Curriculum Core Areas

Prime Areas 

Communication 

Communication is a core to the education of the children within the Resource Base. It empowers children to make choices about their present and future life and gives the greatest accessibly to their curriculum.  It enables the children to communicate their wants, needs and observations as well as understand instructions and requests. Through developing communication skills, we build social relationships and knowledge, and this also links to literacy skills. 

We aim to develop children’s communication skills so that they can: 

• spontaneously and functionally communicate 

• respond to instructions and routines in a variety of contexts. 

• build relationships with adults and their peers. 

• maintain positive engagement in learning and general school life. 

• Maximise their opportunities in daily life and the wider community.   

We use a total communication approach within the Resource Base, where adults use a variety of communication methods to ensure that children’s individual needs are met. We also children have access to their own means of communication at all times by having designated areas for the child’s means of communication is stored where applicable. 

Communication is taught through: 

• Attention Autism – A daily group activity through a multi-stage approach which develops the children length of attention. Class teams to assess the amount of stages required for children within the class.  

• Intensive Interaction- A one to one approach based on imitation. Children should engage in this programme at least twice a week with a familiar adult. Dependent on children’s stage on the Curiosity programme this can complement this.  

• Visual timetables/ Now and Next – A working visual timetable should be visible in every classroom with staff using finished boxes to share completed activities and what is next. Now and Next strips to be using with identified children to support where transitions are challenging.  

• Grid—A software app based on symbols that can be used both ‘high tech’ on the children's iPad and ‘low tech’ printed into symbols.  

• Objects of reference – An object of reference is any object which is used systematically to represent an item, activity, place, or person. This should be used alongside a visual timetable for children cannot yet access visual symbols/ photos.  

• Resonance board – Resonance Board is a method of using music to communicate. Resonance Board should be conducted in a small group (max 5 pupils) at least twice a week.  

• Information Carrying Words –Information Carrying Words is a play based activity which focuses on children following from 1 key word to 2 stage instruction based on adjectives, verbs and concepts.  

• Makaton – Makaton is the signing system using within the Resource Base. Instructions and group times should be supported though signing multiple times a day. If a child is a Makaton user direct teaching around signing should happen outside of snack three times a week and twice daily within snack.  

• Colourful Semantics – Colourful semantics is a programme to develop sentence structure and response to ‘wh’ questions. Children should engage with colourful semantics twice a week.  

• Translations—A selection of work/achievements will be translated to children and families first language to support engagement with learning.  

• Motivations—Base activities for learning communication on the child's interests.  

• Targets/Interventions—Children have both curriculum and Pathway Plan targets, specifically designed around their current areas of need.  

• Hanen ‘More than words’ approach – This approach is fundamental during every interaction with a child. This approach involves using imitation and turn taking to provoke prolonged communication.  

• Speech and Language Therapy – All children with bespoke speech and language sessions identified on their EHCP, will have access to an external speech and language therapist to support development with their communication needs.  

Personal Social & Emotional Development (PSED) 

Personal, Social and Emotional Development is a prime area of learning and intrinsic to our curriculum at Oasis Academy Long Cross, it is in everything we do. We aim to deliver a holistic approach through our curriculum, one which is responsive to each unique individual learner and begins from where they are. We set aspirational targets where children learn skills appropriate to them, filling in gaps and tracking progress whilst always endeavouring to celebrate all achievements no matter how big or small along the way. We aim to equip all children with the vital skills and qualities needed to achieve and succeed as balanced individuals and strive to build upon their skills as they move through our school and into the next stage of their life. We aspire for all our children to be active learners who are motivated and successful in all areas of their life. We believe all children should reach their full potential and it is all staff’s responsibility to ensure this is possible.  

PSED is taught through: 

• Promoting healthy and secure relationships.  

• Encouraging children to be as independent and confident as possible by taking responsibility for their own actions.   

• Recognising and celebrating personal strengths.  

• Developing personal self-help skills- i.e. feeding, dressing, toileting. 

• Providing opportunities for ‘real-life’ learning and promoting awareness of keeping healthy and safe.  

• Maintaining positive engagement in learning and general school life including opportunities for inclusion where appropriate.  

• Learning functional skills for everyday learning, including explicit role play where appropriate.  

• Making choices and taking responsibility for these decisions i.e. expressing choices and feeling or finding help to achieve goals.   

• Promoting interpersonal skills which are integral to everyday learning i.e. taking turns, waiting, carrying out requests, listening,  

• High and consistent expectations for behaviour. 

• Recognising and manage emotions effectively.  

• Created an independence charter with non negotiable for all children. 

 

Physical 

Through a Physical Development package we aim to provide children with developed competence, confidence and emotional regulation through physical means. The curriculum framework is structured to ensure that students can access an open, flexible and balanced programme featuring a variety of movement experiences. The 7 strands in the framework are inextricably intertwined. Through participating in various activities, students can acquire knowledge and skills, as well as desirable values and attitudes, and ultimately achieve the overall aims of Physical Development. 

Physical Development aims to help students: 

• Develop motor skills, acquire necessary knowledge through physical activities 

and cultivate positive values and attitudes for the development of an active and 

healthy lifestyle. 

• Acquire good health, physical fitness and bodily coordination through participating 

regularly in physical activity. 

• Have basic competence and confidence to face different challenges. 

• Build relationships with adults and their peers. 

• Maintain positive engagement in learning and general school life. 

• Maximise their opportunities in daily life and the wider community.   

 

Our 7 Strands of Physical Development are divided up as follows 

Gross Motor – Throwing/Catching/Kicking                   Dance & Movement                   Apparatus 

Fine motor – Dexterity                                  Grip & Pressure                                   Scissor Skills 

Physical is taught through: 

• Sensory Integration/Sensory Diets 

• Weekly Gross Motor sessions 

• Weekly Fine Motor sessions 

• Intensive Interaction 

• Daily dance & movement opportunities 

• Outside agencies delivering high quality PD sessions (Bristol Bears Foundation)  

• Inclusive sports events such as DICE Specialist Sports Day, hosted by UWE. 

• Games (copy me, skittles, parachute) 

• Outdoor Apparatus 

• Cycling/Bike Safety 

• Writing 

• Swimming