BARRS COURT SCHOOL
A Policy for the Whole Curriculum
1. Introduction
1.1 Barrs Court School is a secondary phase school for pupils who have been
provided with a Statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) by Herefordshire
Local Education Authority. In the school’s Policy for SEN and Disability, the
SEN of its pupils is categorized as including pupils who have:
 Severe learning difficulty (SLD)
 Profound and multiple learning difficulty (PMLD)
 Multiple sensory impairment (MSI)
 Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
 Complex learning difficulty ( eg. a pupil with a borderline moderate learning
difficulty made more complex by an additional mental health / social /
emotional / behavioural difficulty )
Within this policy document, the SEN of our pupils has been abbreviated to the
acronym SLD/PMLD. This is not to compromise the needs of pupils who may
have different types of SEN, or who have disabilities that are additional to their
overarching learning difficulty. The use of the acronym SLD/PMLD is used
simply for the sake of convenience and these policy guidelines are intended to
address the educational needs of pupils with these marginally different types of
SEN as well as pupils who may be described as having SLD/PMLD.
1.2 The school’s Policy for SEN and Disability provides a meaningful context for the
design of the school’s curriculum and stresses the importance of ensuring that,
“The design and organisation of the school’s whole curriculum
and its assessment schedules are properly empathetic to the
needs and rights of children and young adults with SEN and
disabilities”
The handicapping characteristics of many types of SEN means that pupils with
SLD/PMLD typically experience a diverse range of idiosyncrasies that present
barriers to their ability to function as effective learners. It is not sufficient,
therefore, for a school such as Barrs Court School to implement a curriculum that
may access its pupils to the National Curriculum, but which does not pay
sufficient attention to addressing the persistent learning barriers pupils experience
on a regular basis which inhibit their access to, and progress within, the National
Curriculum. The need to address the things that pose barriers to learning,
therefore, must be a priority within the design of the school’s whole curriculum
and this policy is intended to provide a framework for a curriculum that will
enable pupils to develop the skills they require in order to learn effectively and
enjoy a good quality of adult life.
1.3 This policy seeks to build on the statements as set out in the school’s Policy for
SEN and Disability and provide a framework for a balanced, broadly based
curriculum that will:
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Provide suitably differentiated opportunities for all pupils to be able to learn
and achieve at levels in keeping with their level of understanding and style of
learning
Promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and prepare
all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life
1.4 The school’s Mission Statement (2003) makes the following statement about the
content and design of the whole curriculum at Barrs Court School:
“The whole curriculum at Barrs Court School will be broader
than the National Curriculum and access to the curriculum
driven by individual pupil need”.
This policy document is intended to help define what we mean by a curriculum
that is “broader than the National Curriculum” and one that is, “driven by
individual pupil need”.
2. Aims of this Policy for the Whole Curriculum
2.1 The aims of this policy are underpinned by reference to a set of basic principles:
 The curriculum will be rooted in a culture of high expectation and inclusive
teaching
 Teaching techniques will be relevant to the learning styles of all pupils and
provided in ways that pupils will find meaningful, non threatening, but
suitably challenging
 Learning will be incrementally structured in ways that enable all pupils to
have the opportunity to build on what they already know, and what they need
to make progress in, in order to overcome barriers to their learning
 The teaching of key skills and the implementation of curriculum matter
relating to IEPs will be infused into all aspects of provision
 Teaching and learning will be responsive to the changing needs of pupils as
they mature chronologically
2.2 The aims of this policy document are to ensure that the whole curriculum will:
 Prepare pupils for an adult life in which they will have the greatest possible
degree of autonomy and ability to form relationships with others
 Increase pupils’ understanding and/or awareness of their environment and of
the wider world
 Enable pupils to be self-determining by promoting their ability to express
preferences, communicate needs, make decisions and be either self-advocating
and/or able to make use of an advocate
