Secondary

Key Stage 3

We recognise that every child is an individual and the curriculum reflects that. Outside of the core curriculum offer, there are an array of opportunities available to ensure a well-rounded learning experience for all of our pupils; we constantly provide enhancement opportunities to further engage our young people. Pupils move into Key Stage 4 with the skills and confidence to access a wide range of curriculum opportunities.

Key Stage 4

Our aim is that pupils leave us at the end of Key Stage 4 with the skills, confidence and resilience to be able to transition successfully to further education, employment or training. To this end, we aspire to offer a curriculum in Key Stage 4 that is rich in terms of the experiences offered to our unique, individual pupils and provides opportunities for all pupils to be able to follow a program of study that meets their needs, interests and abilities.

Our curriculum incorporates the national curriculum, accreditation requirements (GCSE or equivalent qualifications) and development of life skills required for life after Laleham Gap. We maintain high learning expectations whilst communicating progress in a way which is consistent with the common language of assessment. In all subjects, pupils are assessed against nationally recognised frameworks and progress is reported to parents throughout the year.

Developments

Reading was introduced in the Secondary provision to further support language development in all subjects and specifically to further accelerate the pupils’ progress in English (diminishing the difference so even more students are making good or better progress during key stage three and in line with other core subjects). All secondary pupils join in this reading opportunity (30 minutes daily after lunchtime) to nurture the joy, function and encouragement to read and gain the inherent academic benefits that this brings.

Accreditation in Key Stage Four

We feel passionately that we continually prepare our students for both the next stage of their school careers and ultimately for life.

With this in mind we have been developing our offer of accredited outcomes for pupils in Key Stage Four, ensuring we are offering a broad range that accredit the excellent progress our pupils make. We make decisions regarding entries and levels for pupils on an individual basis, ensuring we offer an achievable pathway to gain outcomes that sensitively and realistically stretch and challenge our students. On occasions this can mean a stepping stone approach to qualifications which boosts confidence and offers a motivating, tangible award to continue on the pathway to further success. On the rare occasion we make the decision to offer multiple entries or against subjects that discount against each other we only do so in the best interests of the pupil.

Stretch and Challenge

We have been working to maintain consistently high expectations across the whole school for children’s work, requiring pupils to challenge themselves and show enthusiasm and interest. This has been highlighted by the school based reworking of the marking for improvement policy and embedding the in depth tracking and subsequent action planning to support progress across the school.

Support

Lastly we are committed to a holistic approach to support our learning expectations. We focus on the removal of the barriers to success and value the continuing wrap around support work that embeds the restorative, inclusive and resilience building practises including Play Therapy and a Well Being Caseworker, that aid our pupils in reaching their full potential. Our external partners are crucial in developing this supportive yet expectant culture of success; they include Project Salus, local Colleges, NHS, Social Services and Global Generation.

Our pupil’s ability to succeed now and in the future, matters to us and will continue to be a key principle as we constantly redefine and develop our strategies to promote success.

Wave Class (Secondary)

Intent

The Wave Class builds directly on the foundations established in the Wave Provision. After pupils have achieved stability, emotional regulation, and initial engagement in the smaller, highly individualised provision, the Wave Class aims to:

1. Support pupils to transition from individualised, therapeutic engagement toward small-group learning, developing the skills needed for participation in a classroom environment
2. Increase learning readiness, including acceptance for routine, directed tasks, and peer presence
3. Develop personalised learning and wellbeing plans that help pupils engage more deeply and consistently with their academic progress
4. Prepare pupils for reintegration into the Strive Class or the core school offer, ensuring the transition feels achievable, structured, and emotionally safe

Implementation

The Wave Class provides a structured, nurturing environment that bridges the gap between the Wave Provision and the expectations of Strive or the main school.

Progression from the Wave Provision

Pupils entering the Wave Class will typically have:

• Engaged positively with the Wave Provision on a personalised timetable
• Begun to re-establish routines and trust in school
• Reconnected with learning through bespoke academic and wellbeing tasks

The Wave Class builds on these strengths and gradually raises expectations in a supportive, predictable manner.

The Wave Class offers:

• A consistent, class-based setting
• Clear routines and structure similar to the main school
• Increased opportunities for peer interaction, cooperative learning, and social development

The Wave Class focusses on developing:

• Emotional resilience
• Independence skills, such as task initiation, organisation, and transitioning between activities
• Gradually increasing task duration and expectations this prepares pupils for the higher levels of independence and engagement required in Strive or the school’s core offer
• Regular communication with families provides updates and gathers feedback
• Class teachers from Strive or mainstream are gradually introduced to the pupil through visits, shared sessions, and joint planning, ensuring reintegration feels safe and predictable

Impact

• The Wave Class aims to deliver sustained, measurable improvements for pupils transitioning from the Wave Provision.
• Increased confidence and resilience demonstrated through greater participation and engagement in group-based learning
• Improved emotional regulation, enabling pupils to remain in the classroom and manage challenges more independently
• Stronger academic progress, supported by personalised plans and improved readiness to learn.
• Successful transition to Strive or the core school offer, with pupils feeling prepared, supported, and motivated
• Greater trust and confidence in the school, built through consistent communication and visible progress
• A clearer understanding of the pupil’s strengths, needs, and pathways, leading to improved collaboration with parents
• Increased attendance and engagement, particularly for pupils with EBSNA
• A more consistent, whole-school approach to understanding and addressing EBSNA, informed by the progression model from Wave Provision → Wave Class → Strive/Core
• A strengthened culture of early intervention, reducing long-term disengagement, and promoting meaningful reintegration

Strive class (Secondary)

Intent

• To design tailored provision plans that increase pupils’ engagement, participation and investment in their learning within a small-group setting, with opportunities for support from subject specialists
• To develop and refine strategies that enable pupils to successfully integrate into other classes across the school
• To provide a safe, nurturing environment where pupils can build their readiness to learn in specialist subject lessons
• To help pupils become motivated, confident learners who are enabled and prepared to access the school’s core curriculum offer
• To ensure all pupils are able to learn, grow and succeed in ways that are meaningful, accessible and appropriate to their individual needs
• To empower pupils by building their resilience, confidence and self-esteem

Implementation

• Develop personalised provision and support plans, informed by pupil voice, assessment and collaboration with staff and subject specialists
• Use targeted strategies and approaches that promote emotional regulation, readiness to learn and gradual exposure to the whole school environment
• Create a consistent, predictable, safe classroom culture that fosters trust, engagement and positive relationships
• Work closely with families to build rapport, maintain open communication and ensure a joined-up approach to supporting each pupil
• Provide professional development opportunities for staff to increase awareness, understanding and effective practice relating to Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA)

Impact

• Increased attendance and engagement for pupils who previously struggled to attend due to emotionally-based needs
• Improved learner confidence, resilience and emotional readiness, enabling successful transition into specialist subject
• Stronger partnerships with parents, leading to enhanced trust, communication and collaborative problem-solving
• Pupils feel safe, motivated and prepared to access the school’s full curriculum offer, making meaningful progress academically, socially and emotionally