Curriculum Intent
Our Vision
The Starlings curriculum is designed to provide our pupils with special educational needs with a rich, ambitious and personalised learning experience that recognises their individual starting points and enables them to make meaningful progress across all areas of development.
Curriculum Design
Our curriculum is carefully planned to reflect the needs of pupils with special educational needs taking into account their stage of development rather than their chronological age. We operate a 4-year cycle that:
- Builds progressively from National Curriculum objectives across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2
- Adapts content to match pupils’ developmental stages and learning needs
- Ensures breadth and balance while maintaining high expectations for all learners
- Provides repeated opportunities for consolidation and mastery through the cyclical approach
Life Skills and Independence
At the heart of our Starlings curriculum is a commitment to developing the practical life skills and independence that will enable our pupils to participate fully in their communities and lead fulfilling lives.
We recognise that for our pupils, functional skills are just as important as academic achievement. Our curriculum therefore places equal emphasis on:
- Self-care and personal independence – developing skills in dressing, eating, personal hygiene and self-organisation
- Social and communication skills – learning to interact with others, express needs and preferences, and build relationships
- Practical life skills – including money handling, time management, making choices and problem-solving in everyday situations
- Community participation – understanding how to navigate the local environment, use facilities safely, and engage in community life
- Preparation for transition – building the foundations for future independence, whether in education, employment or daily living
These skills are not taught in isolation but are woven throughout our curriculum. Every lesson, every activity, and every interaction is viewed as an opportunity to develop greater independence. We celebrate small steps towards independence as significant achievements and ensure that skills learned in school are reinforced at home through close partnership with families.
Communication and Literacy
We recognise that communication is fundamental to all learning. Our approach includes:
- Daily phonics instruction using a sensory-based approach that makes phonics accessible to all learners
- Rocket Phonics reading scheme to support systematic acquisition of sounds and early reading skills
- Multi-sensory teaching methods that engage pupils through visual, auditory, kinaesthetic and tactile experiences
- Functional communication skills embedded across the curriculum through our core word programme
Personalisation and Progress
Every child in Starlings has:
- Individualised learning pathways based on thorough assessment of their starting points
- Targeted interventions that address specific learning needs
- Regular assessment to track small steps of progress and inform next steps
- Appropriate challenge that builds on prior learning while maintaining high aspirations
Implementation
Our curriculum is delivered through:
- Carefully differentiated activities that enable all pupils to access learning at their level
- A focus on developing independence and life skills alongside academic learning
- Close partnership with families and external professionals
- A nurturing environment that builds confidence and celebrates achievement
Impact
We measure the success of our curriculum through:
- Evidence of progress from pupils’ individual starting points
- Development of functional skills that support independence
- Growing confidence and engagement in learning
- Successful transitions to next stages of education
- Starlings Curriculum Overview
