Educational Offer 2022

Our Pupils:

Every pupil at Salmon’s Brook School has an education, health and care plan (EHCP) for social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) difficulties including associated challenging behaviours. Many of the pupils have additional special educational needs (SEND), including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).

Curriculum INTENT:

Our curriculum ensures that all pupils learn linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education. Our curriculum is also underpinned with pupils personal and social development and therefore ensures that learning is personalised to each individual, meaning that their individual therapeutics provision and highly differentiated and individualised timetables are in place to ensure that all pupils are able to access learning and flourish, over time.  

The school is committed to providing a broad and balanced curriculum, based on the National Curriculum for those pupils of compulsory school age. This is blended with opportunities for pupils to develop functional skills, social, emotional and independence skills and skills for working life as appropriate in line with the 14-19 Curriculum.

The curriculum is designed to promote the social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of the pupils as well as their intellectual and physical development. We want our curriculum to engage pupils as active participants in their education.

Curriculum Principles

Our curriculum reflects the knowledge we have of pupils with SEMH, our approach and the fundamental beliefs highlighted above.  In summary, we deliver learning based on:

• Expert Teaching
• Personalisation
• Taking Responsibility
• Building a Positive Culture
• Inclusion
• Transformation

In practice this means our learners:

• Enjoy a curriculum that recognises their diverse learning needs and styles and which stretches and challenges them;
• Experience high quality IT as a transformative learning tool;
• Receive high quality teaching and learning;
• Enjoy access to a variety of age-appropriate extra-curricular activities and have opportunities to participate in their new communities;
• Access recognised programmes of study, personalised learning and, at post 14, receive independent advice and guidance on options and choices for progression;
• Be actively encouraged to express their views and to shape what happens to them at school;
• Have appropriately supported transition arrangements into education, training or employment.

Furthermore, to meet the specifications set out by Enfield Council, we expect to offer each pupil a personalised programme that aims to:

• Increase confidence in Mathematics and English so that all learners make good or outstanding progress;
• Build self-esteem through success, but also through developmental and cognitive psychological therapy;
• Develop learning skills so that everyone has the opportunity to study for at least 5 GCSE subjects;
• Build IT literacy and install high level of technical expertise;
• Improve personal and practical skills such as, personal presentation, cooking, cleaning and looking after others and growing food;
• Build confidence and self-esteem through physical fitness;
• Develop employability skills;
• Encourage personal development through art, music and drama;
• Improves community cohesion through engagement in local provision.

Including All Learners

We take seriously our responsibility to provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all pupils, regardless of their special educational need, and in so doing we expect teachers to have the capacity to modify the National Curriculum to provide learners with relevant and appropriately challenging work at each Key Stage.  To achieve this, we apply the principles for inclusion, as set out in the National Curriculum Framework, that for pupils with SEMH includes the following:

Setting Suitable Learning Challenges

• We expect most of our intake will have large gaps in their education due to long periods out of school. As a consequence, programmes of study will need to fill these gaps, but at the same time remain suitably challenging for pupils who are often still very capable.
• For less able pupils who may have other special educational needs, work will invariably need to be drawn from earlier key stages so that pupils can show what they can achieve. In some cases, this may mean pupils not being able to receive all their age-related programmes of study.
• Of particular concern for pupils who have moved schools regularly, or who have been excluded, is continuity and progression. There is a danger that pupils in these circumstances find themselves repeating previous learning which, although offers some immediate success and is ‘safe’, provides little challenge with no evidence of progression. Therefore, the programmes of study for these pupils are monitored and reviewed regularly to provide both opportunities for success, as well as suitable challenges and progression routes.

Responding to Pupils’ Diverse Needs

• Pupils from diverse and vulnerable groups are significantly overrepresented in the category of SEMH.
• Based on this understanding, Salmon’s Brook staff continually adapt and modify their teaching to ensure all pupils can take part in lessons fully and effectively, for example, by reducing the level of external stimulation for autistic learners.
• Significant numbers of pupils become our responsibility having become disengaged with ‘mainstream’ learning, often citing its lack of relevance or understanding. Through an adapted curriculum utilising the world of work, other vocationally based experiences and the application of extended hours learning, we address this issue for disaffected pupils, particularly at key stage 4.
• We also believe that to respond to the diverse needs and backgrounds of its pupils, Salmon’s Brook needs to personalise the target setting and assessment processes. To this end each pupil has the opportunity to participate in their own planning and assessment at regular intervals throughout the year, which includes self-assessment and the opportunity to ask questions about what they have learnt, are about to learn and its relevance to them.

