Manor Mead school is committed to 

• providing every pupil regardless of their disability, with the opportunity to succeed and thrive
• maximising opportunities for communication, developing independence and life skills
• fostering a love of learning and curiosity in the world around them
• embedding fundamental British values and social, moral, spiritual and cultural purpose
• promoting enjoyment, fun and engagement in school and in the community
• equipping pupils with: 

o communication skills to promote self-advocacy and self-expression

o personal and social skills which enable them to develop, maintain and manage relationships

o independence and self-help skills

o the ability to apply knowledge and skills in real life situations

o the ability to transfer the range of physical, social, emotional and cognitive skills they have developed during their school life, to other areas of their life and adulthood

 

At Manor Mead we provide a curriculum which is

 

Each of our pupils has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and we recognise the importance and value of providing a curriculum that emphasises the key areas of communication and interaction; cognition and learning; physical and sensory health and social, emotional and/or mental health. Working with pupils, parents and carers we identify the most important individual next steps for our pupils, and our curriculum provides the context for progression, generalisation and independence in these areas.  Our aim is to meet all pupils’ individual needs through our focus on the key areas and by accessing the relevant elements of the EYFS / National Curriculum. 

 

School Values 

 

Our school values are central to the work we do. 1 value is the focus for each half term on a rolling programme. Taught throughout each day and reinforced through the PSHE curriculum and assemblies.

 

Curriculum Implementation

Our curriculum is implemented with a focus on the 4 Key Areas of an EHCP and is underpinned by our vision and values.  

*EYFS

We place each pupils EHCP and Individual Learning Plan (ILP) at the centre of their learning.  This is supported by a focus on one of our school wide values every half term (on a 2 year cycle) and implementation of a set of ‘non-negotiables’ focussed on learning, professionalism, our learning environment, life-skills and independence and that we expect to be upheld and implemented by all in the school community

Link to Manor Mead Non-negotiables table

 

Specialised strategies

A Learning and Communication Passport is written and in place for each pupil. This identifies the pupil’s likes, dislikes, interests/ motivators, preferred learning styles, their barriers to learning and how they may be overcome.  At Manor Mead School we employ a range of strategies and approaches to support pupils’ to engage and learn, these include:

• 1:1 / small group and whole class teaching
• Specialist approaches such as Intensive Interaction, Zones of Regulation, TEACCH
• Communication approaches such as PECs, PODD, Makaton signing and AAC devices
• Sensory based approaches employing the full range of senses
• Rotation of carousel activities
• Creative use of resource and outdoor areas to support cross curricular learning

 

Curriculum content

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The curriculum for the youngest pupils in the school is based on the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework. The ‘prime’ and ‘specific’ areas broadly align with the four Key Areas delivered in the primary phase; pupils in EYFS will follow the same termly theme as the rest of the school. Long and Medium Term plans have been drawn up for the areas of learning:

There are three prime areas of learning:

• communication and language
• physical development
• personal, social and emotional development

and four ‘specific areas of learning’:

• literacy
• mathematics
• understanding the world
• expressive arts and design

The Learning Outcomes link to the EYFS Profile and Development Matters.  Children are also assessed against their own Individualised Learning Plan targets (ILP)

Lower School and Upper School

Long and Medium Term Plans have been drawn up for the following subjects based Years 1-2 of the programmes of study in the National Curriculum (see curriculum pathways for more information).

• English (including Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised for phonics and early reading)
• Mathematics
• Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE) - following Programmes of Study from PSHE Association (updated 2020)
• Physical Education
• Science
• Computing
• Music
• Topic: Art and Design; Design and Technology; Geography and History are grouped under the heading of 'Topic'.
• Religious Education - following the Revised Surrey Agreed Syllabus

Relationship and Sex Education - The Governors, in consultation with the Head of School and the staff have decided that there should not be a separate Sex Education curriculum at Manor Mead. This decision has been made, taking into account the age, maturity and complex needs ability of the pupils. Relationships Education is taught as part of the PSHE curriculum.

As a school we do not offer Modern Foreign Language as a systematically taught, discrete subject at Key Stage 2.  This is due to the challenge our pupils have with the acquisition, understanding and processing of language. Pupils at Manor Mead School have a significant degree of difficulty with language and communication, including their expressive and receptive communication. In their spoken language, this ranges from difficulties with speech, to using new vocabulary and sentence and verb grammar. Pupils may also have difficulties with understanding verbal requests, answering more complex questions, and understanding and retaining vocabulary. The time is allocated to the development of pupils broader and more general communication skills to support them to prepare for the next stages in their education and life.

The Learning Outcomes are taken from the statements in the EYFS and National Curriculum that pupils should be taught to do that are accessible to our cohort.  Children are also assessed against their own Individualised Learning Plan targets (ILP)

 

A flexible and child centred approach

At Manor Mead School, we place the pupil’s individual priorities in the four Key Areas at the centre of their curriculum offer and all pupils will have access to either the EYFS or the National Curriculum delivered as appropriate to their needs:

 

Children are placed in classes according to their primary need and most appropriate peer group. Class teachers assess children’s learning needs and match these to the most suitable pathway.  There is flexibility to take elements from more than one pathway depending on the children’s individual needs and strengths. 

• The Complex needs pathway uses a blended sensory and therapeutic approach to develop children’s engagement with learning, children are likely to need a high level of adult support. 

• The Informal pathway supports children who are beginning to understand some early skills concepts and are likely to need a more practical and sensory approach. 

• The Semi-formal pathway supports children who have an understanding of most early concepts and helps them to generalise and build upon these skills, children likely to be working with more increasing independence. 

