Foundation Department
RATIONALE
Our Foundation department at Cloughwood Academy is carefully designed to meet the needs of pupils who have a unique profile of learning characteristics which require a curriculum model that meets the diverse and ever-changing needs of the individuals.
To address these needs, we have created the Foundation department. Our aim is to:
- Provide vital opportunities to build on fundamental skills and develop functional skills for learning and accessing the world around them through the planning and structure of lessons.
- Offer an alternative approach to learning, taking on a more nurturing curriculum.
- Offer different learning environments specialising in making progress towards the development of personal, emotional and social aspects of learning through enhanced play and social experiences.
INTENT
Our intent is to provide a curriculum that:
- Provides a restorative experience of early nurture in the school environment
- Provides a secure, predictable, nurturing environment where pupils can learn, play and socialise together.
- Provides an environment specialising in making progress towards the development of personal, emotional and social aspects of learning through enhanced play and social experiences.
- Enables pupils' opportunities to build self-esteem and to value their achievements so that they are confident to try new activities and initiate ideas.
- Sets clear boundaries to enable pupils to understand the expectations of acceptable behaviour, have an understanding of cause and effect and learn skills to better cope with tolerance, frustration and disappointment.
- Provides a rich and vibrant curriculum incorporating the National Curriculum and the Boxall Profile to meet the individual needs of the pupils in the department.
- Encourages pupils to enjoy learning and their experience of school by creating nurturing opportunities within National Curriculum learning.
IMPLEMENTATION
To deliver this intent, we:
- Plan academic sessions alongside foundation skills, fundamental skills and functional skills sessions daily.
- Provide high scaffolded and structured play and social opportunities for the pupils.
- Use small group and individualised activities to develop and enhance social and emotional skills and build and develop self-esteem.
- Foundation skills class will use the mornings to welcome pupils, with toast and have some regulation time to settle such as play or film.
- Fundamental skills class will use the mornings to welcome pupils with toast, cups of tea, morning tasks such as washing dishes, preparing drinks and regulation time.
- Functional skills class will use the mornings to welcome pupils with toast, cups of tea and life skills such as calming techniques, cooking your own breakfast, relaxation sessions.
IMPACT
We measure the success of this department through:
- Increased engagement and participation in lessons
- Improvements in self-esteem and socialisation/play skills
- Improvement in self-regulation skills
- A steady increase in Foundation skills, Boxall Profile and ABAS assessment scores