CURRICULUM
At Glebe we offer a curriculum that is exciting, rich, broad and balanced
INTENT
Our mission is to ensure that all our students are educated to live their lives independently, responsibly and successfully. We are aspirational for our students and firmly believe that the development of character goes hand in hand with academic achievement in order to attain life-long success.
Our rich and broad curriculum gives every student the opportunity to fulfil their potential. The curriculum is regularly reviewed and tailored to the needs of our students - subjects such as Sport, Music, Drama, Art, Technology sit alongside the core subjects of English, Maths and Science. We are committed to improving confidence in communication skills to support student progress in school. Literacy, Vocabulary, Numeracy and PSHE skills are embedded across the curriculum and in our Tutor Time programme. Our spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is integrated into our curriculum with a focus on mental well-being.
These are supported by an array of co-curricular activities, clubs, trips and residential visits, as well as Speech & Language and Occupational Therapy support.
The staff at Glebe School are experienced and have the highest of expectations, shaping a culture where our students feel valued, nurtured and respected. Consequently, students make exceptional progress from their starting points.
IMPLEMENTATION
Designed to develop students’ skills regardless of their starting points, our curriculum builds secure foundations that will prepare them for the next stage of their education journey and beyond. Our teaching and learning provides students with the tools to become confident, responsible individuals who are sure of their abilities. Lessons are engaging, calm and suitably personalised - teachers plan learning with enough challenge and support to allow students to work independently, whilst also enabling them to achieve and progress. Curriculum/Subject Leaders are experts in their field and carefully monitor and review curriculum areas to ensure that students understand a wide range of topics within a subject. The curriculum map for each subject can be accessed here.
In Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9), students follow a secondary curriculum of core and foundations subjects taught by specialist teachers.
In Key Stage 4 (Years 10 - 11) alongside the core curriculum, students have the opportunity to choose their own personal pathway. Whatever they chose, all subjects lead to accredited qualifications. These range from GCSEs to alternative accreditations such as BTEC and Entry Level. In order to help prepare them for life beyond school and to aid in their respective career choices, we also offer KS4 students work experience placement in Year 11.
IMPACT
Our rich curriculum enables students to develop their resilience, confidence, whilst gaining the qualifications they need for their destination and to live their lives independently, responsibly and successfully.
PROVISION
In KS3 and KS4, students with additional complex needs are provided focussed support in our Provision where they may otherwise find the main body of the school challenging or overwhelming. The Provision takes a holistic approach to learning whilst still holding academic success as a core value. The small size of the provision allows for the curriculum to be tailored to the needs of each student. Support includes specialist teachers, smaller class sizes, and an adapted curriculum that mirrors that of the main school but meets the learning needs of more complex students.
In terms of curriculum, KS3 students receive art and music lessons from subject specialists as well as integrating into the main school for foundation subjects where appropriate.
In KS4, students work towards vocational qualifications such as Prince’s Trust, Art Award and BTECs to develop the skills necessary to transition to KS5.
In KS5, Sixth Form, students who are not ready to make the transition to college are provided with a rich curriculum exploring a number of vocational sectors to help them make an informed decision for their next steps, alongside their core subjects. Here, preparing for the future is paramount and is embedded in all lessons: from functional English, maths and ICT qualifications to BTEC Vocational Studies where students explore a range of career sectors leading to nationally-recognised qualifications that can be built upon each year.
Across all key stages, English and maths lessons are streamed by ability within key stages and students are taught a functional curriculum to prepare them for their next steps, whether this is to mainstream further education, supported internship, specialist college placements, or their adult lives.
Alongside this, emotional self-regulation, life skills, and independence are significant emphases that flow through the provision curriculum and extra-curricular opportunities. To support this, strategies such as social stories, music therapy, comic strips, topic boards, independence challenge schemes, and classroom visuals are used alongside programmes such as Zones of Regulation, SMiLE therapy, travel training, and Sensory Circuits to develop students’ self-awareness, encourage them to take ownership of their behaviour and learning, and to achieve the greatest degree of independence.
Across the provision, Speech and Language as well as Occupational Therapy strategies are implemented in every lesson to ensure all students can access learning and progress academically. Opportunities to be part of and explore the local community are regularly sought – from using public transport to volunteering at local businesses. In house, we have life skills facilities to teach students how to run a home including washing clothes and making the bed. These skills are then further practiced through overnight stays at Wood Lodge Life Skills Centre which provision students access for 2-night stays.
The WIDER CURRICULUM
As well as the national curriculum, we also offer an extensive, carefully considered wider curriculum. We strongly believe that learning is not purely academic, and to enrich our students’ time with us they must experience different learning opportunities in tandem.
Our Wider Curriculum helps support the development of resilience, self-esteem, problem solving, communication, social skills and independence. Its impact is far reaching, helping to prepare students for life beyond school.
The enrichment of the curriculum comes in many forms. From school trips and community visits to Lunchtime Clubs and Peer Mentoring programmes; we have a House system that promotes recognition and celebration of achievement and host numerous events throughout the year, ranging from Drama Productions and Sports Day to following nationally calendared events such as Black History month. An active Student Council is the voice of the student body, integral to decisions made across the school.
At Glebe we do everything we can to ensure a well-rounded, full offering of experiences and opportunities for all our students, regardless of age or ability.