Key Stage 3
Secondary education
A future-focused curriculum offer, emphasising and rooted in the Preparation for Adulthood EHCP framework, is adopted throughout secondary to ensure that each student is given maximum opportunity to develop key life and independence skills throughout the phase, preparing them consistently for the next steps in their life within and beyond school. Each student is supported to access appropriate, meaningful accreditations which best suit their individual needs and goals. The accreditation offer is adapted to the strengths and needs of each student.
Key Stage 3 (Years 7 to 9)
Many students join us at the start of Key Stage 3 reflecting the changes which our students face in the transition from a primary to a secondary school environment.
Our students find that more specialist and holistic educational, therapeutic and care provision is what is required to allow them to continue learning effectively. Some of our students join us from mainstream primary education settings, whilst others join us from a range of special schools, and we accept students from around the country and abroad.
Throughout Key Stage 3, the curriculum is devised to encourage students to better understand themselves and develop their interests, raising aspirations so that they are fully engaged in the process of exploring future opportunities. The curriculum scaffolds their journey towards independence with an emphasis on life skills and their personal and social development.
Students’ curriculum is topic based, linked to their specific needs and interests. For some students, this allows them to explore themes in greater depth. For all students, it enables them to make connections between learning and brings together:
- core skills that are fundamental to ensure they gain the basic knowledge skills and understanding needed to make progress in e.g. English and maths
- students’ Education, Health and Care Plan to ensure learning is personalised in line with their needs
- purposeful themes used to spark students curiosity whilst consolidating and deepening their learning
- contexts to ensure students receives a broad and balanced curriculum
- community links to ensure that students receive experiences that challenge them beyond Treloar School
Students will have their own multi-disciplinary team with a named teacher, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist and a progress and transition coordinator. This team will meet regularly to review their achievement and progress and ensure that they are reaching their maximum potential. Priority will be given to developing students’ communication skills, together with developing their personal independence and physical well-being. Individualised and personalised learning will be generated through key experiences and will be built upon a foundation of seven curriculum priorities: well-being, self-awareness, communication, resilience, independence, collaboration and curiosity. Students will be encouraged to self-advocate and direct staff as part of their preparation for adulthood.
Students are taught predominantly in their own familiar classroom setting with access to specialist teachers and environments e.g. music and outdoor learning.
As the students move through the Key Stage, they are prepared, assessed and given choices about their future curriculum in preparedness for Key Stage 4.