Social

The Social Curriculum at The Observatory School has been developed through research, We have consulted with our SENCo and ADHD Experts about the development of the Social Curriculum. The base class structure has been designed to reduce sensory need and not overstimulate pupils who access the provision, giving them the ability to access the school curriculum.

Aims of the Social Pathway:

To develop and facilitate a pathway for pupils with social barriers to learning; social communication, behaviour, relationships, background, home life
To enable pupils on this pathway to successfully access the school curriculum
To support pupils to communicate effectively
Guide pupils to make the right choice through whole-class strategies
Recognise personal situation and provide a tailored support plan during difficult times
To promote and prioritise positive relationships between staff and pupils also, peer and peer relationships
Inform a strategic approach form outcomes set in EHCP
For all pupils to access specialist teaching and learning

Pupils on the Social Pathway may:

Have overactive behaviour (hyperactivity)
Come from a disruptive home life
Have difficulty following instructions or completing tasks
Have short attention spans and difficulty ‘sticking to’ an activity
Have difficulty organising tasks and activities
Be easily distracted and forgetful
Not appear to listen when being spoken to
May demonstrate Impulsive behaviour
May fidget and appear restless finding it difficult to sit still in class
Maybe noisy and talkative
May run about when it is inappropriate
May have difficulty in paying attention and distractibility (inattention)
May interrupt others
May blurt out answers without waiting for the question to be finished
Have difficulty in waiting or taking turns

Teachers and support staff who work on the Social Pathway give high-quality teaching and support which provides appropriate learning opportunities to all pupils, whatever their individual needs.

Level of support provided on the Social Pathway:

With a differentiated approach to teaching and learning, our teachers and support staff help the pupils on the Social Pathway with academic skills such as organisng their thoughts and helping the pupils to be aware of what is expected of them. This is completed through structure and flexibility.

Examples of this are:

All staff have an awareness of the individual needs of the pupils through their IEP and EHCP
Most subjects are taught in a base classroom except for Art, Science and Food Technology which are taught by specialist teachers in our Technology Block
Providing a structured environment
Planned breaks throughout the day
Allow de-stress, tactile or fidget toys
Have seating plans
Opportunities for controlled movement around the classroom
Lessons are broken down into manageable chunks
Reward systems set up for each curriculum area
Reward systems for positive choices
Adaptable and flexible teaching methods
Instructions kept short and simple
Use of laptop for coursework/in place of written work
Clear classroom rules and expectations
Pupils use emotional regulation charts in lessons to support them with their learning

The Social Pathway offers a broad and balanced curriculum and enables pupils to make social, emotional and academic progress. The curriculum is planned to enable progression from each phase of school life.