The Empower Curriculum

Our vision is to provide our learners with developmentally appropriate experiences that will challenge and support them to understand and actively access the world around them.

We aim to provide our learners with skills and knowledge that is relevant to them, their life and their future.

The teaching of the Empower curriculum will nurture transferable skills and holistic development within the key areas of; My Communication, My Thinking, Me and My Community, Myself/My Body, My Creativity and How My World Works.

Aims

The aims of the Empower curriculum are:

• to motivate and engage the children to be confident, happy and successful communicators who effectively self-advocate to shape their own lives.

• to empower learning in each individual so they can retain and develop transferable skills that will help them throughout their lives.

• to realise and challenge each individual`s potential.

• to enable the children to develop as individuals, ready to access the world around them.

The Curriculum

The Empower Curriculum is an explorative learning experience which provides pupils with a broad, balanced, rich and meaningful curriculum. It provides a flexible thematic curriculum approach for students with a range of complex learning profiles. Learning opportunities reflect the needs of the individual and aim to develop skills that are purposeful and beneficial to our pupils. The curriculum themes are used as vehicles for skills-based learning. Our curriculum aims to prepare learners for life after the Orchards by providing functional and personalised learning that enables them to successfully navigate the wider world. Our Empower Curriculum follows the principles and format of the EQUALS Semi-Formal Curriculum which aims to promote the highest standards of education for pupils with learning difficulties and offers a progressive and multi-tiered curriculum approach. It has its own curriculum areas that are designed to support the overall development of our learners.

Pupils are offered the following route through the curriculum:

Learning is Creative, engaging and inspiring. Focusing on tangible, hands-on learning which leads to resilient, independent, happy students with a strong sense of self.

Classrooms are calm environments were children feel safe to push their boundaries and where staff are consistent and caring, enabling students to be all they can be. Creates opportunities for personalised, child-focused learning with meaningful real-world applications.

We nurture close links with families and involve them in their child’s learning journeys, empowering them with support and advice and together celebrating every achievement.

Example Timetable

For more detailed information on the Empower Curriculum please have a look below