Curriculum Model: Pre-Formal & Multi-Sensory

 

Approach to Learning

The Explorer Pathway: Pre-Formal & Multi-Sensory is designed for pupils with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD) and complex medical, sensory, and physical needs. Pupils typically work well below expected standards and require highly adapted environments and full adult support for all aspects of care and learning. The curriculum is multi-sensory, focusing on five key developmental areas:

• Physical Development
• Communication
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Understanding the World
• Cognition Skills Development

Learning is experience-based, with emphasis on sensory engagement, therapeutic input, and health care management. Progress is gradual and lateral, recorded through Evidence for Learning, The Engagement Model, and monitored via EHCP outcomes.

 

Pathway Summary

• Pupils have severe cognitive impairment, complex medical needs, and often visual and or hearing impairments.
• All pupils require specialist seating, mobility aids, and assistive technology.
• Health care and therapies are integral, including Rebound Therapy, TACPAC, and Physical Management Programmes.
• Communication is supported through Objects of Reference, Makaton, AAC, and switch technology.
• Pupils receive 1:1 or 2:1 support throughout the day for all activities, transitions, and personal care.

 

Core Provision

Curriculum Offer

• Highly individualised, multi-sensory curriculum with planned therapeutic programmes embedded daily.
• Focus on physical health, sensory regulation, and communication development.
• Opportunities for community engagement to develop life skills.
• Flexible, creative approaches including Intensive Interaction and alternative therapies.
• Curriculum promotes independence, relationships, and engagement at own level.

 

Staff Requirements and Training

• High staff-to-pupil ratio (typically 2:1 or 1:1).
• Training includes:
  • Total Communication (Makaton, AAC, PAC systems)
  • Manual Handling & Hoisting
  • PEG feeding, suction, oxygen administration
  • Epilepsy care and rescue medication
  • Sensory Alert Programmes
  • Alternative therapies (TACPAC, Sherborne, Rebound)
• Staff advocate for pupil voice and implement bespoke health and sensory programmes.

 

Environment and Specialist Rooms

• Spacious classrooms with neutral, low-stimulation design.
• Direct access to:
  • Hygiene suite with shower, adjustable changing bed, hoist
  • Secure outdoor sensory garden and accessible play equipment
  • Sensory room
  • Hydrotherapy pool
  • Physiotherapy gym
  • Food technology facilities with height-adjustable equipment

 

Specialist Equipment and Resources

• Assistive technology: switches, interactive boards, iPads
• Sensory resources: tactile and auditory materials, weighted blankets, peanut balls
• Specialist seating, standing frames, walking frames
• Interactive whiteboards and cause-and-effect resources

 

External Agency Support

• School Nurse, Community Paediatricians
• Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)
• Occupational Therapy (OT)
• Physiotherapy Team
• QTVI and QTHI for sensory needs
• Palliative Care Nurses for complex medical needs

Curriculum Model: Informal

Approach to Learning

The Explorer Pathway is designed for pupils with severe and complex learning needs, including profound communication and sensory processing difficulties. Pupils typically experience significant delays in reasoning and learning across all areas of the curriculum and require a bespoke, highly personalised approach.

Learning is sensory-rich, flexible, and creative, focusing on engagement, communication, and interaction. Pupils benefit from structured routines, visual supports, and total communication environments using Makaton, symbols, objects of reference, AAC, and assistive technology.

The curriculum is centred around five key developmental areas:

• Physical Development
• Communication
• Personal, Social & Emotional Development
• Understanding the World
• Cognition Skills Development

Progress is ipsative, recorded through Evidence for Learning, the Engagement Model, and monitored via EHCP outcomes.

 

Pupil Characteristics Summary:

• Pupils have severe cognitive impairment, sensory processing difficulties, and profound communication needs.
• Many have autism, ADHD, hearing impairment, or co-occurring medical conditions.
• Require full adult support for transitions, personal care, and regulation throughout the day.
• Communication is supported through objects of reference, Makaton, PAC systems, AAC, and technology.
• Pupils often show high anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and may display obsessive or repetitive behaviours.
• Some pupils exhibit self-injurious or aggressive behaviours, requiring specialist behaviour support.

 

Curriculum Offer

• Highly personalised informal curriculum with sensory and communication programmes embedded throughout the day.
• Use of visual structures (e.g., now-and-next boards, communication boards, visual timetables) to support predictability and reduce anxiety.
• Planned opportunities for sensory engagement, alternative therapies (TACPAC, Sherborne, Rebound), and Attention Autism.
• Focus on developing independence, relationships, and life skills through safe, meaningful experiences.
• Access to adapted resources and environments to support sensory regulation and engagement.
• Staff advocate for pupil voice and promote independence.

 

Staff Requirements and Training

High staff-to-pupil ratio (approx. 1 teacher + 2 LSAs for 8 to 10 pupils)

Training in:

• • Total communication approaches (Makaton, PAC, AAC).
  • Safety Intervention (SI) for physical intervention.
  • Behaviour support (attachment, trauma-informed practice, positive strategies).
  • Specialist skills: including but not limited to manual handling, hoisting, PEG feeding, medication administration, epilepsy care.
  • Delivery of sensory programmes and assistive technology.

 

Environment and Specialist Rooms

Spacious, safe classrooms with communication-friendly approaches to the learning environment to reduce overstimulation.

