Alternative curriculum
Inclusive education – also called inclusion – is education that includes everyone, with non-disabled and disabled people (including those with “special educational needs”) learning together in mainstream schools. Inclusive practice can be defined as attitudes and methods that ensure all learners can access mainstream education. At Meridian High School, everyone works to make sure all learners feel welcome and valued, and that they get the right support to help them develop their talents and achieve their goals. We believe that when education is truly inclusive it can actually benefit all learners.
At Meridian High School we have carefully designed an extended curriculum to ensure that students have a personalised provision that will meet their needs in the most effective way. The alternative curriculum supports students for literacy and language, neurological differences and social, emotional, mental health.
Extended curriculum sessions
Literacy and language
Intent
At Meridian High School, our ambition is to become a centre of excellence where all students are supported and encouraged to be effective communicators verbally and in writing. We aim to challenge all students to use Standard English and high level vocabulary as tools to present the best version of themselves in education and beyond. We strive to ensure that our students are avid readers of both fiction and non-fiction texts and our goal is to foster a love of reading for pleasure.
Learning hours
Language and literacy are integral across the curriculum and so are used and supported throughout every faculty. There are withdrawal sessions for students with specific, identified literacy and language needs, who need additional support.
Knowledge, Understanding and Skills
National Trust Article linked to the literacy needs of GCSE students
Assessment
Whole school, reading ages are assessed each year using the NGRT. This then informs teacher planning and some withdrawal sessions.
Learning and progress is assessed in withdrawal sessions through baseline testing prior to withdrawals beginning and then periodic retesting.
Feedback
Feedback is predominantly given live to students verbally, during lessons and withdrawals. Marking for key words and SPaG is also done on the school ‘Marking Sheets’. Summative assessment data is also used for feedback to students so they can see their progress.
Learning beyond the classroom
Outside of the classroom, literacy and language can be explored and developed through attending any of our extra-curricular clubs, as they promote communication and oracy. Additionally, reading for pleasure, including Strand 3 of Prep, will greatly improve students’ reading, comprehension and vocabulary. We will shortly be reopening and relaunching our school library and there will be plenty of opportunities to partake in reading clubs and competitions.
Supporting students in SALT at home:
Here are some useful strategies that parents can use to support their children at home:
The-Effectiveness-of-Lego-Therapy-Intervention-UCL.pdf
The-Zones-of-Regulation-Parent-Workshop-Slides-Handout.pdf
Zones-Poster-updated-pictures-secondary-age.pdf
Lego Therapy
The Lego Therapy group provides students within a small group environment to improve their social communication difficulties. The intervention encourages students to develop their communication and problem solving skills that will be transferable to all circumstances in and outside of school.
Intent
Lego Therapy group aims to give neurodiverse students the position to explore collaborative communication in an encouraging and positive way. The intention of Lego Therapy is for students to engage with peers, share experiences and collaborate through simple and repeatable activities; these will develop transferable skills that can impact on everyday life and improve the well-being of neurodiverse students.
Learning hours
Intervention groups happen throughout the week but students will have 1 hour per week.
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| Knowledge and Understanding |
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| Skills |
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Specification
https://courses.bluchildrensclub.co.uk/
Assessment
Staff will make observations and monitor progress among students during the sessions.
Feedback
Students will receive verbal feedback on the skills they use during their sessions.
Learning beyond the classroom
Students will have the tools to adapt their life and social skills that will provide them with the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively. These skills will help them progress in other subjects at school and develop interpersonal skills - advancing employment opportunities and improving mental health.
Home cooking
Home Cooking aims to give our students the knowledge, skills and confidence to enjoy cooking meals at home. The students will gain an understanding of how to economise when planning meals to cook at home. The intervention will encourage learners to transfer skills learnt to other recipes to continue cooking for themselves and their families and to inspire others by passing on their knowledge. This alternative subject is taught on the proposition that being able to cook is an essential life skill which empowers people to make changes that have benefits to health and wellbeing.
The students will be introduced to basic cooking skills within a smaller learning environment by following recipes for simple dishes and learning how to use kitchen equipment safely. Each recipe is underpinned with knowledge about sourcing food, nutrition, hygiene and food safety where relevant. The students are encouraged to plan, prepare and produce a range of sweet and savoury dishes. During the intervention, the students will be asked to demonstrate their skills by following a recipe. They will also consider the value of acquiring skills for cooking at home and explore ways to pass on their knowledge of cooking skills to others.
Intent
The curriculum intent for Home Cooking is to provide students with a basic knowledge to independently and confidently cook a range of food. Home Cooking aims for students to gain an awareness and understanding of food hygiene, health and safety in the kitchen, different types of food and encourage independence and confidence in the kitchen environment.
Learning hours
1 hour per week which is a combination of practical and theoretical content.
Knowledge, Understanding and Skills
| All year groups | |
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| Topics |
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| Knowledge and understanding |
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| Skills |
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Specification
Assessment
The students can be assessed, stretched and challenged in this alternative subject through the use of different assessment strategies, for example:
- using a variety of stems in questions — for example analyse, evaluate, discuss, compare
- ensuring connectivity between sections of questions
- performance observations and written teacher witness statements of students' practical home cooking skills.
- an opportunity for extended writing, presentations, projects and practical/written tests.
- use of a wider range of question types to address different skills — for example open-ended questions, realistic case studies/scenarios.
