At The Forest School, we hold the belief that every child deserves a voice, whatever that may look like. We recognise the significance of presuming competence and developing autonomous, confident communicators. Our school embraces a Total Communication approach which is integrated across the curriculum and throughout school, serving as the cornerstone for everything we do.
Whole School Curriculum Overview
Like everything at The Forest School, our curriculum is guided by our vision and our values ‘Every Child, Every Chance’. Most importantly, however, it is shaped by our school mission. The practical steps we undertake to do this are outlined below.
Our Mission
Our Curriculum Model
Our curriculum is carefully sequenced at four levels:
Access the world around me
Build on what I know about my world
Connect with the world and my wider community
Deepen my knowledge about the world
The Access Curriculum provides a multi-sensory approach to their emerging curriculum learning. Pupils are supported to participate in the world around them and develop their communication skills. This enables a developing awareness of what is happening to them, being an active participant in routines and events, and making clear choices based on their own preferences. We promote the independence of each child and young person and identify ways in which we can prepare them for adulthood. This is driven by a clear focus on developing communication and life skills.
The Build Curriculum provides pupils with the opportunity to build upon their communication and life skills whilst developing early literacy and numeracy competencies. Pupils are supported to apply their developing knowledge in different contexts and situations. Pupils are supported to be curious participants in their own learning journey via the use of co-created learning questions. Learning questions allow pupils to explore the wider curriculum through creative thematic approaches that champion learner voice.
The Connect Curriculum promotes life skills, vocational opportunity, and externally accredited outcomes. It focuses on inclusion within the local community and develops a sound foundation for life after The Forest School. Creating the connection between skills and ‘real life,’ the curriculum allows pupils to develop their abilities to become independent learners, working towards their own aspirations and goals. Pupils explore their role within society and are supported to become active participants within their local community.
The Deepen Curriculum continues to promote pupil life skills, vocational opportunity and externally accredited outcomes, with a greater focus on independence and a deeper understanding of the why. Pupils are encouraged to advocate for themselves, ask questions, seek answers and be curious about the workings of the world. Teaching through a broad and balanced curriculum approach, mixing both practical and theoretical studies, prepares pupils for adulthood in which they can be active citizens within their communities.
Interventions
In addition to our curriculum, we offer a range of targeted interventions that support pupils with a specific area of need. This may be an instructional programme focused on an academic skill, or a flexible programme designed to develop attitudes and behaviours.
Our Approach
In the classroom we use a multi-method approach that integrates knowledge about special educational needs and the way children learn
To support delivery of the Access curriculum:
- Plan lessons that incorporate multi-sensory learning activities in a range of learning spaces and environments.
- Plan jointly with a range of external colleagues such VI, SALT and OT.
- Encourage decision making through choices of preferred items or activities.
- Promote curiosity by encouraging pupils to work alongside their peers in a range of exciting environments, aimed at providing a stimulating invitation to learning.
- Develop understanding by fostering pupils’ motivation to find out more and make changes to their immediate environment.
To support delivery of the Build curriculum we:
- Discuss targets / IEPs with pupils, supporting them to identify their strengths and areas for development.
- Plan lessons that incorporate opportunities for pupils’ to learn and practise new skills, nurture positive relationships, and work cooperatively with one another.
- Promote curiosity through a thematic learning approach.
- Model and scaffold task.
- Support pupils to evaluate and assess their own learning.
To support delivery of the Connect curriculum we:
- Use instructional approaches that support pupils to take ownership of their own learning.
- Start to see higher order questioning to encourage critical thinking and problem solving.
- Encourage pupils to apply skills in a contextual environment.
- Encourage the application of skills in real life situations.
- Involve pupils in peer and self assessment.
To support delivery of the Deepen Curriculum we:
- Encourage pupils to engage in collaborative learning.
- Ensure questions require thought and problem solving to answer.
- Ask pupils to explain, showing a deep and full understanding of their learning.
- Plan opportunities for pupils to set up their own enterprises.
- Expect pupils to collate their own evidence.
Organisation
Our timetables link with the EYFS curriculum and are divided into nine areas:
- Language and Literacy: Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking/Communication
- Maths and Finance: Number, Using and Applying Maths, Financial Understanding
- Physical Development: Physical Education, Swimming, Dance
- Wider World: Science, Humanities, Computing, RE and Languages
- Creative Arts: Music, Art, and Drama
- Independence and Futures: Careers, Safety, Health, Citizenship, British Values
- PSHE: Growing-up, Relationships, SRE
- Woodland Adventure: Forest School, Emotional Health and Wellbeing, Gardening
- Food Technology: Nutrition, Life Skills, Preparation for Adulthood
Phonics
Our teachers use Read Write Inc, a systematic approach for teaching children to read using phonics.
Our Curriculum
Personal, Social, Health and Economic Curriculum
Physical Development Curriculum
Independence and Futures including Life Skills and Careers Education
Assessment
Ensuring we know exactly where our pupils are at in their learning journey is paramount to them achieving small steps of progress. Pupils are baselined in an appropriate way for them, formative assessments happen daily within lessons as part of the school Marking and Feedback policy to inform assessment for learning and summative assessments capture small steps of progress each half-term for all pupils measured against the EYFS and National Curriculum using a range of statements.
Qualifications
In KS4, pupils can access qualifications in the following areas:
- English and Mathematics – Functional Skills
- WJEC
- Arts Award
- AQA Unit Awards Certification
Our accreditation is updated on an annual basis to ensure it continues to meet the needs and aspirations of our pupils. All accreditation pathways are personalised to individual students to support their academic ability and learning style.
Extra-Curricular Activities
Extra-curricular activities are an important and exciting feature of school life and contribute enormously to our pupils’ social and academic development. There is an extensive menu of extra-curricular activities on offer including arts and sporting provision with opportunities to take part in workshops and field trips. We also offer pupils the chance to explore different cultures and experiences through our range of local and national visits. Theatre trips, visits to exhibitions and museums plus excursions to local colleges occur regularly and provide further opportunities for pupils to enrich and extend their learning beyond the classroom.
If you would like further information about any of the above, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
