Overview

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At Old Windebrowe School, we support children and young people with moderate or severe learning difficulties (MLD/SLD). Some pupils also have additional needs such as autism (ASC), ADHD, or have experienced disrupted or inconsistent education. All of our students have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and have needs that mean a mainstream school is not the right setting for them.

We offer a highly personalised curriculum, carefully adapted to each student’s strengths, interests, and needs. Many of our pupils are working below age‑related expectations when they join us, so learning is planned at the right level and pace to help them make meaningful progress and build confidence.

Students learn in small classes, usually with no more than four or five pupils, supported by a class teacher and experienced teaching assistants. This allows us to create a safe, nurturing environment where children feel secure, supported, and ready to learn.

Our curriculum is creative, practical, and engaging, with lots of hands‑on learning and outdoor opportunities. We use topics to help students make links between subjects and enjoy learning in meaningful ways. Alongside academic learning, we place a strong focus on communication, independence, wellbeing, and life skills.

As students move through the school, we help them prepare for the future by developing skills for adult life, further education, training, or employment. Older students can work towards recognised qualifications, including Functional Skills and ASDAN awards, and take part in vocational and work‑related learning where appropriate.

Above all, we believe every child is unique. Our aim is for all students to feel safe, valued, happy, and successful, and to leave Old Windebrowe with the confidence and skills they need for the next stage of their lives.

 

Curriculum Pathways

The curriculum is personalised for each student. There will be three main pathways to help guide the academic team when personalising the curriculum for each student.

 

Pathway 1 Subject or Formal Curriculum 

In this pathway children will participate in increasingly more subject specific teaching linked together through a meaningful half termly project. These learners will be able to access elements of the English National curriculum.

Pathway 2 Semi Formal Curriculum

The learners accessing the semi-formal curriculum are those who have more complex learning needs but can access a few elements of the English national curriculum.

Pathway 3 Pre formal pathway 

This pathway is for learners with more Complex Learning Disabilities and Difficulties. Pupils with PMLD are a distinctive group of learners requiring a highly personalised curriculum in response to their individual profile of learning need.

 

Developing Communication and English
  • Help students develop strong and confident communication skills.
  • Encourage enjoyment of reading, writing, and exploring language.
  • Support understanding, expression, and the ability to share ideas clearly and meaningfully.

 

Growing Independence and Well‑being
  • Support students to become independent thinkers and confident decision‑makers.
  • Promote positive physical and emotional wellbeing through healthy routines and self‑care.
  • Build resilience, adaptability, and self‑belief so students feel safe to face new challenges.
  • PSHE.

 

Developing Thinking and Problem‑Solving Skills
  • Encourage curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in Mathematics and Science.
  • Support students to develop practical problem‑solving and decision‑making skills.
  • Promote a positive learning mindset where students feel confident to try new things and learn from experience.

 

Physical Development, Fitness and Teamwork
  • Develop gross and fine motor skills through a wide range of physical activities.
  • Encourage an active, healthy lifestyle and growing physical independence.
  • Provide opportunities to build teamwork, coordination, strength, agility, and a love of physical activity.
  • Swimming and Sports.

 

Understanding Community and the Wider World
  • Help students develop an understanding of different cultures, viewpoints, and global issues.
  • Encourage empathy, kindness, and a sense of social responsibility.
  • Promote active citizenship and engagement within local and wider communities.
  • Respect families’ rights to withdraw their child from all or part of Religious Education (RE).

 

Creative Art and Design
  • Produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording their experiences.
  • Become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques.
  • Evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design.
  • Build and apply a repertoire of knowledge, understanding and skills to design and make high-quality prototypes and products for a wide range of users.
  • Critique, evaluate and test their ideas and products and the work of others.

 

Learning for Life 

Running alongside these elements will be bespoke learning for life skills and experiences being taught and shared with the students that will help them live with greater independence when they become adults.