 Be responsive to the particular needs of individual pupils, including those who
might require therapeutic curricula, in order to maintain their well being and
readiness to learn
 Provide opportunities for all pupils to be able to learn and achieve in ways that
are relevant, meaningful and realistic to their individual circumstances
 Promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
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Access pupils to their learning entitlement and ensure pupils are not
disadvantaged by placement in a relatively small secondary phase special
school
Provide a coherent teaching structure that will enable continuity of learning to
be maintained across Key Stages 3, 4 and Further Education Faculty
Provide a consistent framework for defining what we wish to teach and how
we will assess the achievements of our pupils
Provide opportunities for flexible learning in response to the Transition Plans
agreed on behalf of individual pupils
3. Defining the learning entitlement
3.1 Learning entitlement is an umbrella title representing curricula to which all pupils
have the right to access, but at levels of understanding commensurate with their
individual abilities. Ordinarily, the term “entitlement curriculum” is used to
represent the content of the National Curriculum, but at Barrs Court School the
contents of the learning entitlement afforded to pupils which include:
 Subjects of the National Curriculum which have been defined as being
appropriate for each Key Stage by the DfES and QCA
 Work related learning which is in accordance with, and accredited by, the
Herefordshire 14-16 Increased Flexibility (IFP) Network
 Subjects of the school’s specialist curriculum dedicated to minimizing the
handicapping affects of SEN and disability
 Further Education (FE) vocational courses and subjects of school based FE
curricula as deemed mandatory by the DfES and QCA
 The teaching of Religious Education in line with the guidelines provided by
Herefordshire SACRE
 Themed weeks and special events such as an annual Arts Week, European
Week, Sports Week etc. to enable pupils gain a wider understanding of the
world around them
 Extra curricular learning opportunities and Study Support provided via after
school clubs such as Trampoline Club, Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme,
Drama Club, Sign and Sing Club, and also via the provision of residential
educational experiences
 One day events organized to help pupils develop a sense of Citizenship which
are likely to include, Children in Need, Unicef, Red Nose Day
3.2 Subjects of the National Curriculum which have been defined as being
appropriate for Key Stages 3 & 4 include:
English (including literacy)
Mathematics (including numeracy)
Science
History
Geography
Design & Technology
Music
Sex Education
Art
Physical Education
Modern Foreign Language (French)
Religious Education
Personal Social & Health Education
Citizenship
Information Communication Technology
For pupils in Key Stage 4 there will be increasing flexibility in the subjects they
will be required to study and pupils may opt out of studying a humanities subject
( either history or geography ), an Arts based subject ( art or music ), design &
technology and a modern foreign language ( French ) in order for pupils to
undertake courses of study that are Work Related. However, should any pupil
wish to study any of the optional subjects from the entitlement curriculum, the
school will make arrangements to enable their access to a suitable course.
3.3 Work Related Learning
Work Related Learning is intended to provide pupils at Key Stage 4 with
increased flexibility in order that their learning will enable them to achieve life
plan targets set out in their personal Transition Plan. Work related learning will be
made available within the school campus for Year 10 pupils and then increasingly
off campus for pupils in Year 11 in readiness for either preparing these pupils for
leaving school, or for staying on in the school’s Further Education Department.
Work Related Courses will be part time in nature ( ie., delivered via double
lessons/ half day sessions over a half term period ) with standards of pupil
attainment moderated by reference to national standards such as Accreditation for
Life and Living (ALL) and The National Skills Profile (NSP). The subject focus
of work related learning is likely to vary according to the availability of venues
and/or specialist instructors, but is likely to include a focus on the following areas
of study:
Performing Arts
Land Based Studies
Independent Travel
Catering
Sport & Leisure
3.4 Subjects of the specialist curriculum
The specialist curriculum will be made up of learning matter developed by Barrs
Court School to help minimize the handicapping affects of SEN and disability
and enable our pupils overcome barriers to their learning. Each subject will be