Overcoming Potential Barriers

• For pupils whose needs are not adequately supported through the teaching strategies outlined above, more intensive approaches may be necessary to overcome potential barriers.
• For some pupils, with severe and often extreme behavioural difficulties, these include additional support from learning support assistants and individual sessions from specialist teachers. However, beyond this, we believe deeper levels of support are necessary involving more therapeutic approaches.  These are delivered by our pupil support team as well as engagement with other agencies such as Educational Psychology, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Speech and Language Therapy and Learning Support. 
• In all cases, specialist support from within or from external agencies, coordinates closely with the classroom teacher to take account of the impact on the pupil’s learning and on the preparation of programmes of study.

Becoming Part of the Trust

• As a Special School joining what is currently a mainstream organisation, we want to ensure all pupils feel part of the wider trust. One aspect of this is the requirement for all learners to wear a uniform in line with the other schools in the trust.

 Structure of the Day

• A key feature of Salmon’s Brook School is that it is open from 8am to 6pm. Each day will start with a ‘breakfast welcome’ and ‘Reflection space’, before formal lessons begin at 9am and continue to 3.30pm, followed by a break then personal study from 4pm to 4.30pm.  After this the school will then remain open until 6pm so that pupils can take part in a range of enrichment activities.
• The core academic timetable of 25 hours per week is based around 14 classes of up to 6 pupils each, taught across 6 x 45min and 1 x 30min sessions per day for 5 days per week and 39 weeks per year, by a team of 14 teachers and 14 teaching assistants.
• In the main, pupils are taught in ‘form’ groups made up from pupils in the same academic year, although some mixed year group classes might also be used depending on the age profile of the overall intake. These classes then move between specialist teachers who will differentiate work down to an individual pupil level. 
• Recruitment of teachers and teaching assistants has focused on developing a core team of Maths and English specialists, alongside a range of subject expertise to complement the proposed timetable. Following the academic timetable each day is a 2-hour period of personal study and enrichment, amounting to 10 hours per week in total.  This is overseen by a member of the leadership team and delivered by a team of Higher-Level Teaching Assistants, Learning Support Assistants, teachers and youth workers.
• Running parallel to core teaching and youth provision are a team of specialist workers offering a range of interventions and therapeutic support. These professionals will typically operate on a ‘withdrawal’ basis, whereby learners are timetabled for separate one-to-one interventions or further small group work based on their EHCPs.
• The therapeutic orientation of the school follows a model based in the principles and practice of attachment theory, as outlined in the work of James Wetz (2009), Heather Geddes (2005) and Louise Bomber (2007). This is because every interaction between staff and students is potentially significant to an eventual therapeutic outcome. As such, all staff have a secure understanding of childhood attachment and its application in a school context. This is so that the therapeutic potential of the relationships between all staff and students can be utilised to promote secure attachment and enable the school to fulfil its role as a ‘containing parent.’
• All staff also receive accredited training in a crises prevention and intervention models (e.g. Therapeutic Crisis Intervention). This empowers staff to proactively prevent crises from occurring, the de-escalation of potential crises, effectively managing acute crisis, reducing potential and actual injury to young people and staff, learning constructive ways of handling stressful situations and developing a learning circle within the school.
• This culture ensures that the need for physical restraints is an absolute last resort within the school by empowering all staff to utilise all crisis situations as vehicles for promoting learning and development.
• Training in restorative justice approaches further enables staff to address challenging behaviour in a way that promotes growth and development, rather than resorting to punitive or behaviourist models of intervention.
• In addition to whole school approaches, the menu of specific interventions available at the school is broad. However, there are some therapeutic models/approaches, which are used more frequently. These include cognitive behavioural therapy, solution focused brief therapy and person-centred counselling.
• Insights from Personal Construct Psychology, with its emphasis on helping adults to develop an understanding of young people’s constructions and viewpoints, are also important, particularly during the assessment phase of a placement.
• Video Interaction Guidance, and other forms of video feedback, are used to promote reflection and growth. As research and learning community, Salmon Brooks places an emphasis on implementing interventions that are both innovative and specialised, and therefore not usually available in other contexts.
• The integration of insights and practices from neuroscience, including that of neurofeedback, is one of the exciting frontiers that is explored by Salmon’s Brook. As part of this, a total commitment to psychological research goes beyond formal statistical analysis of progress measures and informs the design, implementation and evaluation of the school’s entire therapeutic orientation.

