Our Curriculum
Our student’s individual needs are at the heart of our curriculum and programmes are developed from a students Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP).
Our curriculum is designed to be meaningful, engaging and motivating with clearly structured lessons adapted to student's needs and exciting outcome-led community visits.
Our Sutherland House School Curriculum has been organised into three phases: primary, secondary and post-16.
Each phase has three modules:
- My Skills
- My Enrichment
- Myself & the World
This allows our young people to learn the foundations (primary), practice their skills (KS3) and then to apply this prior knowledge to support transition into adulthood (KS4/KS5), offering sequenced learning through structured steps, supporting our pupils to apply their skills. Each subject has specific curriculum maps to demonstrate progression over time.
Progress towards targets is closely monitored and contributes to the student's annual review, and termly multi-disciplinary meetings ensure the whole child is supported alongside academic skills.
Post-16 education
We have a distinct approach to post-16 education with focus on preparation for adulthood. Post-16 pupils have the option to access external college placements, work experience and placements.
Curriculum pathways
Our curriculum is divided into three pathways:
- Blue
- Orange
- Purple
Our purple pathway enables students who are engaged in non-subject specific learning to develop communication, numeracy, creative arts, physical development and independent living skills.
The orange and blue curriculum prepares young people to access qualifications to help them secure college, work placements, apprenticeships and to live independently.
Our Educational Approach
We offer personalised learning that:
- Gives a balance between challenge and repetition.
- Offers more than one way for our pupils to demonstrate that they know, understand and can do.
- Allows pupils to work together in peer groups.
- Adapting our approach to different paces and learning styles.
- Creates learning environments that offer low arousal to suit sensory processing styles of autistic pupils.
- Offers opportunities for students to develop resilience and to manage potentially challenging situations.
- Encourages the use of technology where appropriate to support pupils’ learning, talents and interests.
- Develop student's talents and interests by encouraging independent learning projects.