Curriculum policy

Rationale

Our curriculum offer is far broader than just the education sessions that are delivered. For the purposes of this policy, 'curriculum' refers specifically to the whole day programme offer which incorporates education, therapy and activities. It has been designed to meet the specific and varied needs of the cohort of young people that attend Hope.

Intent

Our Intent outlines why our day programme offer has been constructed this way. It incorporates our curriculum rationale and our Hope Service values and it has been developed in response to two key questions:

  1. What do we want a young person to be able to do when they leave the day programme?
  2. What do our young people need to be successful?

To meet the needs of our young people, the day programme curriculum has been developed around the following strands:

  • Re-engagement
  • Self esteem
  • Stability and structure
  • Wellbeing.

Furthermore, for our young people to be successful in their education, we must ensure that learning is underpinned by the promotion of the key skills of:

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Oracy.

These strands and key skills are delivered through the education provision, the activity sessions and the therapeutic offer that is provided for each young person (see Appendix 1).

Re-engagement

Many of the young people who enter the day programme are not currently accessing education in their substantive placement. Our personalised curriculum aims to meet each young person's individual needs, build their resilience and support them to re-engage with their learning until they are ready to make a positive return to education or transition into training or employment.

To do this we will:

  • Offer bespoke education sessions focussing upon the development of the core skills of literacy, numeracy and oracy
  • Offer a therapeutic programme that supports each young person's social, emotional and personal development and builds their resilience to enable them to access and take risks in their education
  • Liaise with each young person's substantive educational provision to ensure continuity and progression in the acquisition of knowledge and skills
  • Set high expectations of what each young person can achieve in their learning
  • Support each young person to become more independent
  • Provide a bespoke transition from Hope back into school or college or into training or employment
  • Work with the local authority where a more specialist setting is identified for a young person transitioning out of the day programme
  • Support young people to prepare for external exams, including the development of study skills.

Self esteem

Within the day programme we work to develop the way that each young person views themselves and considers their self-worth. Many young people have suffered from negative life experiences which have left them feeling traumatised, rejected and neglected. Staff work with each young person to build their self-esteem and develop their feelings of self-worth. This in turn will lead to more positive life outcomes and a reduced risk of becoming Not in Education, Employment and Training (NEET).

To do this we will;

  • Work with each young person in a therapeutic day programme to build their resilience
  • Offer structured therapeutic, educational and personalised activities
  • Support each young person to build positive relationships with staff and other young people
  • Foster interactions and encourage reflection and creative ways of dealing with difficulties and conflict
  • Encourage each young person to participate in and experience success in a range of activities both individually and as part of a group
  • Support each young person to make progress and achieve success in their academic learning.

Stability and structure

Many young people enter the day programme at the point when they are at risk of a placement breakdown or a hospital admission. Some young people are admitted to the day programme direct from a hospital ward. At the point of arrival in the day programme, a young person's home and personal life is neither stable nor structured. The day programme aims to provide stability, routine, structure and a sense of community and belonging to the lives of each young person.

To do this we will;

  • Provide a friendly therapeutic environment whilst maintaining boundaries to ensure safety and containment
  • Allocate each young person a Hope Co-ordinator who will be either a social worker or a Community Psychiatric Nurse to support them to access the day programme, to provide outreach support and to liaise with parents, carers and other agencies
  • Promote holistic positive outcomes through each young person's allocated Hope Co-ordinator
  • Allocate each young person a keyworker who will be a supportive contact within the day programme, ensuring that they have a voice and are encouraged to take ownership and responsibility for developing their learning and emotional skills whilst supporting them to develop their independence
  • Provide a timetable of education, activity and therapy which is tailored to individual needs
  • Provide a healthy lunch each day for all young people.

Wellbeing

Wellbeing combines both physical and emotional wellbeing. All the young people who attend the day programme need focussed support to develop their awareness and understanding of how to lead safe and healthy lives. Many need access to the specific therapeutic interventions that are offered as part of the day programme provision.

To do this we will:

  • Provide high quality therapeutic provision and professional support to protect the emotional wellbeing of our young people
  • Provide a range of activities that support physical and emotional wellbeing including bespoke Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) sessions (please refer to PSHE and RSE Policies)
  • Allocate a dedicated care co-ordinator (social worker or psychiatric nurse) to each young person to oversee their care.
  • Allocate each young person a keyworker who will be a supportive contact within the day programme
  • Ensure our day programme offer provides a balance between education, therapy and therapeutic activity sessions
  • Liaise with the professional network, including Community Mental Health Teams and Social Care, to ensure the package of care each young person receives is relevant and beneficial both within the day programme and in the wider community
  • Ensure that wellbeing provision remains consistent on discharge from the day programme.

Implementation

The day programme curriculum is carefully planned and provides structured education, therapy and activity sessions and it is flexible to ensure that it meets individual needs in a safe, supportive, and therapeutic environment. It is implemented through the concept of the therapeutic day where the emphasis is on building trusting relationships and improving self-esteem, confidence and resilience.

The four strands of 're-engagement', 'self-esteem', 'stability and structure' and 'wellbeing' combined with the three key skills of 'literacy, numeracy and oracy' run through all aspects of the day programme in order to meet the needs of the young people.

Each young person's curriculum offer is regularly reviewed to ensure that it is still fit for purpose and is meeting their needs.

The implementation of the Curriculum Intent is tracked and monitored through the Curriculum Outlines and the Curriculum, Therapy and Activities Overview Maps. Please ask a member of staff for a copy of these.

Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE)

PSHE is delivered by a team of staff across both sites for young people where there is an identified need. Although it is not an explicit part of the curriculum for all young people, three key themes underpin the day programme and are delivered by all staff. These are:

  • Health and Wellbeing
  • Positive Relationships
  • Living in the wider world.

Impact

This is how we measure the success of our curriculum intent and implementation, and it is based around a variety of criteria including:

  • Academic progress (including qualifications and exam results)
  • Engagement with education
  • Attendance
  • Pupil Attitudes to School and Self (PASS) Data
  • Readiness for re-engagement data
  • Goal based outcomes
  • Young Person Core Data
  • Health of the Nation Outcome Scale for Children and Adolescents (HONOSCA) Data
  • Appropriate and sustained pathways for young people leaving the day programme.

Roles and responsibilities

The Hope Management Committee

The Management committee review and approve the Curriculum Policy, taking account of any updated guidance.

The Teacher in Charge

The Teacher in Charge is responsible for ensuring that curriculum is delivered on a needs-led basis across the day programme.

Staff

The day programme curriculum is delivered by teachers, therapists and activity workers across both sites. Staff are responsible for:

  • Planning and delivering bespoke sessions to meet each young person's needs
  • Promoting the key strands and key skills as set out in this policy
  • Engaging in any professional development training that will positively impact on the day programme curriculum delivery
  • Being role models within the therapeutic day
  • Responding to the needs of individual young people
  • Ensuring personal beliefs and attitudes do not prevent them from providing a balanced curriculum offer
    using assessment to track progress.

Young people

Young people attending the day programme are expected to:

  • Sign the relevant consent forms that are sent out to them when they have been accepted into the day programme
  • Attend the day programme on their allocated days
  • Engage with staff in the sessions that they have been timetabled to attend
  • Discuss any issues that may impact on their attendance or engagement with their co-ordinator and / or keyworker
    respond to feedback on their next steps in their learning.

Parents and carers

Parents and carers are expected to support the day programme curriculum by:

  • Signing the relevant consent forms that are sent out to them when their child or young person is accepted into the day programme
  • Supporting good attendance for their child in the day programme
  • Communicating any concerns around the day programme curriculum to their child or young person's allocated care co-ordinator.

Links with other policies

This policy links to the following policies and procedures:

  • Teaching and Learning Policy
  • Assessment Policy
  • Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) Policy
  • Relationships and Sex Education Policy.

Appendix 1 – The Curriculum Offer

Key Stage 3 (KS3)

Young people attending the day programme for four or more days a week are likely to receive two lessons of English and Maths. Those that attend for less than four days a week will receive one lesson of English and maths. Some young people may sit Functional Skills qualifications in English and Maths. Young people may access additional programmes of study which include Bronze Award from the Awards Scheme Development and Accreditation Network (ASDAN) curriculum, Art Award and a bespoke PSHE programme, where appropriate.

Each young person will be offered the opportunity to engage in therapy either individually or as part of a group and a range of activities, including external / outdoor education.

Each young person's curriculum offer is personalised and may include some or all the following:

  • Education - English, Maths, Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE), ASDAN
  • Therapy - Art, Drama, Psychology, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Anger and anxiety management, Mindfulness
  • Activities - Animation, Arts award, baking/cooking, Current affairs group, feeling the vibes film group, craft activities, Photography, Look good feel good, our voice, memory books, sport, gardening, games.
  • External activities - Thames Young Mariners outdoor learning centre, Henley Fort outdoor learning centre, Climbing wall, Holistic horse and pony centre, High Ashurst outdoor learning centre.

Key Stage 4 (KS4)

The curriculum offer at Key Stage 4 is also personalised and mapped out around the young person's specific educational needs in conjunction with their substantive education provider. Where appropriate some young people may sit Functional Skills qualifications in English and Maths and work on employability skills.

Each young person will be offered the opportunity to engage in therapy either individually or as part of a group and a range of activities, including external or outdoor education.

Each young person's curriculum offer is personalised and may include some or all the following:

  • Education - English, Maths, Employability, ASDAN, Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), supported study.
  • Therapy - Art, Drama, Psychology, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Anger and anxiety management, Mindfulness.
  • Activities - Animation, Arts award, baking/cooking, Current affairs group, feeling the vibes film group, craft activities, Photography, Look good feel good, our voice, memory books, sport, gardening, games.
  • External activities -Thames Young Mariners outdoor learning centre, Henley Fort outdoor learning centre, Climbing wall, Holistic horse and pony centre, High Ashurst outdoor learning centre.

Key stage 5 (KS5)

The day programme provision for young people in Key Stage (KS) 5 is mainly therapeutic and activity based, with less formal education offered. However, a young person may be offered some education if they have not already achieved equivalent qualifications at KS4, or if their planned pathway out of Hope is dependent on continued access to education. Some young people may be offered the opportunity to work on employability skills.

Each young person will be offered the opportunity to engage in therapy either individually or as part of a group and a range of activities, including external or outdoor education.

Each young person's curriculum offer is personalised and may include some or all the following:

  • Education - English functional skills or General Certificate of Education (GCSE), Maths functional skills, Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE), Employability, supported study.
  • Therapy - Art, Drama, Psychology, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Anger and anxiety management, Mindfulness.
  • Activities - Animation, Arts award, Baking/cooking, Current affairs group, Feel the vibes film group, Craft activities, Photography, Look good feel good, Our voice, Memory book, Sport, gardening, games.
  • External activities -Thames Young Mariners outdoor learning centre, Henley Fort outdoor learning centre, Climbing wall, Holistic horse and pony centre, High Ashurst outdoor learning centre.

Policy reviewed: July 2024

Next review date: January 2025

Key Person: J Roberts.