A personalised curriculum leading to the best possible outcomes for pupils.’
We have developed our curriculum to meet the evolving needs of our pupils. We are committed to continual professional growth and research. Staff benefit from both in-house and external expertise. This provides a toolkit of educational approaches, which we use to meet the needs of our pupils.
Our curriculum intent is to support our pupils to be kind, safe, honest, brave, to grow together and be prepared for life beyond school. Our curriculum is personalised as we recognise that pupils’ learning and development needs drive their educational offer.
Curriculum Frameworks: Each of our learning areas is underpinned by a clear curriculum framework. These frameworks set out the essential knowledge, skills and experiences pupils are expected to develop over time and support teachers to plan purposeful, sequenced learning. They are designed to ensure that learning is appropriately ambitious and carefully matched to each pupil’s stage of development, enabling progress from individual starting points and promoting long-term learning.
The curriculum is divided into key learning areas:
The curriculum has truly individualised learning at its heart.
There will often be overlap between the skills and activities that are learnt in our key learning areas. For example, a drama lesson might be focused on problem solving and thinking skills, or physical development activities used to develop sequencing skills in maths. Teachers are clear about the outcomes that they want for individual pupils and use the learning areas to deliver these rather than focusing on delivering a discreet curriculum subject.
Communication overarches everything at Netherhall Mead Academy. We are a ‘total communication school’. Effective communication strategies and teaching allow our pupils to express their needs and wants, supports them in being independent and making real informed choices and allows them to interact with the world around us.
Pupils have access to a wide range of strategies and personalised communication programmes. These include ‘Sign along’, symbol supported text, photographs, objects of reference, switches, communication books and passports. For further information on our ‘total communication’ approach, please click here.
We have a Communication Lead who supports in the implementation and quality assurance of communication across the school.
For more details please click here.
We have a strong ethos of respect for all pupils, staff and families. We are committed to making our school a place where everyone is positively supported to become the best that they can be. This is very evident in the calm and caring atmosphere within the school and the positive relationships between all members of the school community.
At all times, we seek to maximise access to learning opportunities for every pupil. We support behaviour in order to promote learning.
Central to this are Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) systems and our belief that behaviour is communication- it is our responsibility to find out what is being communicated and how we can best support.
The clues to successful PBS are to be found in the pupil themselves. We adopt a personalised approach through knowledge of pupils’ needs. This includes:
- Condition/medical diagnosis
- Contextual and personal history
- Triggers and vulnerabilities
- Motivators
- Co and self-regulating strategies
- Total communication support
- And for some pupils a Risk Reduction Plan
It is better to predict and plan than to find and fix.
Our partnership with families is a crucial part of successful behaviour support for all our pupils- we have so much to learn from each other. We value day-to-day communication through class home/school books, emails, telephone calls and face to face conversations. We offer a support network of support through family PBS groups and workshops. We are working to develop an active network for families to offer support and grow friendships. We believe the relationship we have with families is the foundation for successful PBS and that this in turn shapes the building blocks of adulthood and life beyond school.
POST 19 Leavers’ Destinations over time:
The following list details the destinations of Netherhall Mead Academy (Previously Nether Hall school) leavers over the period 2015-16 to 2023-2024 (9 years).
Previously we had two leavers that were NEET. Both leavers continue to receive support from the Adult Social Care transitions team. One leaver remains at home due to health reasons. Another leaver requires a specialist college, but no spaces were available. In September 2024 we have one student NEET due to transport issues accessing college.
Many of our leavers are provided with local FE provision. When local FE provision is unable to meet need, students may apply to local specialist colleges. Most FE provision continues to develop independent living skills.
For some of our leaver’s FE is not the most suitable option. These students have Social Care provision instead unless families decide otherwise. .
| Netherhall Mead Post 19 leavers 2015-16 to 2023-2024 | |||
| Total PMLD leavers 15. Total SLD leavers 47 | |||
| Leavers’ Destinations | No. | Course level | Course / offer |
| Leicester College PMLD | 16 | None | RARPA PMLD |
| Leicester College SLD
(Freemans Campus) |
21
|
None | RARPA Learning for living |
| Leicester College SLD (Abbey Campus) | 8 | None | Transition to work
|
| Gateway College | 9 | Entry 2 / 3 | PSD / Work ready |
| Sense College, Loughborough | 7 | None | Continuing studies |
| Homefield College SLD | 6 | None | Enterprise |
| Homefield College – Sensory pathway | 1 | None | Sensory |
| Other | 1 | None | |
| Social care option | 3 | None | |
| Accommodated – Post 19 | 5 | N/A | |
Test, exam and assessment results:
No formally accredited courses were offered at Nether Hall school in 2023/2024.
In KS4 there are a range of opportunities offered based on individual leaning styles and abilities, such as: –
- Work related learning through mini-enterprise
- Accessing the community safely
- Independence and life skills including shopping, cooking and use of money
- Sex and relationships education
Summary
The Netherhall Mead curriculum is designed to truly meet the needs of individual pupils. It allows them to make the best possible progress and reach their full potential. The curriculum is driven by our vision and values.
Netherhall Mead is a vibrant, thriving and fun learning environment where children truly achieve.
If you would like any further information on our curriculum offer, please contact one of our Assistant Principals.
A Place to Shine