choices about their future curriculum in preparedness for Key Stage 4.

Please request details of how the Secondary (Year 7- Year 9) curriculum is mapped and subjects are sequenced and delivered.

Secondary - Key Stage 4  (Years 10 to 11)

A future-focused curriculum offer, emphasising and rooted in the Preparation for Adulthood EHCP framework, is adopted to ensure that each student is given maximum opportunity to develop key life and independence skills throughout the phase, preparing them consistently for the next steps in their life within and beyond school. 

Each student is supported to access appropriate, meaningful accreditations/ qualifications, which best suit their individual needs, and goals. The accreditation/ qualification offer is adapted to the strengths and needs of each student.

Students will be encouraged to self-advocate and direct staff as part of their preparation for adulthood. The curriculum recognises the need for students to move towards a higher proportion of life skills and independence by encouraging students to take ownership of curriculum choices.

Students’ curriculum will be based around a range of skills taught through National accreditations/qualifications. In addition, they will have Option Choices, as part of their curriculum diet. Taught subjects will be differentiated to meet their individual needs and will bring together:

• Core skills that are fundamental to ensure students gains the basic knowledge skills and understanding needed to make progress e.g. English and maths
• Students Education, Health and Care Plan to ensure learning is personalised in line with their needs
• Personalised choices of study
• Contexts to ensure students receives a broad and balanced curriculum
• Community links and experiences that challenge students beyond Treloar School and boost their confidence, independence and life outcomes
• Work experience and continued access to guidance regarding careers and future provision tracked by Gatsby Benchmarks

The Key Stage 4 curriculum aims to fully prepare students for their transition to post-16 provisions as a purposeful destination through a personalised pathway. Supporting them in elevating their self-esteem, constructing their own identity as young adults so that they then have the confidence to be as independent as possible and engage positively in society.

Students will have a form room and have access to specialist staff and environments to facilitate their learning and the options they have selected. Students continue to study English and maths linked to the cognition and learning and communication sections of their EHCPs.

GCSE

If appropriate, some students once they reach Year 11 will be put forward for GCSEs; this will be in discussion with students, families and the MDT team and be reflected in the students EHCP. GCSEs can also (if appropriate) be facilitated later in a student’s education journey, for example, once they are in further education or beyond.

Please request details of how the Secondary (Year 10- Year 11) curriculum is mapped and subjects are sequenced and delivered.