Content

Across each phase and aspect of learning the curriculum content will broadly contain the following:

• Key Stage 3 learners will, for the most part, follow a modified national curriculum designed to match the core learning of their counterparts in mainstream schools. Together with English, Maths, Science, Computing and physical education, our younger learners will be expected to engage in a range of Art and Design Technology subjects, which have been chosen both for the intrinsic interest they hold and their usefulness in pointing the way toward possible career options.  On this, we are aware that we do not want to unduly maintain the stereotype that SEN learners do not generally pursue purely academic pathways when they move on. However, we do acknowledge that a large proportion of young people who attend Salmon’s Brook will want to follow vocational routes as a next stage and we see Art and Design Technology, including Graphics, Food Technology, Resistant Materials and Engineering, as critical in supporting this transition, underpinned by a high level of competence in using IT as a learning tool.
• Key Stage 4 pupils will have access to five GCSE subjects, or the equivalent, which alongside English, Maths and Science, will also comprise of choosing two from a range of GCSE/BTEC and level 2 equivalents. The expectation is also that high levels of ability in IT will be developed in all subject areas to facilitate learning.

     In providing this offer, we are aiming to equip learners with the minimum academic credentials they require to successfully enter further education, employment and/or training. To do any less, we believe, places our learners at further disadvantage compared to other school leavers as well as limits the possibility of reintegration to another setting on the occasions where this is still desirable and possible.

• 6th Form students will have the chance to retake GCSE courses where appropriate, alongside access to a range of level 2 or 3 vocationally based studies such as hospitality, music and construction, all of which will be supported by developing the necessary skills in IT. In so doing they will have the opportunity to strengthen and enhance previous gains and grades in the core subjects as well as build qualifications towards employment and future training.
• Enrichment will include sports, recreation, volunteering and awards. It will operate as part of an extended day and, amongst other things, will enable pupils to formally study PSHE and citizenship, as well as practise and develop their social skills.  For example, children and young people will eat in groups with members of staff and will carry out simple duties such as serving and clearing.  In addition, all free association time will be supervised and organised by staff so that there is an emphasis on personal development and responsibility through structured events.

PSHE education is a school subject through which pupils develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to keep themselves healthy and safe, and prepare for life and work in modern Britain. Evidence shows that well-delivered PSHE programmes have an impact on both academic and non-academic outcomes for pupils, particularly the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.  The approach to PSHE at Salmon’s Brook School has been developed to take into account the particular challenges that SEMH leaners present. There is a sense in that PSHE underpins the teaching approach in all situations; it is part of the therapeutic, personalised approach that support the way we interact with children, how they are taught to cooperate and behave in the school community and develop personal skills.

Specific enrichment activities are led by trained youth workers in conjunction with local community groups where applicable.  It is not intended that a formal class and/or age-based structure will exist during this time, but a programme of developmental activities grouped according to the interests of learners and expertise of staff.

The extended school day also provides an opportunity for external support workers and agencies to engage with learners as part of their EHCP.  This match of learner interests and staff expertise requires extensive planning.  The expectation is that as much rigor exists during extended learning as in the core curriculum and achievement and attainment are equally as meaningful.  An example of this might be the achievement of a high-level DoE award, or something more short term such as a first aid certificate as part of a sports leader’s qualification, or a food health, hygiene and safety award as a prerequisite to working in the catering industry.  With these standards in mind, there is the same level of planning, learning outcomes and achievement data generated as in other aspects of the organisation, but delivered through what can be regarded as a less formal, more autonomous and transformational experience.

• Therapeutic support is a requirement for high number of pupils attending Salmon’s Brook, which includes access to Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, counselling support (Drug and Sexual Health), Music and Drama therapies, and behaviour therapies, as well as intensive therapeutic support, advice and guidance for families. Some of this support takes place during enrichment time, alongside the option of withdrawl from specific lessons throughout the week to provide specialist interventions such as those for literacy and numeracy development.  Pupils at Salmon’s Brook benefit enormously from therapists being able to work collaboratively and alongside teaching staff to support and facilitate learning, especially for pupils who require specific mental health support.
• A Day in the Life of…

To illustrate our curriculum, we have set out what we think will be a typical day for a pupil attending Salmon’s Brook School. ‘Mohammed’ is representative of our expected intake.  He is likely to have attended a number of primary schools and was probably permanently excluded from at least one of these.  He will have an EHCP that identifies social, emotional and mental health difficulties, as well as cognition and learning concerns.