Access to:

• Hygiene suites with shower and adjustable changing bed.
• Secure outdoor sensory garden, play equipment, wildlife areas.
• Sensory integration room and hydrotherapy pool.
• Physiotherapy gym with specialist equipment.
• Food technology facilities with height-adjustable equipment.
• Off-site visits to support the curriculum.

 

Specialist Equipment and Resources

Access to:

• Assistive technology: switches, iPads, laptops, interactive boards.
• Communication aids: objects of reference, visual timetables, symbols.
• Sensory equipment: weighted blankets, chew toys, trampettes, peanut balls, sensory boards, sensory and soft play rooms.
• Specialist seating, writing slopes, pencil grips, CPA maths resources.

 

External Agency Support

• School Nurse, Community Paediatricians.
• Speech and Language Therapy (SALT).
• Occupational Therapy (OT).
• Children’s Physiotherapy Team.
• Inclusive Learning Service (ILS).
• Inclusive Learning Sensory Service (ILSS) - QTVI and QTHI for sensory needs.

Curriculum Model: Informal Play - Semi-Formal

 

Approach to Learning

The Adventurer pathway focuses on communication and interaction skills and cognition and learning development and is designed to meet the needs of pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD). Starting from a low-demand base, pupils in this pathway are developing independence in their learning and flexibility in thinking; some children have some subject-specific skills and are beginning to cross-contextualise learning.

Emphasising play-based learning and engagement by providing highly motivating activity is key to this pathway. Some children need support from adults to regulate or co-regulate and have sensory profiles to provide tailored therapeutic input. Individual Engagement Profiles and PLP’s scaffold next steps in learning and introduce challenge through highly motivating activity and learning environment. Therapeutic programmes support learning at an individual pupil level (e.g. physical management programmes, sensory programmes, including HI and VI approaches, speech and language therapy, OT). 

This pathway supports pupils to develop across the Engagement Model areas, develop independence, communication, social skills and life skills through highly personalised programmes. The Adventurer pathway utilises the EQUALS Informal and Semi-Formal curriculum frameworks, there is some discrete subject-specific teaching.  Progress is ipsative, recorded through Evidence for Learning and monitored via EHCP outcomes.

 

Pupil Characteristics Summary:

• Significant speech, language, communication and interaction needs.
• Severe cognitive impairment with delays in reasoning and learning across all areas.
• May have autism, ADHD, hearing impairment, or co-occurring medical needs.
• Require bespoke curriculum with individual Communication Passport, Behaviour Care Plan, Sensory Programme.
• Children require adult support for transitions.
• Some children require adult support for personal care.
• Use tactile, visual, auditory resources, objects of reference, PAC systems, and assistive technology.
• Progress is ipsative; targets set through individual EHCP annual reviews and progress evidence captured through observation and pupil outcomes. EfL captures progress.

 

Curriculum Offer

• Personalised Informal and Semi-formal curriculum based on the EQUALS curriculum frameworks, some subject specific learning. (not based on National Curriculum).
• Emphasis on active, multisensory learning, concrete experiences, overlearning, and generalisation.
• Total communication environment using Makaton, symbols, objects of reference, AAC, and technology.
• Personalised adjustments to pace, level, and delivery; visual supports (e.g., timetables, ‘now and next’ boards).
• Opportunities for independence, resilience, and confidence building.
• Access to specialist subjects (Art, DT, Music, PE, Science) and community-based learning for life skills.
• Integrated RSE, PSHE, Careers, Citizenship, and British Values.
• Flexible interventions: Attention Autism, Sensory Circuits, Rapid Phonics/Reading, See & Learn.
• Planned sensory and communication programmes embedded throughout the day.
• Staff advocate for pupil voice and promote independence.

 

Staff Requirements and Basic Training

High staff-to-pupil ratio (approx. 1 teacher + 2 LSAs for up to 12 pupils; some 1:1 support).

Training in (including but not limited to):

• • Total communication approaches (Makaton, PAC, AAC).
  • Behaviour support (attachment, trauma-informed practice, positive behaviour strategies).
  • Safety Intervention (SI) for physical intervention.
  • Specialist skills: manual handling, hoisting, PEG feeding, medication administration, epilepsy care.
  • Sensory programmes and assistive technology.

 

Environment and Specialist Rooms

Spacious, safe classrooms with Communication Friendly approaches to the learning environment to reduce overstimulation.

Access to:

• • Hygiene suites with shower and adjustable changing bed.
  • Secure outdoor sensory garden, play equipment, wildlife areas.
  • Sensory integration room and hydrotherapy pool.
  • Physiotherapy gym with specialist equipment.
  • Food technology facilities with height-adjustable equipment.

Off-site visits to support the curriculum.

 

Specialist Equipment and Resources

Access to:

• Assistive technology: switches, iPads, laptops, interactive boards.
• Communication aids: objects of reference, visual timetables, symbols.
• Sensory equipment: weighted blankets, chew toys, trampettes, peanut balls, sensory boards, sensory and soft play rooms.
• Specialist seating, writing slopes, pencil grips, CPA maths resources.

 

External Agency Support

• School Nurse, Community Paediatricians.
• Speech and Language Therapy (SALT).
• Occupational Therapy (OT).
• Children’s Physiotherapy Team.
• Inclusive Learning Service (ILS).
• Inclusive Learning Sensory Service (ILSS) - QTVI and QTHI for sensory needs.