• The Formal pathway has a wider range of learning outcomes and skills taken from the National Curriculum, children have gained the early skills, are able to generalise and access their learning independently for the majority of their day

Class teachers are responsible for designing the class timetable each term but have the flexibility to implement more individualised schedules for pupils as appropriate.  Individual timetables take account of a wide range of specific therapy needs, speech, physio and occupational therapy.  Some pupils may not be able to tolerate working in a larger group for extended periods and may have a timetable, which includes sessions where they work on their targets in different areas. 

The timetables for different classes in the school reflect the needs of the pupils in that class group and there are significant differences in the content e.g. classes for pupils with Complex needs have a significant part of each day timetabled for Physiotherapy/ Physical activity.  

Some Pathways have timetabled topic sessions (History, Geography, Art and Design & Technology) allowing flexibility to focus on individual personal, social and emotional needs, independence and learning skills such as attention, as well as community visits.  

Sometimes pupils have needs met most effectively by spending time in more than one class during the week. This ‘internal integration’ provides an opportunity to meet a pupil’s specific needs, when these needs are not all catered for in their main class group. Where appropriate individual children may also have ‘external integration’, opportunities at a mainstream school to focus on academic, social and emotional development.  

Teachers may plan for their classes to work on aspects together e.g. joint curriculum related outings, inviting other people in to support the work.  

Some subjects are taught through special days/ events rather than sessions each week, so they are more accessible e.g. creating a ‘seaside’ and ‘jungle’ to provide contrasting environments as part of the Geography planning.  

Non-subject/theme activities and sessions are included on some pupil’s timetables and provide the opportunity to use a certain approach employed to support broader learning on engagement, communication, independence, physical development etc.(e.g. Intensive Interaction, Rebound therapy).  

Structured play is timetabled throughout the school, not just in the EYFS as this is considered essential to pupils’ development and learning

Links to:

• Early Years sample timetable
• SLD / ASD sample timetable
• PMLD sample timetable

 

Enrichment and Extra-Curricular Opportunities

Examples of our wider curriculum offer include:

• ‘Kids Out’ Day
• Days out related to topic work e.g. visit to farm
• External provider in school visits to the school e.g. theatre visits
• Trips to work on life skills (local area) e.g. road safety, how to behave in a shop
• Music Concerts
• Christmas Show
• Sports events e.g. table cricket
• Charity Events – e.g. McMillan Coffee Morning, Red Nose Day, Children in Need
• Feeling Good Week (Children’s Mental Health Week)
• Boating on the Thames
• Off-site swimming
• Work with Sunbury Art Gallery

Planning Model

 

Long Term plans

These plans provide the distribution of the subject content over a one, two or three year cycle, depending on the subject (National curriculum and EYFS). Planning for pupils progresses from EYFS to Lower School and then Upper School as they move through the school.

Long Term planning to ensure breadth of curriculum cover and to provide links between subjects. The whole school follows the same broad project heading, shown on the Long-term plan.

Subject policy samples: 

• Mathematics Policy
• English Policy
  
• Communication Policy
• PSHE Policy

 

Medium Term plans

Subject Leaders produce and monitor usage of Medium Term plans / Schemes of work for each of the areas in the Long Term planning and these plans are given to Class Teachers before the end of term so that teachers can have meetings to work on joint planning for the next term.

The Medium Term plans show the References to the National Curriculum Programmes of Study /EYFS which are being addressed through this work. They also provide a range of Learning Outcomes and Key Vocabulary as pupils within a class group are working at different levels.

The Subject Leader identifies the Key Activities and it is their responsibility to ensure that resources are available in school for these activities or there is a sign post as to where they can be accessed.  Teachers choose to work on the activities suitable for their class group.

The subject medium Term plans are evaluated by all teachers at the end of each term to review whether the planning has been accessible to pupils, appropriate resources in place etc. Subject Leaders review Medium Term plans following this evaluation.

Class teachers create half termly planning grids to demonstrate how progression skills and learning outcomes are planned across the curriculum.

Subject Medium Term Plan samples:

• Communication and Language, EYFS
• PSHE, Lower and Upper School 
• Maths, Lower and Upper School

Sample class termly planning grids:

• EYFS
• Lower School
• Upper School

 

Short Term plans

Teachers, in order to implement the Medium Term plans/ Planning Grid on a daily basis, draws up Short Term plans, i.e. daily plans.  Teachers identify the planned Learning Intentions and Key Vocabulary on their daily planning sheets or on recording sheets: these may relate directly to the curriculum subject or may address an individual target.

Sample class daily plans:

• EYFS
• Lower School
• Upper School

Role of Subject Leader

  

 

Working with parents

Some of our non-negotiable strategies and approaches are published on the website for parents to access. The parent network group also identify and organise training for parents on key approaches used across the school such as Makaton signing, PODD communication and various behaviour support strategies. 

We recognise the importance of sharing what we are teaching with parents but acknowledge that the curriculum offered to a child will vary depending on their needs and abilities rather than just their year group. Parents are given a detailed class Newsletter at the beginning of each term outlining what will be taught: this includes suggestions as to how parents can support their child’s learning at home. 

The Annual Report sent to parents at the end of the year provides an overview of their child’s achievements across the curriculum.

 

Working with other professionals

The class teacher will work with other professionals e.g. Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapists. Where appropriate ILP targets will be set together. Programmes devised by therapists will where possible be delivered through the curriculum e.g. work on balance / co-ordination in PE or individually as appropriate.

 

Assessment and Achievement

Manor Mead assesses progress and celebrates achievement wherever possible.  Monitoring is thorough and integral to our process. 

ILP targets are set with parents (and therapists as appropriate) in the Autumn and Spring terms and individual student progress assessed in the spring and summer terms. 

 

Class Structure

Shepperton site: 

 Virginia Water site:     

 

Curriculum Impact

The desired end points for our pupils are that they: