Curriculum
Our Curriculum at Stanley School
At Stanley School, we have created a bespoke curriculum tailored to meet the diverse needs of pupils within our SEND provision. Our approach goes beyond academic learning—it is holistic, meaningful, and designed to ensure that every child experiences joined-up learning that makes sense to them.
Our curriculum is:
- Communication-rich
- Accessible to all
- Flexible and empowering
We believe learning should engage, motivate, and regulate our pupils, equipping them with the skills and confidence they need for the next stage of their education. Our goal is to foster a genuine love of learning through engaging activities, expert teaching, high-quality resources, and a supportive environment where every pupil can thrive.
Understanding Our Learners
Our pupils may present with Complex Learning Difficulties, which can include:
- Communication primarily through behaviour
- Limited use of language or symbols
- Resistance to conventional educational structures
- Additional sensory processing difficulties
- Autism and other associated challenges
Learners with Severe Learning Difficulties often experience:
- Significant challenges across all areas of learning
- Difficulties with reading, writing, number, communication, attention, memory, and problem-solving
Learners with Moderate Learning Difficulties often experience:
- Delayed development in literacy and numeracy skills
- Challenges with memory, attention, and processing information
- Difficulty understanding abstract ideas and applying knowledge to new situations
- May require additional support to develop independence and social skills
- Can often access parts of the National Curriculum with adaptations and targeted interventions
Our curriculum is designed to meet these needs with patience, flexibility, and creativity.
Our Curriculum Principles
Inclusive & Personalised:
We use a flexible, evidence-informed approach that responds to each child’s unique strengths and needs.
Grounded in Research:
Our curriculum draws on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework and other proven strategies to ensure every learner has the opportunity to thrive.
Four Key Areas of Learning
- Communication and Interaction
Empowering children to express themselves in ways that suit them—whether through speech, visuals, gestures, or technology. Communication is woven into every activity and developed through authentic, meaningful experiences. - Cognitive Development
Encouraging exploration, problem-solving, and understanding of the world. This includes early literacy, numeracy, memory, and thinking skills, delivered through hands-on, playful approaches. - Wellbeing
Fostering emotional regulation, physical activity, creativity, and sensory development. Activities such as art, music, dance, and swimming help build confidence and support emotional balance. - Independence
Equipping children with essential life skills like self-care, social awareness, and decision-making. These skills are taught naturally throughout the school day and reinforced through experiences both inside and outside the classroom.
Learning Pathways
Recognising that our pupils have a wide range of strengths and challenges, we offer two distinct learning pathways:
Embrace Pathway
Designed for pupils at the earliest stages of development, often with Complex Learning Difficulties (CLD). This pathway focuses on:
- Sensory development
- Early communication
- Cognitive skills
- Meaningful interaction with others and the environment
Learners typically work within Cherry Garden stages 1–4 in Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) and Communication, Language and Literacy (CLL).
Inspire Pathway
Designed for pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) or Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) who will likely be ready for a more structured curriculum as they learn and grow. This pathway supports:
- Functional communication
- Cognitive development
- Independence
Pupils may access early levels of the National Curriculum with appropriate adaptations and, where suitable, spend time in mainstream classrooms. Learners typically work within Cherry Garden stages 5–8 in PSED and CLL.
A Shared Philosophy Across Both Pathways
- The learner is always at the heart of our practice.
- Learning is holistic, not fragmented.
- The curriculum adapts to the learner—not the other way around.
- Engagement and intrinsic motivation drive success.
We believe lasting learning happens when pupils are deeply engaged. Through repeated practice in varied contexts, routines become embedded and stored in long-term memory.
Assessment and Individual Targets
Every pupil’s individual targets, drawn from their EHCP, are embedded throughout the curriculum. Progress is assessed against these targets as well as SCERTS and Cherry Garden statements.
- Informal assessments take place daily
- Formal assessments are collated termly
These help track communication, emotional development, and learning. This allows us to personalise learning targets and ensure children are always moving forward in ways that are meaningful to them.
Working Together
Our curriculum goes beyond academics—it’s about nurturing confidence, fostering a love of learning, and ensuring every child feels a sense of belonging within their school community. By partnering closely with families, we provide the tailored support each child needs to reach their full potential.