Our Designation

Foreland Fields School provides for pupils aged 4 to 19 who have Profound, Severe and Complex Needs (PSCN). Some of these pupils have additional difficulties arising from physical disabilities or sensory impairments (visual and hearing difficulties) or Autistic Spectrum Disorder / Communication & Interaction Difficulties.

The school also caters for Deaf and Hearing Impaired pupils.

Providing equal opportunities is about meeting individual needs – not treating everyone in the same way. In order to achieve the best possible outcomes for every pupil, we provide specialist environments, specialist resources and specialist teaching. Our pupils have a diverse range of learning needs ranging from P1 to the beginning of Year 3 National Curriculum stages; they also have a wide range of complex medical, physical, communication and social needs. In order to be truly inclusive – to meet all the needs of all our students, we have adapted different pedagogical approaches to the different need types within our school. This has been achieved by creating “needs-led” classes throughout the school.

Pupils with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties follow the Explorers Pathway, a pre-formal therapy-based curriculum that focuses on eliciting responses, health and well-being, postural management and mobility.
Pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties follow the Discoverers Pathway – a semi-formal, developmental, skills-based curriculum focusing on communication, early cognitive skills, relationships, independence and physical development.
Pupils with more moderate learning difficulties follow the Pioneers Pathway, an adapted version of the National Curriculum with a focus on accreditation, work related experiences, relationships and health education and life skills, which prepares our young people for independent living and the world of work.
Pupils with complex learning difficulties who are working at around P4/P5 follow the Adventurers Pathway – an informal curriculum focusing on communication, relationships, self-regulation and independence.

Pupils can be admitted to the Infant Department from age 5, to the Junior Department from age 7, to the Secondary Department from age 11 and to the Sixth Form from age 16. Technically, transition from each department occurs in the academic year in which they become this age.