Areas of Learning
The curriculum at Woolgrove has been designed by our staff for our children. Our curriculum incorporates the following areas of learning and is adapted to meet the evolving and individual needs of pupils.
Engagement Curriculum
Communication and Language – All communication is valued and our children use a variety of types of communication. Communication may be by physical means, photos, symbols, objects, communication boards or spoken language. We teach communication through Enabled Environments, Intensive Interaction, Curiosity Approach, Attention Autism, Play and Learn, Helicopter Stories, role-play and drama.
For more information, please see the Communication and Language Policy
Physical Development – Physical Development focuses on the development of fine motor and gross motor skills. Fine motor skills are taught during Play and Learn Sessions, Write dance, Art Start and Clever hands sessions if appropriate. Gross motor is taught during outdoor sessions, playtimes, PE, trips and Sensory Circuit sessions.
For more information, please see the Physical Development Policy
Personal, Social Emotional Development – Personal, Social Emotional Development focuses on building relationships, self-regulation and managing self. This includes our Behaviour Curriculum, Puberty/Relationships, Sex, Health Education and Life Skills. This is taught through lessons as well as throughout the school day.
For more information, please see the Personal, Social, Emotional Development Policy and Behaviour Curriculum
Exploration Curriculum
Literacy – includes, Reading comprehension, Composition, Handwriting, Phonics reading and Phonics Writing. Literacy at Woolgrove is comprised of a number of different approaches and works in conjunction with our communication approaches. The most complex pupils use a core word programme to support the use of functional language feeding into scaffolded composition work.
Literacy is taught using a book focus and composition is taught using integrated visual coding through to writing full sentences independently, pupils learning is personalised.
Pupils are taught to build a firm foundation of phonics through level 1 strands which are organised in a structed and incremental way, level 1 phonics is taught through a hands on and interactive approach. Phonics is taught through the DFE accredited Twinkl phonics programme ranging from level 2 to level 6.
For more information, please see the Literacy Policy
Mathematics – Maths is taught across two stands; Core and Supplementary. Core Maths focuses on number and the application of the four operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This follows a system of teaching new concepts through a structured approach; introducing the concept using concrete resources progressing to pictorial supports and finally application using abstract concepts.
Maths Supplementary follows a clear system to ensure appropriate coverage with opportunities to recap units. The first four half terms have a specific supplementary focus; Pattern, Shape, Position and Direction and Measures with the remaining half terms used to recap units to ensure children make appropriate amounts of progress. Pupils could also access additional units; Fractions and Statistics. In order to access these additional units, pupils must meet their progress target and be at an attainment level of Range 7 for fractions and Range 10 for statistics.
For more information, please see the Mathematics Policy.
Understanding the World – Includes Religious Education, Computing, Past and Present, The natural World, People and Communities. Understanding the world is taught through Enabled environments, Play and Learn, planned lessons and trips to the local area.
For more information, please see the Understanding the World Policy, Computing Policy, Religious Education Policy.
Expressive Arts and Design – includes Art, Music, Performance and Drama. This is taught through Play and Learn, Attention Autism (Stage 4), Enabled Environments, Sensory exploration and planned lessons.
For more information, please see the Expressive Arts and Design Policy