comprised of sets of diagnostic criteria across a range of early child development
areas with each criterion supported by suggestions of corresponding teaching and
therapeutic activities. The matter of the specialist curriculum will provide a
consistent and coherent framework for informing the Individual Educational
Programmes (IEP) of pupils. The standard of pupil attainment within these
specialist studies will be linked with the P Scale criteria of National Curriculum
subjects and pupil progress will be monitored according to sets of performance
descriptors to provide a link between P Scale statements of attainment
( developed with reference to QCA guidance ) and early child development
milestones ( as represented by the diagnostic criteria relating to each specialist
subject ). Subjects of the specialist curriculum will include:
Early Thinking Skills
Early Communication Skills
Emotional and Behavioural Development
Early Mobility Skills
Independent Living Skills
3.5 Further Education Studies
FE Courses are available for pupils aged 16-19 years who choose to stay on at school.
The FE curriculum will be comprised of a number of mandatory subjects, plus additional
courses of a vocational/work related nature, together with opportunities for accessing
bridging and link courses, where these may be indicated by the life plan targets agreed in
an individual pupil’s Transition Plan. Standards of pupil attainment will be
moderated by reference to national standards such as ALL, ASDAN, NSP, NVQ
and GCSE. The school will maintain its status as a moderating center for ASDAN
and ALL accredited studies, but moderation of NVQ and GCSE courses will be
undertaken by a mainstream school/college as appropriate. The subject focus of
FE courses is likely to vary according to the availability of venues and/or
specialist instructors, but is likely to include:
Functional Literacy
Information Communication Technology
Sex Education
Careers Education & Guidance
Functional Numeracy
Personal, Social & Health Education
Citizenship
Religious Education
FE College Bridging & Link Courses
Team Enterprise/Mini Enterprise
Work Related Learning
Sports Leadership
4. Organisation of the curriculum
4.1 Subjects of the whole curriculum will be organized in such a way so that there will
be flexible delivery, ie., subject matter may be taught as:
 A discrete lesson
 As part of a cross-curricular lesson or topic
 As a key skill to access the curriculum matter of other subjects
4.2 There are no nationally specified time allocations for individual subjects and the
percentage of approximate teaching time allocated to each subject over a week /
term / key stage will be determined primarily by having due consideration about the
learning needs of pupils and the availability of work related learning opportunities
within the local community. However, the allocation of percentage times to
individual subjects will also be governed by the overarching need to deliver a
curriculum that is broad, balanced and meaningful to pupils and informed via
negotiation with the school’s SMT and Board of Governors
4.1 Organisation of the National Curriculum at Key Stage 3
Discrete Subject Delivery
English & Daily Literacy
Mathematics & Daily Numeracy
I.C.T.
French
Physical Education
Music
Art
Cross-Curricular Topic
History/Geography/R.E.
Science/Design Technology
Key Skill
Communication & Literacy
Thinking Skills & Numeracy
Mobility
I.C.T
4.2 Organisation of the National Curriculum and Work Related Learning at Key
Stage 4
Discrete Subject Delivery
English
Mathematics
ICT
Physical Education
Art
PSHE/Citizenship
RE
Cross-Curricular Topic/Work
Related Course
Literacy and numeracy featured
on a daily basis as an aspect of a
cross-curricular course
History or Geography
R.E.
Science/Design Technology
Design & Technology
Vocational Studies including:
Performing Arts
Land Based Studies
Catering
Sport & Leisure
Independent Travel
Key Skill
Communication & Literacy
Thinking Skills & Numeracy
Mobility
I.C.T.
4.3 Organisation of Further Education Studies
Discrete Subject Delivery
Functional Literacy
Functional Numeracy
Physical Education
Religious Education
Cross-Curricular Topic/Work
Related Course
Personal, Social & Health
Education/Citizenship
Careers Education & Guidance
Key Skill
Communication & Literacy
Thinking Skills & Numeracy
Mobility
ICT
FE College Bridging & Link
Courses
Work Related Learning
Team Enterprise/
Sports Leadership
Work experience
4.4 Organisation of the Specialist Curriculum
Access to subjects of the specialist curriculum will be determined after pupils’
existing levels of ability within subjects of the specialist curriculum have been
assessed and their priority needs negotiated via the Annual Review of SEN and IEP
setting process. Because of the individual nature of IEP delivery, pupils will be
engaged in study upon their IEP targets across the whole timetable and particularly
via:

