Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact
Intent, Implication and Impact: Whole Curriculum Rationale
Our Curriculum Pathways
The Mendip School is committed to and passionate about the learning and progress of our students. Staff, parents and governors have high aspirations for our children and provide a high quality, relevant, ambitious, broad and balanced education for all our students. The school has a curriculum that focuses on individual, personal and academic achievement. There is a happy and positive atmosphere in which children can fulfil their potential and grow in self-confidence, whilst respecting others and the environment around them.
Intent
We believe that every student possesses unique strengths, talents, and an inherent capacity for growth We want all of our students to leave school as independent as they can possibly be in a fulfilling paid job or supported employment. Preparing students to be responsible, caring citizens who are independent and curious about the world, ensures that they develop the self-esteem and resilience they need to share their voice and feel heard.
In order for our students to reach their full potential our curriculum is broad, balanced and aims to create an educational experience that prepares students for adulthood. Our curriculum is deeply person-centred and unique, adapting flexibly to the diverse needs, learning styles, and aspirations of each individual, empowering them to thrive and achieve their fullest potential. This personalization extends to every aspect of their learning, anchored by their personalised learning goals.
Our focus is supporting our students to make connections with the knowledge learned in school, with real life situations and first-hand experiences. We develop our pupil’s knowledge and understanding of the wider world with discussion topics surrounding cultural capital, diversity and British Values. They are adapted regularly in light of UK and global current affairs.
Our students represent a very wide range of abilities and in response the curriculum provides a number of pathways that lead to a variety of post school destinations such as college, work or supported employment.
We conducted a curriculum review between March 2019 and March 2020. Stakeholders such as local authority colleagues and community representatives, governors, staff, students and parents were invited into school to meet to discuss our curriculum.
Our curriculum is made up of 4 key building blocks which can be defined as shown below.
 | Our formal curriculum is based on academic learning and aligns with the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS), National Curriculum and recognised qualification routes including Equals. These are adapted to identify the key sequential learning for students across the school. Each curriculum area has a framework to support teaching, learning and assessment. Frameworks build on prior learning to enable young people to progress to the next stage of their academic journey and make connections to real life experiences to prepare them for adulthood. For further information see our formal curriculum page. |
 | Our holistic curriculum describes ways in which we support our pupil’s learning and social and emotional wellbeing. This includes (but is not limited to) life skills, community access, careers and therapies. The holistic overview of topics supports the develop of cultural capital, SMSC and British Values. Students explore these topics through discussion, activities, events and off-site opportunities. These topics are based on pupil interests, our local community, wider UK and international events and issues. As part of the holistic curriculum therapeutic work includes (but is not limited to) speech and language therapy (SALT), sensory support, occupational therapy (OT), THRIVE, social emotional and mental health (SEMH) support and zones of regulation. We employ a range of therapists to support work in these areas and our Therapy Team is led by the OT in a lead practitioner role. Our THRIVE practitioner coordinates the provision and supports other staff trained in the THRIVE approach. For further information see our Holistic Curriculum page. |
 | All students in school are supported to consider what makes an effective learner. This equips our students with the key reflective skills they need to live as independently as possible. |
 | Non-negotiables are core pedagogy, approaches and strategies that have been proven to support students with autism and/or SLCN. As part of the induction training package for all staff these approaches support the ethos and culture of the school. They include (but are not limited to):
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Implementation
Pathways to Learning
All students will experience all parts of the curriculum. However, skilled staff will manage the time spent on each of these elements for each individual across the school.
As a rough guide, students are grouped into pathways and will access the building blocks of the curriculum as shown below
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| Students accessing a largely life skills curriculum | Students requiring a high level of nurture/ therapeutic support | Students ready to access learning at a lower level – below AREs | Students ready to access learning in line with (or just below) AREs |
| Pupil progress is analysed 3x a year and interventions/support is planned to enable all students to access the greatest proportion of academic learning possible, while preparing them for adult life. | |||
Ready to Learn 1
Sample timetable
These students will be working mostly on our formal curriculum and may go onto to take formal qualifications such as GCSE’s or Entry Level qualifications. These students will continue to access the holistic curriculum where appropriate. Characteristics of effective learning and core non-negotiables also play a daily role in their learning.
Some of these Students may be educated at our offsite provision at Ansford Academy in Castle Cary.
Ready to Learn 2
Sample Timetables
These students are those that are readier to learn and make up a large proportion of students in school. Many will need support with their emotional regulation and behaviour. They will follow both formal and holistic learning opportunities. Characteristics of effective learning and core non-negotiables also play a daily role in their teaching and learning.
