Curriculum

The Southover Partnership offers education for pupils aged 8- 19 with Education and Health Care (EHC) plans. Some of our pupils have faced traumatic life experiences affecting their development, and many have a history of disrupted schooling. Therefore we understand that some students need bespoke education, hybrid packages of formal education and other provision, and extended transitions based on their needs. We also offer Outreach education for students currently unable to attend a physical school site.

Pupils are placed with us from a wide range of Local Authorities surrounding our Edgware, Kingsbury Manor and Finchley sites, and with our Outreach Provision.

Learners have social, emotional and/or mental health as their primary needs, and many have additional needs such as ADHD or Autism Spectrum Condition. Our pupils have a wide range of academic abilities and prior attainment.

Curriculum Intent

Through our curriculum, we aim to ensure that every young person is ready for all the possibilities the world has to offer.

This includes:

• Developing strong and healthy relationships with others – including those from a range of backgrounds and with varied lived experiences
• Achieving relevant academic qualifications which support their future goals
• Making positive contributions to the community
• Taking care of oneself physically and mentally, and understand one’s own emotions
• Having the confidence and resilience to pursue meaningful life goals
• Being prepared to live independently
• Understanding the world around them
• Appreciating and engaging in creative and artistic pursuits
• Being prepared to identify and pursue meaningful life and career goals

We recognise that because each of our pupils is unique, so is their curriculum. Whilst there will be commonalities between individuals, each child will need different support and opportunities to reach their potential.

Approach

Our approach is rooted in Attachment Theory and therefore we work hard to help our young people establish secure attachments with staff members first and foremost. Our pupils need to feel safe, seen and valued before any meaningful work takes place, so this is our priority for pupils when they join us. We follow a ‘small school’ model for this same reason; because it is best suited to help our pupils feel secure, understood, and as part of a learning community.

Each pupil is the starting point of our curriculum design; rather than applying a pre-set curriculum to them, we first seek to understand the pupil and then design an appropriately broad, rich, challenging, supportive and relevant curriculum to meet their needs.

Understanding the Pupil

We draw upon a range of evidence sources when a pupil joins us, so that we can develop the appropriate curriculum. This may include:

• Their EHCP
• Academic assessment information and reports from previous settings
• Reports and documentation from other professionals – eg Educational Psychologists, CAMHS, SALT etc
• The pupil’s views as shared with a trusted adult, and as part of their admissions process
• The views of parents and carers
• Other assessments conducted around the time of admission – eg Reading Assessments, Phonics Screening, Boxall Profiles, CATS etc.
• Any information provided about the pupil’s long-term goals for adulthood and career

Developing the Curriculum Structure

Once the pupil’s needs are understood, we develop an appropriate offer of subjects and experiences for each young person. We draw upon elements of the National Curriculum but do not use this as the basis for our curriculum design.

Each pupil’s curriculum may include:

Opportunities to develop literacy, numeracy, PSHE and SEMH skills are embedded across numerous subject areas.

Depending on their age and stage, pupils may work towards a range of qualifications including:

• Entry Level 1/2/3
• Functional Skills Level 1&2
• GCSE
• A-Level
• Vocation qualifications Level 1/2/3
• AQA Unit Awards

Many of our pupils will work towards more than 1 qualification in the same subject over time – for example, a Functional Skills qualification followed by a GCSE. This supports pupils to manage assessments over time and build in opportunities to secure fundamental knowledge and skills before advancing.

Pupils enter for qualifications/examinations when they are ready, rather than at fixed time of their academic career.

Intent Statements

Click on each subject to view the individual Intent Statement

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Humanities
• ICT/Computer Science
• Art
• Music
• PE
• Food

Reading and Literacy

We understand that reading and effective communications skills are fundamental for all of our pupils. Whether they are advanced in these areas or behind age-related expectations, we support all of our pupils to develop reading, literacy and communications skills as a core part of their curriculum.

Pupils learn and practice reading of fiction and non-fiction texts across the curriculum, and staff members use shared approaches to model and encourage clear, precise oral communication appropriate for the audience and context. 

Some of our pupils benefit from a phonics intervention programme. This is conducted on a 1:1 basis by specially trained staff members to help pupils become secure with each phoneme and develop their blending skills.

We use Rapid Reading with many pupils, to help them build their fluency and enjoyment of reading. In addition, we use Toe by Toe to support targeted students to develop their understanding of phonics.