In this case, we are saying Mohammed lives at home with his mother, father, sister and brothers, but also has family in Syria.  We foresee him having relatively high standards of himself and maybe aiming to be a shop owner, like his father, or even having multiple businesses. He is most likely multi-lingual, speaking English, French and Arabic. In this example, Mohammed has been placed in Salmon’s Brook by Enfield in year 7.

8am – Breakfast/Tutor Time: Mohammed arrives with his father and is met by a member of staff.  In this case, it is his class tutor, but could be an assigned TA. He is accompanied to the Dining Hall for breakfast, where he meets his tutor group before going to class to talk about what they achieved the previous day and their targets for the day ahead. Time is also allocated to the intervention programme which could include Occupational Therapy.

9am – Mathematics:  Mohammed is generally good at mathematics and the baseline assessment carried out on entry has led to a GCSE target of Grade 6/7. He is currently working at Grade 2, with a target for the end of this year of Grade 3.  Mohammed is aware of his personal goals for the lesson and for this particular block of work.

9:45am – Outdoor Learning/Movement Break/Regulation: Mohammed and a TA use resistance bands outside to regulate his emotions and prepare him for his next lesson.

10am – English:  On this occasion Mohammed is not taught in his usual class and attends a support session instead, along with two other pupils. Although Mohammed speaks good English, his reading and writing is at a much lower level than in other subjects. The session is led by a teacher and supported by a TA. Both his teacher and TA know that his EHCP indicates his understanding of the meaning of words is much better than his ability to categorise and relate words together. This means he may understand less than what he appears to when learning in school.

10:45am History: Mohammed enjoys history and as part of a project on his ‘family tree’, has been able to explore aspects of his culture and what life was like for his grandparents in Syria and in the UK.

11:30am Outdoor Learning/Movement Break/Regulation: Mohammed uses one of the ‘calm rooms’ to complete some drawing as part of his art therapy input.

11.45am – Science: Mohammed’s group attend the school garden. Their science project for the current module is on how plants grow. The group each have responsibility to grow a vegetable. Mohammed has chosen to grow his favourite vegetable, which are carrots. He has learnt to till the ground and his task is to transfer the seedlings to the ground. He writes about the garden work he has been doing.

12.30pm – Lunchtime: Mohammed goes to the Dining Hall. It is his turn set out the table for his tutor group. Once his tutor group arrive, they are served their food by catering staff. Mohammed’s job is to clear the table when everyone has finished. He does not like doing this, but understands that everyone has to take a turn and it is part of the culture of the school that all members have responsibilities. Afterwards, everyone goes outside to play or can attend the library to read.

1.15pm – Music: Mohammed is using the small music space to continue developing his own composition using the school’s music production equipment. He has been learning how to design and record music using rhythm and pitch.

2.00 – P.E.: This session is made of 2 classes, totalling 14 pupils, with 2 teachers and 2 TAs.  The sport is football and skills include ball control, moving into space and working as a team. The lesson finishes with a game.

2:45am Outdoor Learning/Movement Break/Regulation: Mohammed uses the outside space from his classroom to complete a sensory ‘light-out’ game which improves his coordination and reactions as well as helping to regulate his emotions.

3:00pm: Mohamed has his PSHE session for that day in his tutor group. They are discussing consent and the appropriateness of physical touching.

3:30pm: During today’s tutor time Mohamed is taken to one of the small learning spaces to complete with Speech and Language therapy with a trained SALT specialist.

4.00pm – Break/Personal Study: Pupils are once again accompanied to the Dining Hall for refreshments and then go outside for structured and supervised play. Mohammed’s study tasks are recorded on ‘Show My Homework’ and he goes to the IT suite to begin his personal study tasks. His tutor checks that he understands the two tasks he has to complete and they agree a timeframe for him to work. Once finished, Mohammed re-joins his tutor group where they are asked questions about the day and reflect on what has been learnt. When everything has been completed and the group are settled, they join the enrichment activities.

4.45pm – Enrichment Activities: Mohammed has chosen to join a community based activity group that are designing and making a float and costumes for a local carnival. This is all happening on site and is led by a local charity and supported by 2 youth worker assistants.  Mohammed’s role is to work on building a house like structure that will act as a centrepiece.  His efforts are being recorded through photographs and video. All staff are aware of the capacities he needs to build as identified in his EHCP. These are carefully monitored by staff and recorded at the end of the session.

5.45pm – Reflection: Mohammed’s mother arrives and along with an allocated member of staff he tells his mother about the day. They are reminded about a reading task to be done at home.

6pm – Departure: Mohammed and his mother leave to go home.