Adventurers' Pathway

‘Learning to Be’

 

A curriculum for learners with complex learning difficulties (CLD)

The Adventurers Pathway is an informal curriculum for pupils with complex learning difficulties who are working at P4/P5. Some pupils on this pathway may work, in a few areas, at levels above P5.  However, in many cases, due to their complex difficulties, they are not able to consistently work at this level or across all areas.  These pupils may have a very ‘spikey’ learning profile or have the ability to achieve some aspects of learning, but struggle to access formal or semi-formal learning opportunities.  The majority of Adventurers’ pupils will have a dual diagnosis of SLD and ASD.  Having difficulty in memory formation, development of language and impaired social understanding can make their world a confusing and unpredictable place.  This can mean these pupils will often struggle to communicate with those around them, have raised anxiety levels and consequent difficulties in self-regulation.  Therefore, the primary aim for our Adventurers is ‘learning to be’.

Equals Informal Curriculum

Pupils on the Adventurers’ Pathway are not engaged in subject specific learning. They develop key skills in communication and interaction, cognition and learning and social, emotional and mental health and physical development holistically through highly engaging process based learning activities.

There are 5 schemes of work within the Equals Informal Curriculum:

  • My Communication
  • My Independence
  • My Sensory Play
  • My Outdoor School
  • My Physical Wellbeing
Personalised Learning

The individual pupil will be central to the learning process. Class teams, multi-agency staff and families will agree a small number of Personal Learning Intentions for each pupil. These will take into account the needs and motivators for each pupil.

Learning Intentions will be delivered holistically; they will cover a large area of the curriculum. They are the priorities for that pupil and they carry across every aspect of their lives, in and out of school.

Our Impact - How we know that our pupils are making progress

We recognise that progress for our students with profound and multiple learning difficulties may look very different from the linear progress made by neuro-typical learners and therefore approaches to assessment, need to show the following aspects of lateral progress:

  • The level of support that the student needs to demonstrate the skill
  • How well the student has mastered the skill
  • How frequently the student demonstrates the skill
  • The range of contexts I which the student can demonstrate the skill

 P levels which have traditionally been used to assess our students, presume linear progress and are not best placed to show the progress that they make.

We will instead use a “basket of indicators” to tell the story of each pupil’s unique learning journey.

We will use an app called “Evidence for Learning” to capture photographic and video evidence of our students making progress towards their Personal Learning Intentions. Staff can add their observations and link these to multiple frameworks.

We will use the following “basket of indicators” to demonstrate progress:

  • Progress towards Personal Learning Intentions
  • Learning Journals
  • Evidence for Learning data
  • Progress towards therapy goals
  • Pupil progress meetings 3 times a year
  • Development Matters (for those students in Year R)
  • Engagement Model or Pre-Key Stage Standards
  • Welsh Routes for Learning where appropriate