Key Stages 3 and 4

Secondary

Secondary Curriculum at Pond Meadow 

The Pond Meadow secondary curriculum framework is designed to foster student’s confidence, independence and love of learning.

Encouraging all students to reach their full potential and best prepare them for the next stage is at the centre of our teaching. The curriculum is designed to support students to generalise their academic skills across a wider environment while encouraging the further development of independence and life skills through a range of motivating, functional learning experiences.  

The secondary curriculum is based on aspects of the national curriculum and focuses on the development of functional skills, independence and life skills through a range of core and foundation subject areas. The curriculum is centred around the ASDAN Life Skills Challenge program where students access individual topics and challenges in their specialised ‘skills group’. This allows us to personalise the learning pathway of each student, ensuring that learning activities are motivating and challenging for each individual and support them to gain skills in line with our aspirations.

Students are encouraged to apply and generalise skills learnt in the primary school with increasing independence and are supported to transition to different classrooms and areas in the school as part of the Life Skills Challenge curriculum. There is a focus on the teaching of functional literacy and mathematics, to support pupils to transfer these skills into real-life contexts. PSHCE and RSHE continue to be embedded throughout the secondary curriculum to support pupils to develop the appropriate skills they need as they mature.

For an overview of our curriculum, please see our Key Stage 3 and 4 curriculum map by clicking here.

Example weekly timetable:

Picture4

 

Picture5

 

Curriculum Enrichment

The secondary curriculum offers a breadth of opportunities for students to take part in an extensive range of cross-curricular activities.

Practical learning in the community is closely linked to our curriculum topics and students are encouraged to apply and transfer learnt skills in a functional context. Examples of this would be reading signs and symbols in the local area, applying number and money skills during shopping trips and travelling to a specific location independently/with reduced support.

One off outings linked to particular topic modules are also thoroughly enjoyed by the students and enable them to extend their knowledge and understanding of a particular context/topic into a wider environment. For example, visiting the farm when learning about animal care or going to the beach when studying a geography topic.

These experiences not only enhance student’s curriculum learning but also encourage them to develop their confidence, independence, curiosity, social interactions, life skills and foster a true love of learning.

Equality in the Secondary School Curriculum

All students, regardless of their learning needs or profile have equal access to a broad and balanced curriculum. This is to equip them with the skills they need to succeed.

We ensure that this is embedded throughout the curriculum by:

  • Ensuring the curriculum is structured in a way that promotes equality of access for all groups of learners and best prepares them for their next stage. 
  • Using teaching resources that reflect the diversity of the school community and wider society, including race, religion and gender.
  • Providing a variety of opportunities for pupils to celebrate their own culture and learn about the culture of others. 
  • Involving parents and carers in the curriculum and encouraging them to be active participants in their child’s education. 
  • Celebrating differences and promoting attitudes and values that challenge prejudice and discriminatory behaviour.
  • Using teaching strategies that are personalised and inclusive of the learning needs of individual pupils.

Qualifications and Accreditation in Key Stage 3 and 4:

ASDAN Life Skills Challenge

Students follow the ASDAN Life Skills Challenge program in Key Stage 3 and 4 and complete half termly units to achieve their certification.

For more information about ASDAN please click here.