Curriculum Policy

The curriculum at Changing Lives Independent School is carefully structured to provide students with the skills, knowledge and understanding to be active citizens, able to take advantage of opportunities for employment and independence as they move into adulthood. We want our students to be engaged and curious learners and the curriculum offers many opportunities for the hands-on, practical learning which pupils enjoy.

The curriculum has a number of key ‘building blocks’ which take a systematic and strategic approach to developing and embedding essential skills, knowledge and understanding over time to allow leavers to meet the complexities of the workplace with confidence and competence. Students re-visit essential learning as they move through the school to build, develop and refine their skills.

Careful timetabling, personalisation, individual route-mapping ensures that these key components work together to meet the needs of each individual.

Core curriculum areas of Maths, English and Science are essential to fulfilling the school goals and form a key component throughout the curriculum. Our curriculum is designed to provide students with challenging, but realistic, pathways to achievement, including, where appropriate for the student, the opportunity to achieve GCSEs, including Maths, English and Science.

Our Vocational curriculum strengthens as students move through school with an increasing focus on work placements and employability skills especially around animal care and equine studies. The curriculum is underpinned by strong careers education throughout school and a qualifications framework which helps young people to have a pathway that leads into further study or work.

Our curriculum supports pupils to make responsible, informed choices in school, at home, the community and in the workplace, developing independence skills to equip students for life beyond school. This curriculum includes a strong safeguarding element to support pupils to learn how to make positive choices to keep themselves safe and healthy, now and in adult life.

Our curriculum equips students with the essential, executive skills to support successful and active citizenship and life as a member of a workforce. The skills taught include Teamworking, Listening, Creative thinking, Problem Solving, Communicating and Resilience.

Our curriculum is tangible in every part of the school day which begins with breakfast club and form time, this allows all learners to be ready to engage in the formal curriculum and provides opportunities for staff to have conversations, address concerns and prepare learners for the day ahead.

Bespoke implementation is key for students with complex needs. All timetables are individualised for the student’s needs, where possible.

All students access our equine and animal care qualifications through the British Horse Society. Students work towards different grades throughout their time at the school. These range from Introductory to Gold awards.

All students also access a range of personalised interventions throughout the year. These will be chosen on the individual student’s needs. These include: Lego Therapy, Social stories, Zones of Regulation, Counselling, Art Therapy.

KS3 students will study English, maths and science. However, they will also complete a range of different qualifications to build on their skills for when they leave school. Students will study AQA Unit Awards in areas such as independent skills, cooking, animal care etc., and Prince’s Trust units in Personal Development and Employability skills.

KS4 students will study English, maths and science. Students also choose qualifications from the Open Awards options across subjects from animal care to construction to business skills, and AQA Unit Awards in areas such as independent skills, cooking, animal care etc.

We hold attainment collection points for all students three times across the year at Key Stage Three, Four and Five. We also collect Attitude to Learning data during these times.

Students will be provided with frequently updated individual small step targets in their IEPs that can be easily measured to confirm the progress they make in lessons. This will also provide pupils with consistent feedback on their progress and accomplishments.

Students are also provided with feedback throughout the half term around their progress in all lessons. This progress is shown to the students on their individual trackers throughout each half term. This allows students to understand the progress they have made and which areas they need to improve upon.

KS3 and KS4 students utilise workbooks in English, maths, science and PSHE. Students will work to individualized targets within these lessons.

For students accessing accreditation courses, an additional file of evidence is also utilised. Within FE teachers may opt to utilise a book or file to suit the needs of their students and the programme of study.

Suitable Accreditation is offered to students in both academic and vocational areas, which supports transition to adulthood and future employment opportunities. Through their time in school, students build up a portfolio of accreditation that will serve to enhance their future chances of employability. We maintain a strong focus on applied learning in preparation for securing supported and independent employment.

Key stage 4 and 5 students complete AQA Accreditation in English, Maths and Science at differentiated levels utilising pre-entry and entry-level units when required but also GCSE. They also study Open Awards which is differentiated to suit varying levels of learning. To facilitate a differentiated and personalised approach, students can work at different levels when they are ready.

Changing Lives recognises the importance of Accreditation, external recognition allows students to demonstrate that they are able to meet the requirements of national standard and quality expectations. Externally ratified qualifications allow students to build their record of achievement, thus improving opportunities of future employment.

The school does not aim to teach directly to Accreditation, but instead will differentiate teaching to provide for individual needs. It utilises schemes of work, designed to meet individual need and accredit these where appropriate within AQA Unit Awards. Pupils achieve national accreditation only if they satisfy the ratifying Board that they have met the criteria of the nationally endorsed scheme.

Data collection within an SEND context is extremely important. There are several reasons for this:

• Data allows the delivery of an ambitious and aspirational curriculum.
• The celebration of success through the provision of a clear learning pathway.
• Data provides the building blocks so that staff gain a ‘bigger picture’ understanding of how knowledge is embedded over time.
• To report to parents thus enabling them to fully support students in their learning aspirations.
• To evaluate schemes of work and ensure there are no systemic issues.
• To provide meaningful, rigorous and timely interventions.
• Accountability – staff and students share responsibility.
• Ensures minority and disadvantaged students are supported to make outstanding progress.
• Teachers use assessment to ensure planning is based on prior attainment and that pupils know what they need to do next.

• Align with individual developmental levels through meaningful targets.
• Benefit the student by celebrating their progress.
• Be helpful, user friendly and time efficient for teachers.
• Personalised and differentiated; assessment varies by access group.
• Formative and dynamic; summative and reflective.
• Facilitate appropriate and timely interventions.
• Reportable: Parents and students understand strengths and focus areas.

Short Term Data is collected via:

• Next steps annotations in books.
• Written annotation and verbal feedback.
• Individual assessment opportunities.
• Self and peer assessments (differentiated).
• Subject-specific assessments.

Medium Term Data is collected via:

• Baseline assessments on arrival.
• Three targets per term (one per strand).
• Termly parent target-setting meetings and reports.
• Analysis of assessment data for termly and annual school targets.
• Progress files and trackers documenting long-term progress.

• Discreet, mutually agreed interventions aligned with learning goals.
• Collaborative sharing of best practice among curriculum leaders and teachers.
• Individualised intervention packages tailored to specific student needs.
• Open-door policy for observing good practice across the school.
• Systemic issues inform wider interventions (staff training, SIP targets).