The Curriculum

Our School provides a small contained multifunctional environment for young people to learn. We offer a broad and varied range of subjects and approaches which help to ensure young people stay engaged and interested. Including the following;

Our commitment at Cross Keys Learning is to ensure equal access to education for all students provided by a broad and balanced curriculum. We strive to meet the diverse social and emotional needs of all students through stimulating and creative learning experiences. We acknowledge the individual and unique needs of all our students and empower them to acquire the necessary skills and qualities to fulfil their potential and prepare them for lifelong learning.

Following the National Curriculum for secondary school, Cross Keys Learning delivers a wide range of subjects at Key Stage three and Key Stage four through differentiated curriculum planning and teaching, ensuring progression and achievement for all. We believe the curriculum to be enhanced, incorporating the personal interests and skills of individual students and learning consolidated through relevant and significant educational and work-related visits. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of all students to become fully rounded members of society is paramount, with fundamental British values actively promoted and embedded throughout the curriculum.

Robust assessments enable us to identify individual strengths and gaps in learning as well as individual interests and potential. At the core of our delivery is the recognition of the need for a differentiated teaching and learning approach. Small classes enable us to provide a bespoke learning experience giving our expert and qualified teachers the opportunity to target specific learning needs via precision teaching and social intervention sessions outside the classroom.

Courses and lessons are carefully planned with varied teaching styles to ensure that the individual needs and learning styles are met. This enables us to progress all individual students and help them to achieve their potential.

At Key Stage 3 all students follow the core English, maths and science subjects giving them the necessary foundation skills to perform confidently.

The curriculum at KS3 builds on prior learning so that students reach their optimum potential in core subjects; supports students to make decisions and build confidence by accessing and evaluating a wide range of learning opportunities and further develops independence and problem solving skills. All students access core National Curriculum subjects of Maths, English and Science through discrete sessions tailored to individual needs and interests.

Foundation subjects (History, Geography, Art, ICT, D+T, R.E.) provide a context for learning and are taught in themed blocks or sessions throughout the year to allow pupils to use and apply knowledge and skills developed in the core subjects. PE is taught throughout the year in group.

Key Stage 4 has a functional curriculum that supports students to utilise the skills that they have acquired as they have progressed through the school and apply them in practical, real life situations.

At Key Stage 4 all students follow accredited functional skills programmes in English, maths and ICT designed to meet their needs, gain a recognise qualification and to empower them to fully function in life and at work. They also have the opportunity to prepare themselves to post 16 programmes to access a variety of courses or apprenticeships with our Preparing for Life and Work course.

All Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 follow other subjects to enhance their learning and understanding of society and the world around them, such as Geography, History, Art, PE, Design and Technology. Communication, social and emotional skills are taught across the whole curriculum, embedded in all lessons.

Accessibility Plan

Cross Keys Learning will review this plan on an annual basis to evaluate:

• The effectiveness of the action taken in the previous school year
• Relevant targets for the next school year
• Responses to any legislative changes
• Changes or expected change to relevant student's needs

Monitoring will be a constant process and the Operations Manager, and the Head of Education will look to make the necessary amendments and discuss planning, budget and other concerns.

The Health Safety Lead will also be invited to raise action points, and these will, in the main, be dealt with by the Head of Education and Operations Manager.

Support for students with EHCP's

Most of the students that attend Cross Keys Learning do so because they have had experienced difficulties within mainstream education or other specialist provisions. They may require additional levels of support and encouragement to be able to move forward in education positively. The Cross Keys Learning staff team have vast experience of working with SEN students and work closely with individual students to ensure they are working towards agreed SMART targets and achieving the best possible outcomes.

Flexibility in working with our Young People

Where a student is either excluded, refusing to go to school or is simply out of education because a provision is being sought, Cross Keys learning can offer support to ensure that some form of education is being provided. Working in partnership with the young person's local authority, social care teams and other key stakeholders, we can provide a part time provision that acts as a stepping stone into a more structured education environment.