Curriculum Pathways and Qualifications
In order to achieve Brook’s vision there are pathways to the learning. A learning pathway meets young peoples intellectual, physical, social and emotional needs. There are two pathways at Brook Academy. The Blue Pathway which is a semiformal curriculum and a Yellow Pathway which is a formal pathway.
Blue Pathway
This pathway is a semi-formal curriculum.
This way of learning means that the young person benefits from support within a pathway with allocated group of teaching and support staff. This young person needs require an organised and distraction free environment to work along side their peers. This young person will have access to specialist subject environments. Teaching staff will use a variety of approaches to engage young people in their learning. This is a mixture of hands on activities, group work and experimental learning.
The core needs will be met with the support of staff, physical management of routines, self-regulation and EHCP targets. Therapists and intervention specialist will be involved in classroom learning and activities.
The yellow pathway curriculum recognises that some learners have significant barriers to learning. This is not unusual for SEMH learners who have a spikey profile. The primary barrier for these learners is that they are working significantly (more than 4 year below) below age related expectations in literacy. This includes reading, writing, spelling (includes phonological awareness) and expressive and recessive communication. The secondary barrier is being able to regulate their behaviour in a way where the young person can access learning. It is the combination of these two that the curriculum is adapted and individuals have some elements of personalised learning in their programme.
The learning in this group will also have the additional barriers such as sensory processing difficulties, complex mental health and/or health needs and cognitive processing difficulties.
Curriculum toolkit:
- Adapted National curriculum
- Targeted phonics and spelling, reading and comprehension intervention
- targeted life skills and PSHE curriculum
- Equals accreditation
- Entry Level qualifications
- Asdan Courses – short courses
- Independent skills – transport, swimming, cooking
- Community inclusion - volunteering
- Targeted speech and language therapy
- Targeting sands tray and/or music/art therapy
- Performance Arts. This includes music, art, Thrives
- Bespoke programmes such as MIAG, horse riding and/or mentoring
- Careers programme.
- EHCP targeted interventions
Yellow Pathway
This pathway is a formal curriculum.
This pathway is for a formal learner. This learner is aware of the effects they have on others, objects, environment and can generalise a skill with some support. This learner is becoming an effective communicator either verbally or through their preferred means of communication. They can also interact fully with known adults and their peers. I am able to communicate with unknown adults and peers with preparation and some support. This young person will have access to specialist subject environments. Teaching staff will use a variety of approaches to engage young people in their learning. This is a mixture of hands on activities, group work and experimental learning.
This way of learning means I benefit from a range of teaching and support staff. I can work with appropriate support from adults and can cope in small group (8) sessions. My curriculum will be based in a mainstream curriculum with the use of specialist subject environments. All the learner’s lessons will be appropriately differentiated to ensure learners are embedding learnt skills and have opportunities to learn new skills.
Learners will be set aspirational academic targets and EHCP targets. This pathway develops the young person’s independent skills and community access. The pathway focuses on the learner is able to access college, traineeships and/or apprenticeships. Therefore, learners will have work experience in key stage 4. The learner will understand how to safely access a range of local environments and know how to ask for support if they are unsure. This learner will have developed secure personal care routines.
Curriculum toolkit:
Differentiated National curriculum
- Adapted National curriculum
- Targeted reading and comprehension intervention
- targeted life skills and PSHE curriculum
- GCSE and BTEC
- Entry Level qualifications
- Asdan Courses – short courses
- Independent skills – transport, swimming, cooking
- Community inclusion - WEX
- Targeted speech and language therapy
- Targeting sands tray and/or music/art therapy
- Performance Arts. This includes music, art, Thrives
- 1:1 in KS4 and Careers programme.
- EHCP targeted interventions
- SEMH targeted interventions