HHE Teaching and Learning Principles

We hold the view that all our pupils have the potential to acquire the essential personal capabilities and positive characteristics to be successful. However, the specific physical, psychological and medical barriers that the majority of our pupils encounter mean that, to be successful, teaching must be planned to provide security in learning as well as challenge in developing character and academic achievement.

For some of our students this is their first experience of formal education; some students come to us with no English and no Literacy in their first language. This is due to lack of opportunity not potential and we have high expectations for rapid progress. We also value the alternative learning, skills and experiences that our learners bring to us. Our students are conscientious learners with an appetite for education which they value as their route to success.

We also hold the view that from the moment a pupil enters our school we have a collective responsibility to nurture and develop them through both academic rigour and the building of character so that each child or young person can feel successful in life. We seek to ensure that pupils develop independently, a range of attitudes and characteristics that will define them as positive individuals willing to contribute constructively to society.

Our key Teaching and Learning Principles are driven by our six core values; Kindness, Empathy, Respect, Responsibility, Honesty and Resilience

•  Safety/Security

Our teaching environment provides our pupils with a feeling of being safe. Lessons are planned and delivered in response to individual social, emotional, physical and personal safety needs. Pupils feel safe to make mistakes.

•  Positive Relationships

Staff invest in positive relationships with our pupils and model positive attitudes. A good relationship between teacher and pupil is based on trust and mutual respect. All pupils are offered a fresh start, with staff fostering a sense of belonging.

•  High expectations

There are consistent high expectations for all staff and pupils. There is an appropriate level of challenge/comfort scaffolded by the knowledge and understanding of individual pupil history/experiences.

•  Flexible, Responsive and Adapted Teaching

All lessons and activities are personalised so each learner experiences success. Opportunities are provided for pupils to take risks and work outside of their comfort zones developing their resilience. Staff consistently respond to the needs of the learner, adapting their practice in the moment. Pupils are supported to become independent.

•  Effective Communication

Effective communication between all stakeholders is paramount to pupil progress. Consistent and clear liaison with the pupil’s home school enables a continuous learning experience.

•  Consistent Boundaries

Our school’s core beliefs and values are shared and positive choices are modelled. There are consistent behaviour expectations across the school community.

CURRICULUM INTENT

 At HHELC we engage with the whole school community to create a welcoming, safe and nurturing environment where our pupils are motivated to learn.  Our highly trained staff use a variety of teaching and learning strategies to motivate, engage and inspire each individual learner, so that every young person in our care achieves their full potential.  At HHELC our “curriculum” is the total experience that a child or young person will encounter during their time at the school. The curriculum includes both national curriculum opportunities and local enrichment activities, including the development of life skills. Where appropriate, the school will be mindful of the opportunities that children and young people access out of school and in their home school, such as hobbies and personal interests. 

The school’s curriculum is designed to:

•  Engage, motivate and inspire pupils through well-planned and engaging learning opportunities.
•  Help pupils to progress from their individual starting points in the academic subjects of English, Reading, Writing, Maths, Science and PSHE.
•  Improve the overall wellbeing and mental health of pupils through a variety of creative subjects and enrichment learning opportunities.
•  Provide our pupils with the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding to progress and achieve academically, socially and emotionally when they transition to a future academic destination.
  

CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION

 The Curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of each phase and site. The GCSE and A level specifications are determined and supported in liaison with the student’s home school. Transferred candidates supported for all KS4 and Post 16 vocational and non-vocational courses.

 CURRICULUM IMPACT

 The impact of the curriculum will be measured and evaluated by pupil achievement and engagement. 

SEND

Recognising, celebrating and planning for each young person is central to our curriculum, therefore, our SEND provision strives to be responsive to each learner and build upon a young person’s strengths and interests. This approach supports engagement and progression towards individual outcomes from their Education, Health and Care Plan. Sharing information from home and school about each young person’s preferred communication method, supports them to progress and maintain positive mental health. This ethos is applied to our young people working through the Engagement Model to those working at a formal level.

To support young people working through the Engagement Model, sessions are designed to assess one or more of the Areas of Engagement. This can involve a range of strategies such as, Intensive Interaction and Sensory Stories. Appropriate resources are also selected to support the delivery of engaging sessions; these include using a Sensory Voyager and the use of Bag Books. All sessions are individualised, with the young person’s current medical condition informing the planning and delivery of each session.

For those working through a Semi-Formal curriculum, our intention is to support young people to communicate, problem solve in a variety of contexts and engage in active cross-curricular learning. This is achieved through subjects such as drama, functional literacy and food preparation and baking.   Whereas for young people working within the Formal Curriculum, discrete subjects are taught with reference to cross-curricular links and relevance independence.

