Formal Curriculum

Formal Curriculum Pathway

A small majority of our student cohort access a formal curriculum that is subject specific and

designed for students with a range of needs but who are cognitively able to access many

aspects of a more formal curriculum framework.

The formal curriculum consists of adapted National Curriculum subjects, combining life skills,

outdoor and community-based learning and creative subjects with a subject based approach

that aims to develop thinking and further independent learning skills in order to build learning

capacity and lifelong skills.

All subjects are adapted and developed to reflect the needs of the students and designed to

support the development of core skills, communication, critical and independent thinking,

and creativity as well as physical and emotional well-being. Students learn about their own

community and their role within this as well as other communities, countries and cultures.

Students are provided with very real opportunities to develop skills for independent living and

work beyond school.

As with the other Heaton curriculum pathways, an individual approach, engagement, and

motivation continue to be key to our students successfully accessing their learning.

The key areas of learning within the Formal Curriculum are Maths, English, Physical Well-

being, The World about Us, Outdoor learning and Independence.

Students accessing the formal curriculum will be in a specific group with a consistent team of

TA’s, and will be benefit from being taught by several specialist and non-specialist teachers.