At Delamere we provide a specialised holistic learning environment for children with learning difficulties and co-existing complex needs.
Through a broad, balanced and sequential programme of studies the curriculum at Delamere School is designed to give all children the knowledge and cultural capital they need to become active learners, moving towards independence and fulfilment.
Our ambitious context and skill-based curriculum extends beyond the academic and provides for learners’ personal development.
At Delamere, the individuality of each child is recognised and valued. Our curriculum embraces the community it serves, celebrating the diverse backgrounds, experiences and areas of strength from which the children originate whilst also acknowledging the obstacles they face.
We continuously adapt our learning journey to meet the changing needs and interests of our children – offering an outstanding education which ensures that all children are well equipped for the next stages of their education.
The Curriculum Offer outlines how the school provides learning opportunities that are essential for the development of all our children. Our curriculum is underpinned by the teaching of basic skills, knowledge, and values that would be considered as innate learning for those without special educational needs but require commitment, focus and precision teaching for our children to acquire. Without these innate skills the next steps into subject specific learning remain out of reach.
At Delamere we offer a flexible and adaptable curriculum model that informs personalised learning pathways for pupils whose learning style may be;
Pupils may have their own personal timetables. Individual strategies and / or interventions as described in class planning.
Each pupil follows an individual learning journey. Education, Health & Care Plan outcomes are central to this learning journey. These outcomes inform the Personalised Learning Targets (PLTs). During the Annual Review process, and throughout the year, we work closely with families to ensure all targets are aspirational and meaningful.
As an Inclusion Quality Mark Flagship school, all children regardless of their starting point have the opportunity to engage in and be exposed to differentiated exciting learning linked to the national frameworks.
Our curriculum embraces the community it serves, celebrating the diverse backgrounds, experiences and areas of strength from which the children originate whilst also acknowledging the obstacles they face. We provide an environment that champions children’s rights and includes them in all aspects of school life. This is reflected in our achievement of Rights Respecting Schools Gold Award.
Our curriculum is underpinned by the teaching of basic skills, knowledge, and values that would be considered as innate learning for those without special educational needs but require commitment, focus and precision teaching for our children to acquire. Without these innate skills the next steps into subject specific learning remain out of reach.>
Beyond our core curriculum threads The EYFS Framework and National Curriculum for England form the basis of our Cognition and Learning curriculum.
Interventions and approaches may include relevant aspects of;
All staff are Team Teach trained providing a positive ethos and understanding of issues surrounding behaviour and communication.
Across the school teaching is differentiated to meet the needs of all children. Multi agency working is essential for children’s learning with support from school nurse, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, play therapist and curricular specialists alongside holistic support including CAMHS, family liaison, social care etc
Education Health and Care Plans are reviewed annually and the EHCP outcomes are reflected in Personalised Learning Targets [PLTs] which are reviewed 3x per year. PLT’s facilitate learning across the curriculum and are personalised to individual need.
Pupil Progress Meetings are held 3x per year where pupil progress is judged against Delamere Progression Guidance. Pupil progress is judged from individual starting points acknowledging prior learning.
Other assessments are ongoing including Bsquared, Holistic Achievement Records, ILD/ Target Tracker, Communication Passports, Sensory Profiles, Phonics assessments and Delamere Language Scheme.
The pupil Prior Learning Journey links a pupil’s communication journey, their starting points, progress and assessment levels and is updated annually.
At Delamere we ensure pupils are making progress in that they know more, remember more and are able to do more by the effective delivery of our well-constructed, well taught, ambitious and personalised curriculum that has a balance between challenge and repetition;
Repetition provides the practice that children need to master new skills and embed long term learning. Repetition helps to improve speed, increases confidence, and strengthens the connections in the brain that help children learn. At Delamere we try to engage all of the senses to support a child’s learning including; visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile pathways to maximise potential. In this way we are creating a multisensory connection to the concepts and skills being taught. This in turn can help a child retain new information.
Throughout school teaching staff provide differentiated learning opportunities for all the children and provide materials and resources appropriate to children’s interests and abilities. This ensures that all children have full access to the school curriculum.
We deliver many aspects of the curriculum within the local community. This work could include: going on a shopping trip to buy ingredients for cooking in order to look at working with money; attending a local park in order to use communication aids to ask to go on equipment.