Feedback
Written feedback will be regularly provided in the students' books by marking their work to assess their learning and progress of the lesson. Students' work will be checked carefully to ensure that the work is their own and is not copied from source material or from each other. This is to eliminate any forms of plagiarism in preparation for further education. The students will have an opportunity to respond to the teacher’s written feedback in their books to embed their knowledge and understanding of the topic previously discussed.
The students will also receive constant verbal feedback during practical and theoretical lessons to assess their learning and to address any misconceptions that the students may have.
Learning beyond the classroom
The students could have an opportunity to visit to the local shops to buy their ingredients for their recipe to promote self-development, confidence and independence. It will also help to develop students’ budgeting and money skills.
Health and Social care
Health and Social Care gives our students opportunities to actively engage in the processes of health and social care in order to develop as effective and independent students. It helps our students to understand aspects of personal development, and the health, social care and early years sectors, through investigation and evaluation of a range of services and organisations available to help and support people in their lives.
It encourages our students to develop a critical and analytical approach to problem solving within this subject where they can examine and explore issues which affect the nature and quality of human life, including an appreciation of diversity and cultural issues. The students will be given the opportunity to develop their awareness of the influences on an individual’s health and wellbeing as well as an understanding of the importance of motivation and support when improving health.
The Health & Social Care experience provides our students with a small learning group environment enabling them to focus on developing and improving their social communication skills and their problem-solving and thinking skills. These are valuable transferable life skills for the students to learn and develop.
Intent
The curriculum intent is for our students to be provided with valuable opportunities and to learn different topics relating to Health & Social Care and how they relate to their lives and to society. Health & Social Care aims to promote this subject as an enjoyable and interesting alternative subject. The students will be informed of the teacher’s high expectations and aspirations in obtaining their target grades and above so that they aspire to reach their full academic and well-being potential whilst securing valuable transferable life skills.
Learning hours
1 hour per week for students who study this.
Knowledge, Understanding and Skills
| All year groups | |
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| Topics covered |
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| Knowledge and understanding |
Health, social care and early years practitioners need to understand the different ways people grow and develop during their lives. This unit focuses on human growth and development across the whole lifespan. Students are expected to be able to describe and explain the patterns of physical growth and change, and the physical, social, intellectual and emotional development that typically take place in each life stage. The unit will also develop knowledge and understanding of patterns of human growth and development.
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| Skills |
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Specification
Assessment
The students can be assessed, stretched and challenged in this alternative subject through the use of different assessment strategies, for example:
- using a variety of stems in questions — for example analyse, evaluate, discuss, compare
- ensuring connectivity between sections of questions
- opportunity for extended writing
- use of a wider range of question types to address different skills — for example open-ended questions, case studies.
Feedback
Written feedback will be regularly provided in students' books by marking their work to assess their learning and progress of the lesson. Students' work will be checked carefully to ensure that the work is their own and is not copied from source material or from each other. This is to eliminate any forms of plagiarism in preparation for further education. The students will have an opportunity to respond to the teacher’s written feedback in their books to embed their knowledge and understanding of the topic previously discussed.
The students will also receive verbal feedback during lessons to assess their learning and to address any misconceptions that the students may have.
Learning beyond the classroom
Our students will learn to function as well-informed individuals after they leave school. This alternative subject gives our students an opportunity/experience to have cultural and social capital input by helping and supporting them to access their learning and enabling them to make well-informed decisions so that they can succeed academically and have positive life chances.
Personal Finance
Finance provides students with the opportunity to learn financial skills and develop their mathematical skills. The Finance intervention encourages an understanding of money and finance and develops skills and knowledge for everyday life.
Intent
There are numerous benefits of financial education in schools, such as introducing positive financial habits at an impressionable time, preparing students for the workforce or part-time work in college and endowing students with vital expertise that can guide their financial decisions throughout life.
Learning hours
1 hour across Years 7 – 10 with selected small groups (average 3 – 4 students)
Knowledge, Understanding and Skills
| Year groups 7-10 | |
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| Topics |
Wages, Deductions, Pay Slips |
| Knowledge and understanding |
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| Skills |
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Specification
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/myskills/btec-money-and-finance-skills.html
Assessment
Students have regular opportunities for peer and self-assessment as well as completing a big quiz every half term.
Feedback
Students regularly receive verbal feedback during the sessions as well as formal written feedback.
Learning beyond the classroom
The intention is to give students the opportunity to manage a small financial project where they will need to work as a team and use budgeting skills.
Forest School
Forest School provides students with exciting and unique activities to develop skills and knowledge through practical learning. The intervention offers students the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves.
Intent
The Forest School intervention aims to develop, where appropriate, the physical, social, cognitive, linguistic, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of the learner. This progressive course provides students with practical activities that focus on building resilience and self-regulation.
Learning hours
1 hour per week - a combination of theoretical and practical content.
Knowledge, Understanding and Skills
| All year groups | |
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| Topics |
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| Knowledge and understanding |
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| Skills |
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Specification
Assessment
To ensure that students are making progress the teacher will assess through observation and completion of key tasks as well as student reflections.
Feedback
Feedback takes place through both verbal and personalised written targets.
Learning beyond the classroom
Students will learn and develop lifelong skills that could encourage them in discovering their own hobbies and interests. By undertaking Forest School activities, students will develop a better understanding of the outdoors and take ownership and pride in their local environment. This progresses into Land Based Studies at KS4.
