We currently have six classes in the senior school with Arabic and English streams, ISL classes and an ILG class.
We aim:
- To develop our learners’ skills to enable them to be as independent as possible in their daily lives.
- To develop the skills that will prepare our learners for employment in the community and/or within our workshop provision.The curriculum is activity based. At its core, is the belief that students learn best by doing, and remember most by engaging in activities that relate to the content to be learned. The students will be engaged in hands-on practical tasks through which they will develop specific skills to enable them to develop their independence and gain employment.
The curriculum offers a broad range of learning experiences that we have identified as meaningful and useful to our learners.
It covers one school year but can be extended to two or more years by teaching a unit in more detail and depth.
Content
A. The following programmes will be delivered to the whole class: Literacy/numeracy, communication skills, ICT and practical tasks will be incorporated into each programme.
1. ASDAN Towards Independence Modules (awaiting approval):Practical Workshop (incorporating our Specialisms Programme)
The focus is to introduce the students to tasks carried out in our workshops provision. Students will also learn to work safely and make an item following a plan. As last year, the module will be organized as a carousel with students participating in a short series of lessons on one ‘specialism’.
Classes will choose a minimum of three modules from the following:
- Meal Preparation and Cooking: Introduction
- Meal Preparation and Cooking: Sensory
- Using Transport
- Printing
- Money: Introduction
- Myself and Others
- Personal Care Routines: Sensory
2. Rashid Vocational Programme
This programme has been designed to promote the development of skills valued by employers and those that help our students gain meaningful employment.
- Solving Problems
- Working with Others
3. Arts Programme:
This programme will be delivered by our arts specialist staff.
4. Early Morning Exercise
Skills to be developed are:
- Team awareness and co-operation
- Following a set of rules
B. Programmes accessed by selected students or individually
Transition Planning
All Senior School Students will go through our transition planning process to help them and their families prepare for life after school. Their strengths, interests, needs and aspirations will be identified through individual and small group tasks and interviews with their families. A Transition Plan setting out how they will achieve their goals will then be formulated. This will be reviewed annually.
Work Experience
(for students aged 16 and above, where appropriate):
This programme has two aims:
- To give the students opportunities to experience real work environments, enabling them to make informed decisions about their work-related preferences.
- To develop the students’ work-related skills and independence ICT
For those students:
- Who show an interest in developing their ICT skills.
- Whose employment opportunities will be enhanced through following the programme.
Daily Living/Personal Care Skills
For students assessed as needing to develop their daily living and/or personal care skills.
Islamic Studies
This programme is delivered to students who are in the Arabic stream classes.
Assessment
The assessment methods we will use will be the same as those for the ASDAN modules. Each student will have a portfolio or file in which they will keep their work and evidence of their achievements.