Discrete therapy sessions organized on an individual pupil basis

Differentiation of curriculum matter during other subject lessons ( eg
differentiation of P Scale curriculum matter via the implementation of
corresponding IEP targets and their related specialist curricula )

As part of a cross-curricular focus for a group of pupils who have closely
related IEP targets ( eg a focus on emotional and behavioural skills during a
drama lesson or PE lesson )
Specialist Subject
Early Thinking Skills
Early Communication Skills
Early Mobility Skills
Emotional &Behavioural
Development
Key Elements
Sensory and Perceptual
Development
Cognitive Development
Intensive Interaction
Objects of Reference
Picture Exchange
Communication System
Signalong
Passive physiotherapy
Rebound Therapy
Hydrotherapy
Hipotherapy
Riding for the Disabled
Gross Motor Movement
Fine Motor Skills
Trust
Turn Taking
Sharing
Reference to National
Curriculum
Mathematics, Science & ICT
P Levels 1-4
English & ICT
P Levels 1-4
Physical Education
P Levels 1-4
Literacy (writing )
PSHE & Citizenship
P Levels
Drama
Independent Living Skills
Anger Management
Assertiveness
Empathy
Relaxation techniques
Eating/Drinking
Food preparation
Road Safety
Health & Safety
Dressing
Personal Hygiene
PSHE & Citizenship
Design Technology (Food
Technology)
5. The Organisation of Curriculum Planning
5.1 In order to assist in the implementation of this Policy for the Whole Curriculum,
each subject will have a policy statement that brings together strategic planning
decisions to govern the delivery of subjects over the different Key Stages. These
individual subject policy statements will relate closely to the school’s Key Stage
curriculum plans and describe the rationale to govern curriculum breadth and
balance for each age band of pupils.
5.2 Key Stage Policies will describe the curriculum framework that will govern the
delivery of a broad and balanced, but suitably differentiated curriculum to pupils in
different age bands, ie., Key Stages 3 and 4 and Further Education. The content of
these policies, together with the lesson outlines described in the school’s map of
Schemes of Work (SoW), will demonstrate the intended progression that is
proposed for each age band to ensure that pupils are able to build upon their
previous learning experiences and achievements. However, it is recognized that
linear, chronological progression is not always relevant to the circumstances of
some pupils and for these pupils, progression is more likely to be confined to
experiencing changes in curriculum matter, rather than expectation that all pupils
will achieve in accordance with the Key Stage they have reached chronologically.
5.3 Each subject will benefit from guidelines and practical advice which staff can use
to inform their teaching. These guidelines will be known as Schemes of Work
(SoW) and include references to:

The intended curriculum coverage over a set period of time

A session by session lesson plan that sets out the principal teaching activities
that will need to be organized each session
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The intended learning outcomes from each session, linked to National
Curriculum assessment criteria and/or the school’s own specialist curriculum

An indication of how the teaching matter can be differentiated by
task/outcome
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Notes about the facilities and resources required for each session
5.4 Each teaching/therapy session will be supported by a Lesson Plan to illustrate
how teaching/therapeutic activities and intended learning outcomes will be
differentiated on behalf of pupils. There will be a consistent lesson planning pro
forma and the evaluation and archiving of Lesson Plans will be a mandatory
requirement. It is important that consideration of intended learning outcomes
reflects the learning potential of individual pupils. For the majority of pupils, it is
expected that the intended learning outcomes set out in each SoW will be
immediately appropriate to their level of skill, understanding and knowledge, but
for other pupils, it will be necessary to refer to any examples of differentiated
learning outcomes as may be published in a SoW. For a small percentage of
pupils who have the most profound learning difficulties, learning outcomes will
have to be restricted to curriculum matter that relates directly to a pupil’s IEP and
to any performance descriptions that have been developed in support of P Scale
assessment criteria and published in the school’s specialist curriculum.
6. Planning for Progression
6.1 It is the intention of this policy that the sequencing of curriculum content will be
done with a fundamental aim of enabling pupils to build upon their prior learning
and achieve those intended learning outcomes that will have been prescribed in a
general way for pupils in each age band. However, it is recognised that not all
pupils will be able to learn in this linear way and, as a consequence, the same
status will be afforded to pupils who achieve laterally. The subject matter of the
whole curriculum will provide starting points for assessing each pupil’s existing
levels of:

