Intent
At Manor Green College we are fully committed to the holistic development of our pupils. We recognise that all experiences can provide opportunities to learn. The curriculum that we offer is tailored to the needs of our students and appropriate for the stage of learning that they are individually at. We offer a broad and balanced curriculum that promotes social development, independence and academic progress. Overall, our intent is for each individual student to develop the level of cultural capital required for them to reach their potential.
We offer broad learning experiences and opportunities in a safe supportive environment, to allow our young people to develop independence, social understanding and learning skills for adulthood. Our student centred approach looks to provide each individual with the cultural capital that befits their potential and readies them for their next education setting or phase of their adult life.
Implementation
Across Manor Green College there are five curriculum pathways, designed to support students reach their potential. Each pathway considers a balance of the students’ academic and social profile in order to align them with the curriculum that will allow them to thrive. Whilst the majority of teaching takes place in these curriculum pathways, students can move between pathways to support their development. During KS4 social time each week, students from the Modular, Generic and Class based pathways integrate into an option based carousel. A range of inclusive activities are offered and the mixing of the pathways allows all students to develop socially amongst their peers. Students within the High Needs pathway, will also access lessons with other groups of a similar age. Whether this be a Drama, PE or Sensory story based lesson, flexibility is encouraged to both support and challenge students on an individual basis. A student in our Generic pathway, may join the Modular students in the GSCE option carousel where they have a particular talent for the creative arts.
Each academic year, pupils are placed into class groups. The class teacher plays a pivotal role in the development of their students. The amount of contact time students have with their class teacher varies depending on the pathway. Students in all pathways visit our specialist teachers in PE, Art and DT. In our High Needs and Class Based/SLD pathways, all other lessons would be taught with their class teacher. Consistency and familiarity of staffing supports these students in their learning, allowing them to thrive. In our modular strand students may potentially have a different teacher for each subject they study. Students in this pathway typically have higher levels of independence and the coping strategies to manage these small on-site transitions on a daily basis. This approach, supports our modular students for life after MGC, where the majority will leave for various local colleges after Year 11.
All pathways offer a broad and balanced curriculum with a range of subjects. In the modular pathway lessons are often more subject specific, progressing through KS3 into accreditation at KS4. In our Class Based and High Needs pathways, lessons will take on a more cross curricular feel where academic learning is balanced within the context of life skills. Every class will spend at least a morning per week in the community as part of the QUEST curriculum. Within QUEST, opportunities are taken within the local community to apply learning across of other parts of the curriculum. Further information about QUEST can be found on the QUEST tab of the Curriculum page.
To suit the needs of our students, curriculum design incorporates a significant amount of repetition. Repetition of learning is vital to enable our young people to master key skills that will support them now and in the future. The approach to acquiring subject specific knowledge, for example, varies considerably across the pathways. In our modular pathway the curriculum is designed to support student’s to complete various accreditation and qualifications in KS4. The sequencing and progression of this knowledge will fall broadly in line with different stages of the National Curriculum. In our High Needs and SLD pathways, the repetition of key subject specific knowledge will be higher but the breadth will be less. Contextualising and applying the most important knowledge to supporting general life skills is a priority to these learners. Curriculum design in these pathways is more skills based and always tailored to the changing needs of individuals and classes.
Our curriculum is flexible and responsive to changing cohorts year on year. The needs of our population are ever changing and this is reflected in the delivery of curriculum at different stages. What might be covered with a particular class in KS3 one year might change the next, with decisions on content always taken to maximise outcomes for our students.
Impact
All of our staff strive to secure the best outcomes for our young people. These outcomes culminate in preparing each individual student for the future destination that will allow them to thrive once leaving Manor Green. However, along each individual journey progress is monitored, assessed and shared to allow our young people to reach their potential.
Across the college we have different assessment systems to capture the pupil progress. Each assessment system captures progress against EHCP outcomes for the individual and incorporates progress made in personal development as well as academic areas. Different systems are used to ensure that individuals needs are met and progress against personalised objectives can be effectively measured.
In the High Needs pathway our Personalised Assessment Continuum (PAC) is used to assess personalised progress in areas that include social-communication, independent living skills, and sensory sensitivities. These skills and areas of progress are assessed as to whether they are; not yet developed, developing, established or generalised. This assessment gives clear evidence as to the personal progress made by individual students.
The MAPP assessment system monitors and assesses progress of individual students in the modular, generic and class based pathways. Termly targets are set and monitored in line with individual EHCP outcomes and the four areas of need.
The Destination Lead Plans (DLP) system in our Further Education (FE) department places the young person’s next setting at the heart of their curriculum and assessment journey. Once the likely destination is identified, students develop the necessary skills to prepare for this transition through the life and living skills curriculum. Impact is assessed across three areas of learning; independence, social understanding and learning towards adulthood.
Via our Annual Review, Parental Conversation and communications systems, pupil progress is shared continually with our parents. The progress that is shared considers not only academic development, but also personal progress made in independence and social understanding. Learning Journeys are individually recorded via our Earwig assessment system and shared with parents at Annual Review Meetings, Parental conversations and end of Term reports.
Students across the college work towards a range of accreditations and certifications. These awards not only allow progress onto future courses at other settings, but also celebrate the outstanding hard work and development made by all students across the pathways. For further information about the range of accreditations we follow, please see the Accredited Courses tab.
Staff at Manor Green strive to ensure that once it is time for individuals to move on from the College, they transition to a destination that facilitates continued success. Preparations are routinely discussed through the Annual Review process in good time to prepare for these transitions. As a college we monitor local provisions to ensure families obtain useful and pertinent information to make informed decisions about future choices. Ensuring that all students transition to suitable provision is a key indicator of the impact Manor Green College has on the lives of our young people.