Curriculum

Welcome to Kingfisher School – Transition and Curriculum Overview

When your child joins Kingfisher School, they begin with an initial two-week transition period. This time is designed to help us build relationships, understand your child’s individual needs, and carry out baseline assessments in literacy and numeracy. These assessments help us identify whether your child would benefit from targeted intervention in either or both areas.

Before starting, pupils are invited to attend school visits and taster sessions. These opportunities help them become familiar with the environment, meet key staff, and begin building trust. We recognise that every child is different, so the transition process is personalised to reflect the needs of each student. Some pupils may require a longer transition period, particularly if they have spent time out of education, are experiencing mental health challenges, or are neurodivergent. We adapt our approach to ensure every child feels safe, supported, and ready to engage.

Kingfisher School takes a child-centred approach, placing the individual needs of each pupil at the heart of everything we do. Where necessary, we provide adapted timetables to support engagement, reduce anxiety, and ensure pupils can access learning in a way that works for them.

As a specialist SEMH provision, we offer a wide range of therapeutic support, including mentoring, music therapy, play therapy, and LEGO therapy. These approaches help pupils develop emotional regulation, communication, and problem-solving skills in a safe and structured way.

We also value learning beyond the classroom. Pupils regularly take part in Forest School sessions, which promote resilience, independence, and connection with nature. Outdoor learning is used to support social skill development, teamwork, and emotional wellbeing.

The school works in partnership with a range of external professionals, including the Autism Team, Educational Psychologists, and the Learning Support Team, to ensure that the support we provide is adapted to meet the specific needs of each child. This collaborative approach helps us deliver consistent, informed, and effective support across all areas of development.

Kingfisher School delivers a traditional curriculum for most pupils, but we remain flexible and responsive to individual needs. Where necessary, we offer personalised timetables, which may include a blend of time in school and at alternative educational providers across the county.

We follow a broad and  balanced curriculum model, which ensures that pupils experience a broad and rich curriculum that supports both academic achievement and personal development. This includes opportunities for creativity, physical activity, therapeutic input, and social learning, all underpinned by a strong focus on literacy and numeracy.

In Key Stage 3, the majority of lessons are delivered by the pupil’s form teacher, providing stability and reducing the demands of change. This structure supports continuity from Key Stage 2, helping pupils settle into secondary education with confidence and consistency.

We follow a spiral curriculum, which revisits key concepts over time to deepen understanding and support long-term learning. Pupils are assessed termly, and progress is reviewed across multiple domains, not just academic achievement, but also attendance, behaviour, social development, and emotional wellbeing.

Our curriculum is highly differentiated and autism-friendly, with the use of visual prompts, structured routines, and low-arousal environments to support understanding and reduce anxiety.

Key Stage 4  Qualifications

In Years 10 and 11, 12and 13 pupils will take:

• English – GCSE / Entry Level / Functional Skills (entered according to level )
• Maths – GCSE / Entry Level / Functional Skills (entered according to level )
• ASDAN –  Short courses
• Cooking – GCSE
• Computer Science  –  GCSE
• Duke of Edinburgh – portfolio-based
• PE – GCSE
• Art – Arts Award
• Science – ASDAN/GCSE
• History– ASDAN/GCSE
• Geography, RE, and PSHE – ASDAN

With this timetable, pupils will have the opportunity to leave school with a variety of GCSE and other qualifications recognised by colleges and employers.

Sixth Form Provision

Kingfisher also offers a Sixth Form provision, where students can continue their learning journey in a supportive environment. The curriculum is tailored to individual aspirations, with opportunities to:

• Build on previous qualifications
• Develop life skills
• Prepare for further education, training, or employment

The majority of students leave Kingfisher School with a meaningful set of qualifications and the personal skills needed to move confidently into their next steps.

Primary Curriculum

Kingfisher Primary Scheme of Work for Mathematics

Kingfisher Primary Scheme – Computing scheme of work

Kingfisher Primary Scheme – Science scheme of work

Kingfisher Primary Scheme – PSHE topics

Kingfisher Primary Scheme – RE SoW

Kingfisher Primary Scheme – Topic Long Term Overview

Kingfisher Primary Scheme – English Scheme of Work

Secondary Curriculum

Inclusion

Please find below a list of External Provisions offered at Kingfisher School:

• Wild Goose Rural Training
• Crowsmill
• Greenfingers
• Bonterre
• Longlands Care Farm
• Glovers Piece Farm
• Acton Mill
• O.W College
• Kit McGrath
• N’Able

At Kingfisher we offer individualised programmes of study and Tailor them to meet each students specific needs.

Interventions

Please find below a list of Interventions offered at Kingfisher School:

Academic Interventions:

• Literacy, Numeracy, Handwriting, Reading, Speech, Language and Communication Needs, Gifted & Talented.

Therapeutic Interventions:

• NHS Speech and Language Team, Educational Psychologist, Music Therapist, Behavioural Mentor, Mentoring Programme, Sensory Room Interventions, Life Skills Programme, Inclusion support team, 1:1 Keyworker Support, Family Support Worker, School nurse (physical and mental health concerns).