Curriculum
Our Primary curriculum is designed to provide a broad, balanced, and engaging learning experience that meets the individual needs of our pupils. We adapt the National Curriculum to ensure that every child can access learning at their own pace, with a strong focus on communication, social interaction, and independence. Our curriculum is built upon the foundation of our school vision: Every pupil will learn the skills and develop the confidence needed to become a valued, integrated, and independent member of their community.
Curriculum Pathways
Our Primary curriculum is organised into three distinct pathways, each designed to meet the diverse needs of our students. These pathways align with the SCERTS principles and are personalised to ensure that every pupil is supported and challenged according to their developmental stage.
Pathway 1: SCERTS – Language Partner Stage
This pathway is focused on building functional literacy and numeracy skills, with an emphasis on language and communication development. Pupils engage in activities that promote life and work skills, helping them become more independent. A thematic approach is used for some subjects, integrating real-world context into learning. This pathway is ideal for pupils at an early stage of communication and language development.
Pathway 2: SCERTS – Conversational Partner Stage
This pathway is more subject-based and is adapted and differentiated from the National Curriculum. Pupils at this stage begin to explore a broader range of subjects and develop a deeper understanding of knowledge and skills. The focus is on strengthening conversational abilities and increasing engagement with a wide range of subjects in a structured and supportive way.
Pathway 3: SCERTS – Social Partner Stage
The focus of this pathway is on independence, life skills, communication, emotional regulation, and addressing sensory needs. A highly personalised approach is used, incorporating significant therapeutic input to meet the unique needs of each pupil. This pathway is particularly designed for children who require a more individualised curriculum and high levels of support to thrive in their learning and development.
Curriculum Overview
All three pathways offer a broad and balanced curriculum that builds upon the knowledge, understanding, and skills of every pupil, whatever their starting point. As students progress through each Key Stage, they are supported in a way that ensures they reach their full potential in all areas of learning.
Our curriculum also incorporates a range of additional experiences and opportunities to meet the individual developmental needs of our children. In addition to academic subjects, there is a strong focus on Personal Development, including the Thrive Approach, which is used to assess and support pupils’ social and emotional development.
Phonics and Reading
In KS1 and KS2, we use the Read Write Inc. phonics programme, which is a systematic and consistent approach to teaching phonics and early literacy skills. The resources are carefully adapted to meet the needs of our children, ensuring they receive the right level of support across the different pathways.
For guided reading, we use the Boost/Rising Stars reading scheme, which is based on Letters and Sounds progression and phonics criteria. Some students access books digitally, while others take physical copies home to share. These books are carefully selected to match each pupil’s level of understanding, supporting their development in reading and comprehension.
We also incorporate Power of Reading texts into our literacy lessons, allowing pupils to explore high-quality stories and develop their reading and writing skills in a progressive and sequenced way.
Further Information
- Curriculum Strategic Overview: To get a view of the ‘Big Picture’ of our curriculum approach and the Intent, Implementation and Impact underpinning our plans, please see this link.
- Religious Education (RE): Parents have the right to withdraw their child from RE lessons if they wish. Should a parent wish to make this request, they are encouraged to contact the school office to arrange an appointment with the Head of Primary, Mr. A. Van Dyk.
For any further curriculum-related queries, please feel free to contact Mr. A. Van Dyk, Head of Primary, via the school office at office@mks.org.uk.
