Blue Pathway learners are working at an engagement level in most areas of their curriculum. They are not accessing subject-specific learning. Students working within this Pathway commonly present with the following characteristics:

  • Emerging intentional communication

  • Emerging social awareness

  • Emerging contextual awareness

  • Possible learnt responses to familiar routines

  • Beginning to develop joint attention

Built into the Blue pathway are 5 core areas of learning which are implemented into our students’ days. These are: My Body, My Thinking, My Communication, My Independence and My Play. 

My Body

Teaching encompasses body awareness, fine motor movement, gross motor movement, mobility and emotional wellbeing.  All of these areas facilitate developmental movement and encompass early sensorimotor development.

My Thinking

Developing thinking connects experiences and links ideas.  Teaching in this area involves problem solving, intentional play, developing IT skills, maths & science.  Learning is all exploratory and exposes learners to different experiences to link ideas.

My Communication

For many of our learners this is a key area of development.  This area of learning teaches and promotes development in response, interaction, communication, reading and writing.

My Independence

Through the promotion of our learning values we promote independence in our learners so that they are able to participate and function within their world around them.  We develop independence in eating and drinking, dressing and undressing, personal care, shopping, travel and cooking.  All of these are key skills required within life.

My Play

The development of play encourages creativity and the whole individual.  Experiences in this area promote development of play skills, interaction, self expression and creativity through the arts.

Our lessons take a sensory format, where we try to inspire as many of the senses as possible. This may be by using particular music to help students have an experience, it may be to use scents and tastes to aid exploration or it may be to offer particular textures. We feel that for many of our learners a whole body awareness is a key priority, along with developing tools to aid communication such as making a choice or communicating a need.

We repeat lessons over at least one half-term to help our students anticipate what is happening and begin to initiate new ways to explore or play or move. By working collaboratively with our associated therapists, we ensure the physiotherapy needs of our students are met. Similarly, our liaison with other educational professionals and outside agencies help us to constantly review our working strategies and develop best practice.

We monitor the learning of our students lesson by lesson; this takes the form of observational notes and photographic evidence. Due to the nature of the complex learning needs these students have, linear level assessment does not always best show the steps of progress made.  We therefore track student progress and assess against their EHCP outcomes as an ongoing process. We feel it is important to celebrate the steps of progress our students make and strive to communicate this regularly with our parents/carers. We highly value home school communication and welcome parents/carers contributing to the learning outcomes of our students via our Evidence for Learning platform.

We track the engagement of our students according to the Engagement Model.  Engagement identifies and celebrates all pupils’ progress, including linear and lateral progress, the consolidation and maintenance of knowledge, skills and concepts and the prevention or slowing of a decline in pupils’ performance, whilst recognising that a minority of pupils may have a regressive condition.  Tracking and measuring engagement can help us reflect on how well our students bespoke curriculum is helping them progress. The model has 5 areas: exploration, realisation, anticipation, persistence and initiation. We measure progress through each of the 5 areas by identifying how established the pupil is against each of the areas of engagement.  This then informs the next planning cycle to plan activities which develop and reinforce different areas.

We aspire for learners in the blue pathway will leave Key Stage 4 with a qualification in ASDAN Personal Progress and at least 3 AQA Unit Award certificates in recognition of their learning.  These AQA Unit Award certificates will be tailored to their needs and interests and focus on key skills in life and living.