Ethos Statement

Building aspirational learners equipped for their future. 

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Core Values

Described as the 3 R’s: 

Relationships 

Respect 

Resilience 

All of which is underpinned by Routine. 

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Intent

Woodpecker Court is committed to providing a curriculum for all students, that is aspirational, accessible, appropriate and enables achievement at all levels. The outdoor learning experience is embedded within the curriculum, throughout all subjects where our passion is to engage through experience to ensure longevity of learning. We endeavour to increase student confidence and self-esteem through a success culture, positive experiences, working with others and gaining qualifications to enable them to be successful in both their onward destination by improving their life prospects and to be functional in the workplace.

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Purpose

The curriculum is reflective of the needs of the student, the bespoke nature of Woodpecker Court enables a degree of flexibility to ensure that we remain holistic and focused upon their learning journey. Many of our students have had a previous fragmented education, our envisaged end point for them is when they are deemed to be resilient, reflective, responsible as well as respectful while being academically functional for both life and onward destination.

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We encourage our students to be reflective every day throughout their learning journey. We achieve this by implementing opportunities where students can reflect on their day by running a morning and afternoon briefing based under our parachute. From a teaching and learning perspective, it is essential lesson planning includes the use of starter and plenary activities to highlight key points of learning, which will encourage students to retain knowledge. Students who embark on a learning journey at Woodpecker Court will become flexible in their working nature. The curriculum offers opportunities to learn new skills within our bespoke environment working closely with our animals, caring for the woodland, and learning how to be take responsibility for the provision and greater community.

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We build resilience in all of students, whether that be working in a range of challenging weather conditions, to being taught how to overcome mistakes with woodwork projects in our workshop, to undertaking a range of sensitive PSHE qualifications. Students will be given guidance to see positives in every challenge they face. The curriculum aspires to set “there is no ceiling…seek the stairs” approach for every student and any barriers they face are seen as an opportunity to learn. The curriculum provides opportunities for students to stretch and challenge themselves, no matter how big or small the outcome.

 

Some may be given leadership roles, others more challenging work to complete, but most importantly, students

will be given the appropriate steps to succeed in building their skills, qualities and to leave Woodpecker Court with confidence as they step into the next chapter of their journey.

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Implementation

The curriculum is designed for all students to access a range of exciting learning opportunities, which are differentiated to meet each learners needs. When students join the provision, they are base lined on their English, reading, spelling and maths ability also considering any prior achievement or attainment that they may have. They undertake a Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Their BLD Profile is assessed which generates targets which can be used to track soft outcomes. This enables us to use these outcomes, data from the referring partner and our professional opinion, to place students into suitable classes where they are taught appropriate content. Students are continually tracked and monitored by their tutors, this is overseen by The Head of Teaching and Learning. Every student has a mentor that works with them on their Woodpecker Court Personal Passport. This encourages the students to be reflective of their learning and how these impacts on what we envisage our students to be like when they finish their time at Woodpecker Court.

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The Woodpecker Court Personal Passport also enables tracking and recording of the impact of the hidden curriculum upon learners and their developing attitudes towards themselves, others, their studies, and the wider community. The diversity of explicit learning experiences offered in our formal curriculum, are supported throughout the year through themed enrichment activities and trips, community action and engagement, charity events and dedicated daily reflection time. These opportunities for students to challenge themselves and their preconceived attitudes and behaviours are discussed during passport sessions and the impact of new experiences reflected upon; helping students to identify and unpack these somewhat obscured learning outcomes.

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Across an academic year students can experience and reflect upon the following thematic areas of our hidden curriculum both in Passport and PSHE sessions.

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Term 1 – Communication

• · Numeracy and literacy

• · Meeting role models

• · Friendship groups

• · Independence away from home

• · CEIAG

• · Work experience placement

• · Telling the time

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Term 2 – Charities

• · Independent living skills

• · Housing and living support

• · Accessing medical appointments

• · Financial support to maintain health

• · Keeping healthy

• · Sex and relationship education

• · Drug and alcohol education

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Term 3 – Creativity

• · Making and keeping friendships

• · Diet choices

• · Physical exercise

• · Staying in touch with people

• · Respite

• · Cooking

• · Personal profile building

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Term 4 – Collaboration

• · Visiting destinations

• · Paying in shops

• · Dental health and wellbeing support

• · The world of work

• · Workplace visits

• · Vocational profiles

• · Destinations

• · Applications

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Term 5 – Critical thinking

• · Career planning

• · Career aspiration

• · Understanding money

• · Managing health needs

• · Career options

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Term 6 – Community

• · Local services

• · E-safety

• · Social media

• · Public transport

• · Travel

• · Information sharing with professionals

• · Housing