MARKING

 The individual barriers to learning that pupils encounter mean that marking and feedback will need to be highly personalised, yet follows our key principles

•  All work will be frequently acknowledged, either verbally (VF) or with written comments.
•  Pupils will be taught how to self- assess and opportunities will be provided for this to happen so that there is effective pupil teacher dialogue about learning.
•  Feedback will be both positive and specific about what a pupil has achieved and will relate to the learning objective, success criteria or other on-going skills development.
•  Feedback will acknowledge the level of support the pupil required, including verbal prompts (VP) physical prompts (PP) and levels of independent working (I).
•  Next steps must be specific and relate to both aspects of learning and subject detail.
•  Marking to improve pupil literacy beyond subject specific terminology must occur.
•  Pupils must have the opportunity to respond to the marking/feedback as soon as possible
•  Pupils’ response to feedback should be evident in subsequent, dated pieces of work.

ASSESSMENT

At HHELC assessment lies at the heart of outstanding pedagogy empowering pupils to reach their targets and achieve success.  Assessment supports pupils’ learning and improves attainment through effective feedback showing the pupil how further progress can be made. It provides a framework within which educational objectives may be set and pupil progress expressed and monitored. This is done in partnership with the pupil, parent/carers and home schools.

 Using the principles and processes of assessment, we aim to:

•  Know what each pupil is capable of (personal development, cognitive ability and academic potential)
•  Know the skills and knowledge that each pupil is already competent and successful at and recognise the achievement of pupils.
•  Provide clear information to pupils about what they have done well and how they need to improve.
•  Identify any barrier to learning ensuring provision of appropriate intervention that supports progress.
•  Monitor progress and support learning
•  Guide future planning, teaching and curriculum development
•  Inform parents/carers and the wider community of pupil achievement
•  Provide information to ensure continuity when the pupil changes school or year group.
•  Comply with statutory requirements.

PROGRESS TRACKING

Details of the pupil’s attainment and their progress towards targets, with accompanying evidence and specific next steps in learning, are regularly analysed. Detailed information about the pupil’s personal development with regards to: learning behaviours, attitudes to learning, personal strengths and qualities /characteristics or dispositions is also collated and analysed.

Education reports are completed termly for Primary and Secondary Pathway pupils and shared with home schools. Education reports are also written for pupils with an EHCP.

Pupils working at Pre-National Curriculum stages (Subject specific)

For pupils working at pre-National Curriculum stages (P levels 1-4 and Pre-Key Stage Standards 1-3) Teaching staff use B squared, for reading, writing and maths, to support base line assessment, planning next steps, formative assessment and ongoing tracking.

Pupils working at Pre-National Curriculum stages (Non subject specific)

For pupils working at pre-National Curriculum stages, on a non-subject specific curriculum, Teaching staff use B squared, for a small step, structured approach for assessing pupil’s attainment and progress through the engagement model.

Pupils in EYFS

Teaching staff use Development Matters, Birth to 5 and Early Learning Goals to support base line assessment, planning next steps, formative assessment and ongoing tracking. Progress is recorded by: observing and assessing pupils using a combination of written observations/annotations, discussions with parents and Home School Teachers, photos and samples of work; all of which are compiled to create an electronic individual Learning Journey for each child on Tapestry.

Pupils in the Primary Phase

Teaching staff use the HHELC Reading Progression document, Rising Stars frameworks and Kent Tracking Statements, for reading, writing and maths, to support base line assessment, planning next steps, formative assessment and ongoing tracking. Progress is recorded by: observing and assessing children using a combination of written annotations and evaluations, discussions with parents and Home School Teachers, photos and the pupils’ work. Staff use a range of relevant and appropriate documents to support them in assessing the foundation subjects.

Pupils in the Secondary Phase

Teaching staff use the Pearson Progression Scale and Maps for 11 - 16 in the core subjects, to support base line assessment, planning next steps, formative assessment and ongoing tracking.

The Pearson Progression Scale and Maps provide a 12-step approach to the curriculum. These 12 steps correspond to an indicative GCSE grade. (This is N/A for NEST)

For long-term students, summative assessments are available on Kerboodle for science and maths. The grading of these tests is done independently, which allows for consistent and accurate GCSE level grading at the end of units.  These are used to show progress made in a topic and also to support predictions of final GCSE grades. 

Pupils in the Post 16 Phase

Teaching staff use the Pearson Progression Scale and Maps and Kerboodle resources for students undertaking resit GCSEs. For students taking A Levels or BTEC courses the appropriate syllabi, specifications and assessment criteria are used to support base line assessment, planning next steps, formative assessment and ongoing tracking.

NEST

Students are baselined using the Nottingham City's Framework for Language Stages - English as an additional language (Secondary version - Key Stages 3 and 4).  The Entry Level criteria for each subject, ESOL, maths, ICT and science, is then used to track students both as formative and summative assessments.