Functional Curriculum
The functional curriculum route is for pupils age 5 – 16 and has been planned to show and offer progression over a period of time, but also acknowledges that many skills are lost if not practiced and generalised in different contexts. We aim to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum that is adapted to meet the needs of every pupil and to overcome any barriers to learning using a range of specialist interventions.
Following the Curriculum for Wales framework, our learners access a varied and practically- led curriculum ensuring learning is brought to life, is engaging and most importantly appropriate to the individual learner. The curriculum promotes the four purposes of learning (ambitious, capable learners, enterprising, creative contributors, ethical, informed citizens, and healthy, confident individuals) and teaching approaches reflect the age and learning style of pupils concerned, consolidated by repetition and reinforcement.
Cross curricular links are consciously embedded throughout all activities across the six areas of learning with an emphasis on communication, appropriate behaviour and independence skills. This route slowly builds on the essential skills our young people will need as they progress in their lives and recognises in equal weight the importance of self help and independence skills alongside the more traditional basic skills.
Learning follows a 2-year topic cycle which comprises half termly topics. This process ensures progression but also embeds learning through necessary repetition which checks progress and real understanding and gives opportunities for generalisation which is crucial for our pupils.
Taking our pupils learning out of school and into their local community is a valuable part of our curriculum. It is vital that the skills pupils are learning in class are experienced parallel to the real-life learning experiences so that crucial links are made between the two.
When our pupils reach KS4, an emphasis on their next step becomes the priority and their transition to our Post 16 department becomes a focus. Pupils will start to access the work experience facilities on site with the opportunities to work alongside current P16 pupils. They also have opportunities to acquire accreditation.
