PEBBLE BROOK SCHOOL
WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO – A RATIONALE
Pebble Brook School is a secondary school for young people with certain challenges that can affect their learning and development. We all have things that challenge us but for our pupils they are more specific and often with a medically defined description including a speech and language disorder, autism, ADHD, or a global development issue.
Some of our pupils also face the challenge of a low level physical disability or a sensory impairment. We also have some pupils with a medical condition such as epilepsy. Less than 5% of our pupils have Social Emotional and Mental Health defined as their condition and we also have around the same percentage with Down’s Syndrome.
The above paragraph does not quite fit with our values and ethos that centres around individuality. All our pupils are individuals and respected as such by all staff in our approach to learning and we hesitate to apply any sort of label.
Our challenge is to maximise Preparation for Adulthood. Preparing for the next steps as a student leaves secondary school education through a relevant and appropriate curriculum.
Curriculum at Pebble Brook School
Key stages 3 and 4
( see section on sixth form for Post 16 curriculum)
As we move on from COVID, lockdown world, we have worked continuously to update, adapt and restructure our curriculum. During these times we developed a greater understanding of our pupils as young people and wanted to develop a curriculum and related practice that fully supports the transition from an early secondary school pupil to a young adult.
Our pupils missed many of the opportunities that being together, day after day, in a school can offer. We have analysed the impact and have designed a curriculum that will ensure global development in core curriculum skills and independence. We apply the global term ‘Preparation for Adulthood’ (PfA).
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Our school vision and values has a key section, one we call ‘In reality’.
We want our pupils to maximise their independence and to be ready for their next steps in their lives.
We believe that to achieve this then we should have the Pebble Brook ‘Preparation for Adulthood’ curriculum at the forefront of all we do. The list below details the key areas that we cover as we enable our pupils to grow as young adults.
- Literacy skills (English Curriculum)
- Numeracy skills (Maths Curriculum)
- Social Development
- Emotional Development
- Life skills
- Citizenship
- British Values
- Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development
- Behaviour for learning and life
- Careers and Employability
- Social Interaction
- Social Resilience.
- Personal and Social, Health and Economic Education.
- Religious Education
Further to the above, we add breadth and balance to our curriculum to ensure a range of learning opportunities, all of which can link closely to Preparation for Adulthood.
Please note that content and intent for all our curriculum subjects are available via the hyperlinks at the foot of this section of our website.
- Science
- PE
- Computing
- Technology including food technology
- Art
- Music
- Drama
- Modern foreign Language (Makaton signing)
- Humanities
- Horticulture
- Plumbing
- Bricklaying
- Small Animal Care
- Our World
- Health and Social Care
- Sport
Curriculum outside the Classroom
- Hospitality in our school café
- Car maintenance
- Farming and cultivation
- Work Experiences.
All the above areas of learning are part of every pupils learning experiences in Key Stage 3 and 4 across the school year. We ensure that all is taught and assessed in the correct proportion and at the appropriate time.
All areas have been analysed for INTENT. Why exactly are we covering this learning and what impact do we hope to have.
Putting it into Practice.
Documentation (all available on website):
- Curriculum Yearly Overviewplan with statement of intent. Used by subject teachers for planning and the basis of their assessments. It emphasises what we cover, when we cover it and why we do it. All statements of intent relate to our school vision and values, especially the ‘In reality’ section mentioned above.
- Preparation for Adulthood– three stages of development in each area of PfA (Social dev, Emotional Dev, Life Skills, Citizenship, British Values and SMSC). The small steps taken by all young people are far too broad, intricate and changeable to justify a ‘step by step’ approach. We have created three broad, graduated areas that all pupils should pass through as they prepare for adult life as they get to 19 years of age. The three levels and subsections have been defined and designed by school staff.
- Skill Curriculum– expansion of the areas of development within PfA. These are attitudes, ideas and practical knowledge listed on one curriculum that will enable progress in our PfA documentation. Written and prepared by school staff.
- Progress Reporting– the summary document used to collate individual development in key areas. It is a key document used by all staff so that each member of staff is clear as to where every pupil is in key areas and where they should be going next.
- Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) – all are all brought up to date by our school co-ordinator and contain relevant targets as well as personal ambitions and interests. They are the foundation for personalisation.
SIRS – Social Interaction Social Resilience
This particular curriculum has been devised by our school therapy team and is implemented weekly across the whole school and also includes additional input for identified cases. It is unique and we believe will support all our pupils in a very important part of their development.
In Practice
All our curriculum subjects are taught in 45 min lessons across a day of seven lessons. Our curriculum subjects are planned and delivered using our schemes and overview.
Assess – where are the pupils now.
Plan – prepare the appropriate content of the lesson.
Do – deliver the lesson.
Review – reflect on how it went and return to assess.
We record and evidence individual pupil progress using our online system known as ‘Earwig’. This system holds a wealth of intricate information on subject progress and is maintained by each subject teacher.
Equality and Diversity in our curriculum
The following are taken from our school stated objectives.
- To promote cultural understanding and awareness, valuing and celebrating various cultures and religious beliefs amongst different ethnic groups within our school community
Who? All students, staff and governors
How? Day to day ethos of the school. Our curriculum. Specialised groups eg ‘girls group’. Assemblies. Family involvement (open days, celebrations, FoPBS). Linking to local community groups eg Islamic Centre, Community Café.
- To monitor and promote the involvement of all groups of students in the extra-curricular life of the school, including leadership opportunities
Who? School staff
How? Any after school club, residential trip, sports events, community events (eg litter picking) are open to all students and are actively promoted as opportunities for all students.
