The Woodland was established in Autumn 2022 to meet the needs of learners who were unable to access the classroom alongside their peers. These learners have social, emotional and mental health needs and communication and interaction needs that were impacting their ability to learn alongside others. The Woodland was established as an alternative provision within Boney Hay Academy that could be adapted over time to meet the needs of the children who require it. The decision to place children in the Woodland would be discussed with their parents and the staff who know them best. Some children access this provision full time and others part time depending on their needs. The aim is that all children accessing The Woodland would be able to reintegrate into their main classroom in the future for at least part of their learning. Where the children’s needs could no longer be met by the Woodland, a request would be made to the local authority for a specialist placement for that individual.
The curriculum in the Woodlands is adapted to meet the individual needs of all our pupils. It aims to provide motivating and relevant learning to maximise their engagement and support progress. The learning experiences planned for in the Woodlands support the development of functional skills, independence and personal development. This takes into account the children’s prior learning, uses practical/multi-sensory approaches, builds resilience, and develop communication to help every child to achieve their potential.
The curriculum, which follows the same schemes as the main school, is planned and sequenced so that new knowledge and skills can be built on what has been taught before and on each child’s assessed abilities. The children’s Individual learning plans are considered and closely tracked at every step to ensure they are making progress in the areas they need.
For all pupils, the intent is to provide a provision that allows them to thrive and make progress so that they can leave school with the skills they will need to take the next steps in their learning journey.
Staff work alongside year group Teachers within the main school to establish a starting point for each child. They then carefully assess each pupil’s abilities and work with parents/carers and any linked professionals to target the next key steps in priority learning areas that may include personal and social development, communication and the learning of key skills. Staff plan the next steps for individual pupils in curriculum areas using baseline assessment. Teaching is informed by the planned and sequenced knowledge and skills in all areas.
Alongside this, staff identify the strategies that each pupil needs to access the curriculum to achieve and make progress. This is individual to each pupil. Strategies include: Multi-sensory delivery, repetition, use of widget symbols etc. Staff use a range of strategies to support pupils to learn and retain information.
A number of our children have an Education and Health Care Plan and/or ILP’s which are shared with parents regularly and discussed through SEND parent meetings and annual reviews.
At Boney Hay Academy, the child is the centre of all that we do and the Woodland provision is an excellent example of this. The aspiration for all pupils is that they achieve their potential in all aspects of their development. All pupils who access the Woodland have special educational needs including autism, ADHD, sensory impairments. They require a curriculum that is adapted to ensure that their difficulties are not a barrier to them reaching their goals and making progress. The curriculum is adaptable and individual to ensure all achievement and progress is celebrated.
Progress for our pupils can be demonstrated by:
Our curriculum enables the pupils to make progress in all areas of their learning so that they are prepared for a life beyond school. Our aim is that pupils leave Boney Hay with the communication, confidence, self-help and life skills that support their overall independence and ultimately enable our pupils to continue their learning journeys into the next stage of their education.