Child development

Knowledge

Skills
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Understandings
Information about each pupil’s existing performance will be used in a formative
way to inform future teaching. Once the existing level of knowledge, skill and
understanding within each subject has fully appraised on behalf of individual
pupils, teachers will be required to set medium and long term curriculum targets
for each pupil. Medium term targets will be for a period of one academic year and
long term targets will represent learning targets that teachers set on behalf of a
pupil with a view of what might reasonably be expected a pupil to achieve by the
end of their current Key Stage. Curriculum targets, in general, will be linear and
based upon assessment criteria published in support of subjects of the National
Curriculum. For pupils working at pre-level one of the National Curriculum, the
selection of pupil’s curriculum targets will be referenced to the school’s P Scale
level performance descriptors and moderated by reference to a nationally
recognized scheme such as PIVATS. For pupils with pronounced learning
barriers that restrict their levels of achievement to P Scale levels 1-3, lateral
curriculum targets will be set, linked directly to the content of their IEPs and the
corresponding performance descriptors published in the specialist curriculum.
Pupil progress on curriculum targets will be reported once per year at the
Teachers’ Annual Report to Parents.
6.2 In order to properly identify and appreciate each pupil’s idiosyncratic learning
barriers, assessment will need to extend beyond curriculum based assessment and
encompass the holistic learning needs of pupils in order to:

Establish an SEN profile for each pupil that will summarise the full extent of
each pupil’s SEN and set out those needs in order of priority for addressing
via the setting of IEP targets
 Establish how individual pupils prefer to learn and what specialist
teaching/therapeutic techniques will be required in order for a pupil to learn
effectively
 Identify what the optimum setting conditions will be for individual pupils in
order to make learning environments empathetic to their personal learning
styles ( lighting, acoustics, distractions etc.)
 Identify what support a pupil requires in order to engage in learning ( staffing
ratio, personal aids, access resources )
 Identify the preferences and aspirations of each pupil so that these can be
incorporated into planning documentation
 Identify the kinds of work related experiences a pupil might require in
response to his/her life plan as shaped in his/her Transition Plan
Information from these sorts of assessment will be used to inform lesson planning
so that pupil access to the broad and balanced curriculum will be organized in
ways that are meaningful to individual pupils.
7. Evaluation of the Whole Curriculum
7.1 It is important that the school’s whole curriculum is monitored and evaluated
systematically to ensure that:
 The principles and aims of this Policy for the Whole Curriculum are being
realized in practice
 The curriculum supports the process of setting learning targets and enables
pupils to achieve their individual learning targets ( ie curriculum targets and IEP
targets ) to be set and achieved
 The individual, holistic needs of pupils are identified and met appropriately
 Assessment data is used formatively in teaching/therapy and pupils are able to
build on and/or consolidate what they already know and are able to do
 Pupils are being accessed to a broad and balanced curriculum in ways that are
relevant to their individual circumstances
 The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is being
promoted
7.2 There will be a variety of ways in which the school’s whole curriculum will be
monitored and evaluated:

Staff will be required to evaluate each lesson/therapy session to determine the
extent to which intended learning outcomes have been achieved and/or
whether new information about a pupil’s SEN profile has become apparent
during the course of a lesson/session

Staff will be required to monitor the effectiveness of any specialist techniques,
therapies and resources etc. and evaluate how such things can be refined to
help pupils overcome their learning barriers

Subject co-ordinators and/or curriculum moderators will maintain a portfolio
of standards with which to evaluate the work that pupils produce and ensure
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that standards across all Key Stages are in accordance with school
expectations
Teachers will be required to evaluate each SoW they have taught and report
any findings to subject co-ordinators
Annual Review and Annual Report documentation will be used by the head
teacher to evaluate individual pupil progress within the whole curriculum
Individual staff will maintain a Portfolio of Continuing Professional
Development in which they will be required to evaluate their performance in
helping pupils overcome their learning barriers
Pupil progress in general will be monitored in reference to whole school
curriculum targets and findings analysed so as to indicate areas of
strength/weakness in curriculum performance over a year
8. Review of the Policy for the Whole Curriculum
It is recommended that this Policy for the Whole Curriculum is reviewed on an
annual basis
RJA
RATIFIED BY BOARD OF GOVERNORS
References and acknowledgements:
QCA & DfEE Publications:
 The National Curriculum Handbook for secondary teachers in England Key Stages 3 & 4 (1999)
 Planning, teaching and assessing the curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties (2001)
 Supporting the Target Setting Process (2001)
DfES
 A New Specialist System: Transforming Secondary Education (2003)