School Structure
The Primary Department
The primary department consists of four classes with pupils being grouped by age. Each class is staffed by a learning team of one classteacher and several learning support assistants. The children in the primary department receive specialist teaching for some subjects including music, art and design technology.
The curriculum includes all National Curriculum subjects. Pupils in the foundation year work towards the Desirable Learning Outcomes. A greater emphasis is placed on personal, social and health education in order to encourage independence and develop communication and social skills.
A range of teaching strategies is used including some elements of the TEACCH approach. The programmes that the children follow, especially those with autistic spectrum disorders, are carefully designed to meet their individual needs and include a high level of adult support.
Some pupils spend short periods of time in local mainstream primary schools. Integration programmes are managed by the classteacher in consultation with parents. The main purpose of this integration is for pupils to be prepared for full-time reintegration into mainstream school
The Secondary Department
Pupils follow courses in all National Curriculum subjects, literacy, religious education and personal, social and health education. PSHE includes sex and relationships education and drugs awareness. All pupils have a tutor who is responsible for their welfare and guidance. Learning support staff work alongside teachers, supporting those with more complex needs. Smaller teaching groups and the level of adult support enables the pace and content of lessons to be matched to the individual needs of the pupils. In Key Stage 4 pupils work towards GCSEs and Entry Level Certificates in most subjects. There is also a range of vocational qualifications on offer. Pupils in Year 11 attend Lewisham College on one day each week as part of the preparation for the next stage of their education.
In order to ensure the transition from primary school to the secondary department is as smooth as possible we have recently introduced a transitional curriculum arrangement for Year 7 pupils in which they are taught a core curriculum by one class teacher in their own base classroom. They then move to specialist teaching areas to be taught subjects such as art, design technology and information technology by specialist teachers.