Learning to Learn
Sample timetable
These students have a higher level of need in terms of social and emotional development. These students will have a higher proportion of their curriculum in the holistic areas with some formal curriculum. Our goal is to reduce anxiety, increase resilience and teach our students to be in a classroom environment with other learners. Characteristics of effective learning and core non-negotiables also play a daily role in their teaching and learning.
Learning for Life
Sample timetables
These students will follow the holistic curriculum in order to support them to live as independently as possible after leaving school. Students will focus on practical skills in Math and English, they will be taught functional skills through real life experiences. Characteristics of effective learning and core non-negotiables are a larger and key part of their curriculum. These students will focus on learning skills for independence, work experience and community access. The majority of these students will work on a completely bespoke curriculum based on their individual learning goals (PLGs). These students will also use the Engagement Model. Please see the life skills curriculum statement for more information.
Mental Health and Well-Being and Social, Moral, Spiritual Cultural development (SMSC)
At The Mendip School, supporting pupil and staff mental health is at the heart of everything we do. Promoting positive mental health and understanding where to access support is crucial to equip our students with a voice to share their feelings.
We believe that in order for a child to thrive and learn, they first need to be happy and engaged. We teach our students to recognise their own mental health needs and develop strategies to support their own personal well-being.
Children with additional needs are particularly vulnerable to mental health challenges, and the impact that this can have on those close to them is also significant. At The Mendip School, we are constantly evolving and developing new strategies that can help support our students with this area of their development. Some of the supports we have in place are:
- A designated Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead
- A Well-Being Action Group
- On-site art therapy, play therapy and music therapy
- A full time THRIVE practitioner
- School animals, including dogs and chickens
- Calm Club at breaktimes
- Breakfast club
- Lego Therapy programmes
- Sensory room
- Pupil surveys
- Access to an enriching outdoor environment
- Training workshops and support for families
- Zones of Regulation framework to support with emotional understanding
- Regular opportunities for sensory integration
- School council
By taking a holistic approach with the education of the children, we aim for our students to come to school each day and feel happy. By giving them the tools to understand their emotions and how to communicate them, we hope that they can access the wider world around them with as little stress and confusion as possible. Students are celebrated as individuals, ensuring their wellbeing is prioritised is an integral part of their education experience.
SMSC
Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a part of our holistic curriculum which is embedded through the classroom and extra-curricular learning throughout The Mendip School. Please see the SMSC overview for more information.
Behaviour support
We positively support behaviour and use the TEAM TEACH model. We believe in teaching students to manage themselves rather than using behaviour control systems that do not teach students to understand their owns needs and how to emotionally regulate themselves. Rewards, motivators, positive praise, restorative practises and emotion coaching helps our students learn to self-regulate. A Behaviour Team monitors behaviour across the school, provides support to staff and students with a view to reducing behaviours that challenge and increasing emotional resilience.
Impact – How we measure progress
We know that the majority of students at The Mendip School are happy and enjoy coming to school. We know this from asking our students and parents, school council for feedback, as well as the general atmosphere around school.
Books and physical work in class can show progress, we also use a system called Evidence for Learning to track progress. Evidence for Learning provides a long-term learning journey for all students throughout their time in our school. Teachers are able to use this tool to effectively plan for each child according to their own needs and next steps.
Evidence for learning is also used to monitor and document progress against Education and Health Care Plans and students Personalised Learning Goals. This may be shown using photographs, annotated work and teacher comments.
Often parents comment that starting at The Mendip School has a dramatic and positive impact on their child, both in school and at home.
Each student has a flight path. Here we track students at 3 points during the year from a baseline to ensure students are making expected or above expected progress against future qualifications. These are shared with parents during progress meetings.
Progress conversations
Three times a year staff work with senior leaders, subject leaders and governors to discuss the progress students are making in their class. During these conversations Evidence for Learning is reviewed alongside pupil books and flight paths. These conversations help identify those that may be exceeding expectation, those who are on track and those that may require further support or intervention. Evidence of these conversations are kept on Evidence for Learning.
Careers and work experience
Students work with their class staff, careers lead and external providers to develop skills for life after The Mendip School. Students engage in a wide range of experiences to prepare them for next steps. Cultural Capital and British Values are included in this work. For further information about careers please visit the careers page.
Standardised Assessments and Qualifications
Students use standardised assessments at points during their time at school, these range from STAR reading tests, SATS, Rising Stars PUMA/PRIA assessments and mock exams. These ensure our students are working on the right flight paths and learning pathways.
You can find out more about our curriculum and subjects by emailing the staff member directly or contacting the office with your enquiry, office@themendipschool.com