- To diversify the curriculum in all areas to ensure the positive representation of all protected characteristics across so that our students see and can be seen
Who All staff and governors
How? Curriculum analysis. We have recently rewritten our curriculum and have carefully considered the intent, content and implication in terms of equality and diversity. There are positive representations across the curriculum, prevalent in PSHE, PE, Skills and RE.
September 2023
Click Here to see our MASTER KEY SKILLS FOR AFTERNOON CURRICULUM
Click Here to see our Personal Progress Record Blank
Click Here to see our Vision values and strategy
Click Here to see our PfA Crib Sheet-stages for personal development
Click Here to see our Curriculum Policy
Click here to see our Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy
Click here to see our document on Achievement and Progress
Subject intent and yearly overview
MAIN
ART & Design: Intent / Overview
Food & Textiles Technology: Intent / Overview
RE: Intent
KS4PM Challenge Curriculum
Our World: Intent
Health & Social Care: Intent
Horticulture: Intent / Overview
Small Animal Care: Intent
Digital Media ICT: Intent / Overview
Woodwork: Intent
KS3 Afternoon Creative Curriculum
Outdoor Education: Intent / Overview
Citizenship: Intent
Life Skills (Out and about): Intent
KS5
Life Skills & Map: Intent / Overview
Work Experience: Intent
Travel Training & Map: Intent / Overview
Duke of Edinburgh Award: Intent
Works 4 U & MAP: Intent / Overview
Additional Needs
Yearly Overview: Intent
Core Curriculum KS3 and 4
We have a focus on literacy and numeracy hence all year groups have 5 lessons of English and 5 lessons of
maths every week. As well as these subjects they study science, computing, art and design, PSHE, PE and food
and textiles.
Period 5 KS3 and 4
Period 5 is taught in tutor groups and covers literacy and numeracy, alongside independence skills and RE. This
period offers flexibility to extend PSHE and therapy for all our pupils. Pupils will have the opportunity to read
and practise handwriting regularly across the week
Afternoons
Part of the weekly afternoon timetable for every pupil in the school is used to provide opportunities for
development of careers and employment skills through our Works 4 U curriculum.
Further Education at Pebble Brook School
At Key Stage 5, pupils in our post-16 FED have a varied offer of accredited and vocational or work related
programmes, personalised to individual needs and interests. We carry on the same principles outlined on
page one. It extends into even more independence and work related opportunities. It also keeps up the
literacy and numeracy focus.
Assessment principles remain the same as KS3 and 4.
Higher Need in FED.
One group in sixth form follows a pathway to independence through practical, independence skills. This group
also has a focus on functional literacy and numeracy. They are very much ‘sixth’ formers but do have their own
curriculum.
Creative Curriculum KS3
as expressive arts for years 8 and 9. Some of the topics from period 5 are expanded, and KS3 tutor groups have
the opportunity for input from our SALT teams. These lessons and activities give all our pupils a chance to use
and apply their learning, as well as learning new skills and approaches. The focus in the afternoon is on the
development of the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, cultural and personal wellbeing.
(known here as GLGP, Great Learners, Great People) The lessons are designed to ‘light the spark’ for our pupils
so that they can become fascinated and enthused by all school life can offer.
Challenge Curriculum KS4
Years 10 and 11 follow 1 or 2 year option courses on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Options
this year are – travel and tourism, small animal care, bricklaying, painting and decorating, horticulture, sports
leaders, BTEC Sport, art, and cookery. We also have a group of pupils who access mechanics at Aylesbury Youth
Motor project and and agriculture at BCA (Bucks College of Agriculture).
All courses are accredited. Levels of accreditation are from entry level 1 to BTEC level 2.
Religious Education (RE) in the Curriculum
We follow aspects of The Buckinghamshire Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 2011-16. RE is delivered
within the KS3 Creative Curriculum and in period 5s for KS4, as well as through special events and assemblies.
Relationships and Sex Education (RSE)
RSE is delivered through the PSHE curriculum and our pastoral programme, as well as in our afternoon
curriculum.
Intervention Classes – Bedgrove, Brill and Berryfield
Pupils with higher levels of need are taught in three mixed age groups with a high level of staffing, in order to
meet their needs. Our aim over 5 years is to implement a curriculum that supports progressing pupils to Stage
2 of the new National Curriculum by the time they exit the class.
We plan purposeful activity that provides opportunities for learning both in and out of the classroom, with
appropriate intervention to allow pupils to make progress in their learning. Within this there is provision for
the different starting points, building on what the pupils can already do as well as their differing learning
styles, with relevant, appropriate content that matches the differing needs. Children are engaged in planned
activities, as well as those the pupils plan and initiate, in an organised learning environment that provides
structure for teaching and learning.
We focus on communication and language, physical development, personal, social and emotional
development, literacy, numeracy, understanding the world and expressive arts and design.
The Role of Therapy Within The Curriculum
The role of therapy within the curriculum is to ensure that every pupil is able to achieve at their best and have
the best possible outcomes. Therapy is used within the school environment, classroom in group work or with
the individual, but complements and/or aids the educational experience of the pupil. Whilst the curriculum
recognises all aspects of a pupil’s development, so should therapy work with education to recognise barriers
to learning and help to resolve those barriers where possible.
The aim of our Therapy Services is to provide strategies and tools to all school staff to aid teaching and
learning. Class based strategies impact on the way teaching and learning is carried out and therefore how the
teaching impacts pupils. Individual programmes and therapy schemes of work assist pupils to achieve and
ensure that appropriate support is given to meet pupils’ needs. Therapy services looks at a whole pupil
development and is able to provide support in areas such as emotional, behavioural and social learning, as
well as communication, motor and sensory needs to address all aspects of a pupil’s development.
