About Our Classes

Pre-Formal/Semi-Formal Pathway

There is 1 Pre-Formal/Semi-Formal Pathway class: Bay

Bay

Please see our Yearly Planning Overview for a detailed termly breakdown of delivery.

Bay is a mixed class of Key Stage 3, 4 & 5 pre- and semi-formal pupils having a predominantly class-based curriculum based on the EQUALS Scheme of Work that enables pupils to develop their communication, independence and practical skills. The Key Stage 4 & 5 pupils access ASDAN accreditations such as Transition Challenge. Pupils mainly work in one of three small ability groups across most activities each day, with an adult linked to each group. Time for social interaction, communication and independence is promoted and there are cognitive breaks when needed. Some pupils attend weekly intervention sessions to push further their functional cognition skills.

Semi-Formal Pathway

There are 6 Semi-Formal Pathway classes: Lime, Cedar, Fir, Birch, Rowan and Laurel

Lime, Cedar and Fir

Please see our Yearly Planning Overview for a detailed termly breakdown of delivery.

Lime, Cedar and Fir are Key Stage 3 classes having a predominantly class-based curriculum based on the EQUALS Scheme of Work that enables pupils to develop their communication, independence and practical skills. These pupils will access either ASDAN Transition Challenge or ASDAN Personal Progress at Key Stage 4, depending on their development/progress.

Birch

Please see our Yearly Planning Overview for a detailed termly breakdown of delivery.

Birch is a mixed class of Key Stage 3, 4 & 5 pupils which follows a ‘semi-formal’ pathway that is designed to develop communication, independence, work and life skills. Learning activities take place both in the classroom and in the community where pupils have the opportunity to experience real life situations. These pupils complete ASDAN Personal Progress units (and/or OCR Life & Living Skills units). Emotional. social and well-being is supported by regular sessions of Zones of Regulation, off-site PE and enrichment activities.

Rowan

Please see our Yearly Planning Overview for a detailed termly breakdown of delivery.

Rowan is a mixed class of Key Stage 4 & 5 pupils which follows a ‘semi-formal’ curriculum that is designed to develop practical, work and life skills. These pupils complete ASDAN Personal Progress units (and/or OCR Life & Living Skills units). Some pupils access college links to give a taster of college.

Laurel

Please see our Yearly Planning Overview for a detailed termly breakdown of delivery.

Laurel is a class of Key Stage 4 pupils which follows a ‘semi-formal’ curriculum that is designed to develop practical, work and life skills. These pupils complete ASDAN Personal Progress units (and/or OCR Life & Living Skills units).

Semi-Formal/Formal Pathway

There is 1 Semi-Formal/Formal Pathway class: Oak

Oak

Please see our Yearly Planning Overview for a detailed termly breakdown of delivery.

Oak is a Key Stage 5 class, with a mix of formal and semi-formal curriculum learners. The curriculum is designed to develop practical, work and life skills with pupils completing OCR Life & Living Skills units. The Oak curriculum is designed to help prepare the learners for transition to college, therefore their timetable includes a day link visit to a local college and a day of work experience.

Formal Pathway

There is 1 Formal Pathway class: Elm

Elm

Please see our Yearly Planning Overview for a detailed termly breakdown of delivery.

Elm is a mixed Key Stage 3 and 4 class that follows a formal curriculum with the addition of Life Skills, work experience, careers and business enterprise. These pupils will complete Entry Level, BTEC or GCSE courses across their subjects as appropriate. Pupils in Elm class access lessons at Dorin Park School and offsite at Upton High School.

Enrichment

All pupils take part in Enrichment sessions once per week. Enrichment sessions are designed so that pupils are offered activities and concepts to engage them that are out of the constraints of the conventional curriculum. We believe that our pupils have the right to a diverse, rich and exciting curriculum. Enrichment sessions allow us to be creative in our approach to pupils’ learning and in the use of our many resources.

*In addition to traditional Literacy lessons, all pupils have a 20-minute Literacy slot Mon-Fri. This initiative is to give extra focus to Literacy across the school and is directed by the Literacy subject leader.

Residentials

Residential experiences are offered on a rota basis.