The school plans opportunities for pupils to read for pleasure; pupils who read for pleasure independently are rewarded as part of our whole-school rewards programme. We engage in recreational reading activities periodically to encourage reading as an enjoyable social experience.

Pupils who struggle with handwriting are offered bespoke interventions overseen by our Occupational Therapist. Those who require scribes or assistive technology to communicate are provided with these tools.

Pupils complete periodic reading tests to gauge their skill levels and identify where interventions would be most useful.

Numeracy

We understand the importance of fundamental numeracy skills for pupils to understand and navigate the world in which we live. Robust numeracy skills support students to master a range of academic subjects including Science, Music and ICT/Computing.

All subjects across the curriculum will embed and reference numeracy skills and knowledge where relevant in their planning and lessons.

This may include activities such as:

• Reinforcing understanding of number, ratio and proportion when learning about the scale of change, challenge and time
• Reinforcing accurate diagramming, scale and measurement when preparing diagrams, graphs and charts
• Understanding statistics and what they represent, as well as how they can be used to obfuscate or mislead
• Estimating quantities, probability and proportion and scaling
• Sequencing and organising information

Though mathematical concepts may be used in a range of curriculum areas, it is important that staff members ensure that students understand their use or meaning may vary according to the subject and context.

Staff members should plan to introduce and build on mathematical learning using precise language, definitions and examples, to ensure that students develop accurate and precise understanding.

The Broader Curriculum

SMSC, British Values and Protected Characteristics

We work hard to foster an inclusive environment at The Southover Partnership. This means we embed learning about Social, Moral, Spiritual and Cultural issues across our curriculum; within academic lessons and through our broader school experiences. This includes recognizing and celebrating a range of special events, cultural ‘bring and share’ school lunches and events and studying a range of diverse role models and texts. Our PSHE curriculum, which includes Preparation for Adulthood, explicitly addresses concepts such as British Values and Protected Characteristics, and our school’s policies (eg Positive Behaviour Policy) reinforce the need to ensure that everyone is welcome and included at school.

Careers

Our Careers provision involves a range of activities for all pupils, as well as individual support. Our Careers Lead works with each pupil on a personalised plan to explore and prepare for a range of career opportunities which are ambitious and relevant to their skills, talents and interests. Careers are also explored within other subject areas where appropriate.

Preparation for Adulthood

Preparation for Adulthood is embedded into our PSHE Curriculum as one of the core themes. In addition, we identify pupils’ individual Preparation for Adulthood goals via our EHCP review and individual target-setting process and plan individual interventions and activities to meet their needs. For example, some pupils benefit from travel training, planning for independent living, learning about how to prepare healthy and balanced meals, and personal grooming, in addition to the core PSHE curriculum.

Partnerships

We work in partnership with external providers to ensure that our curriculum is broad. Some of our pupils attend the Freightliners Farm weekly; this provides learners with a chance to engage in animal therapy and learn about animal care. In addition, some learners participate in Equine Therapy as part of their school week. Learners seeking a vocational path may have a split placement with Southover and a local college such as Barnet and Southgate College, CONEL, Harrow College, Capel Manor College and various others, to provide them with a supported opportunity to engage in bespoke vocational subjects and retain a close link with Southover for core and therapeutic support.

We also support and plan trips, visits and activities for our pupils to broaden their experience and perspective on the world.

Therapeutic

The schools are therapeutic environments where all pupils benefit from our universal offer: this includes additional staff training on trauma-informed practice, attachment theory, literacy support and managing the needs associated with various conditions such as Autism Spectrum Condition and ADHD.

In addition, some pupils have bespoke therapeutic support with our Counsellor, Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) or Occupational Therapist (OT).

We also have specifically trained HLTAs at each site to provide additional support for pupils with their daily OT, SALT and emotional needs.

Classes and Sessions

Our schools work on a timetable of 20 lessons per week: 4 1-hour lessons per day.

In addition, we have regularly scheduled breaks and lunches, including lunchtime activities, clubs and assemblies.

We recognise that some of our pupils may need phased transitions, or part-time provision as part of a longer-term plan, depending on their needs. Therefore we strive to implement the most appropriate schedule for each pupil. In addition, some of our post-16 pupils require more or fewer contact hours depending on their needs, areas of study and capacity to work independently; therefore their contact hours in school may vary accordingly.

Many of our pupils require breaks throughout their day to manage sensory and emotional needs. These are planning in by teaching staff and Teaching Assistants so that each child can manage themselves effectively.