The curriculum accommodates social inclusion and involvement in projects with local businesses or schools. This especially but not exclusively supports pupil development in the arts and sports.
Cultural capital is the accumulation of knowledge, behaviours, and skills through exposure to a rich curriculum and planned cultural experiences.
This knowledge then becomes one of the key ingredients our pupils can draw upon to be successful members of society.
It helps children achieve their goals whatever their starting point.
Every child and family who joins our setting will have their own knowledge and experiences that will link to their culture and wider family. This might include: languages, beliefs, traditions, cultural and family heritage, interests, travel and work. We believe that for pupils to be able to appreciate and understand other cultures, they first need to feel confident in their own cultural identity first.
At Delamere School, children benefit from a flexible curriculum that builds on what they understand and know already. We believe that exposure, not only to culture but also to situations in which the children might not have previous experiences of, is of paramount importance to their ongoing success.
Gradually widening children’s experiences as they progress through school is an important step in providing rich and engaging learning across the curriculum. We plan carefully for children to have progressively richer experiences throughout their time at Delamere. These include trips to the local park, shops and visits to places of worship, museums, sports and music venues just to name a few.
At Delamere we don’t view cultural capital as a separate subject but view it as something that flows through our curriculum and is part of everything we do. We are aware that some of our children have only limited exposure to experiences in their early years. We address this through dialogue with parents and provide experiences that will extend and develop their cultural capital.
We want all children to develop a functional communication system which then allows them to participate in further learning and the wider world. We know that there is a clear correlation between the ability to communicate and academic, social and emotional development.
We want all children to maintain positive mental health and be able to regulate and express their emotions in a healthy way.
We want all children to thrive physically and have the knowledge, skills and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of physical wellbeing.
In addition to the above;
We want all children to acquire a love of books and where appropriate independent reading skills.
We want all children to achieve progressive steps in their academic knowledge across a broad range of subjects.
We want all children to achieve enjoyment from being at school and maintain a curiosity about learning.
Finally, we want all children to develop their independent life skills as they move through Delamere in preparation for the world outside school and the next stage of their education.
Underpinning all teaching and learning is an emphasis on the development of Communication and Personal Development including: social interaction and developing relationships and physical development for both gross and fine motor skills.
Lessons are planned to facilitate development in these areas, with consolidation of skills embedded through all learning opportunities.
Pupils are provided with many ‘real life’ opportunities, for example, educational visits are used to widen experiences and develop awareness of the world around them. This offers opportunities to develop real life practical skills. Lessons are planned to facilitate development in all these areas.
Underpinning all teaching and learning is an emphasis on the development of Communication and Personal Development including: social interaction, social understanding, social communication and physical development. Lessons are planned to facilitate development in these areas but specific teaching, for example in social skills, life skills and sensory desensitisation are also necessary.
Pupils are provided with many ‘real life’ opportunities, for example, educational visits are used to help reduce rigidity, develop appropriate social skills such as waiting in shops or having snack in a café and learning about the world in general. Pupils all access a full differentiated curriculum delivered in a way that addresses the triad of impairment and sensory issues.
Underpinning all teaching and learning for pupils in the structured learners department is an emphasis on the development of Communication and Personal Development including: social interaction, social understanding, social communication and physical development. Lessons are planned to facilitate development in these areas but specific teaching, for example in social skills, life skills and sensory desensitisation are also necessary. Pupils are provided with many ‘real life’ opportunities, for example, educational visits are used to help reduce rigidity, develop appropriate social skills such as waiting in shops or having snack in a café and learning about the world in general. Pupils all access a full differentiated curriculum delivered in a way that addresses the triad of impairment and sensory issues
Underpinning all teaching and learning for pupils in the independent leaners department is an emphasis on the development of Communication and Personal Development including: social interaction, social understanding, social communication and physical development. Differentiated, subject based lessons are planned to facilitate development in these areas. Pupils are provided with many ‘real life’ opportunities, for example, educational visits are used to help transfer learning into “real” situations.
For more information on our Curriculum please contact the school office on 0161 747 5893 who can direct you through to the Curriculum Lead / Deputy Head
