Seniors

The Senior Department at Beaucroft currently has five classes that cover the age range from 13 to sixteen (Years 13 to 16). The pupils are placed in classes depending on a variety of factors such as cognitive ability, communication needs and peer relationships. The classes are:

  • Newton
  • Edison
  • Braille
  • Brunel
  • Franklin

Each class has one teacher and two teaching assistants, or more where appropriate to meet the needs of the pupils, and the class sizes vary from six pupils up to twelve.

In the senior school We follow a three-year rolling programme that blends accreditation, life skills, vocational and enrichment opportunities, and a personalised curriculum as appropriate. The development of the pupils’ communication, interaction and independence skills are the main focus of every activity. The day is divided into a mixture of whole class, small group, independent and individual work. There is a ‘sensory diet’ approach that ensures pupils are given frequent opportunities to complete tasks that help them to self-regulate – these include physical tasks, some quiet time, food snacks, listening to music and the use of sensory toys. We have a Total Communication environment throughout the school where staff use a range of signing, photos, signs and verbal language to support the pupils’ communication and interaction with others. At Beaucroft we recognise that every child is an individual and therefore we work hard to ensure we meet their individual needs.

Beaucroft Senior Curriculum

Accreditation

Each class follows the national curriculum at a differentiated level that meets each individual pupils’ needs. In the senior school we offer two main accreditation routes. Functional skills with ASDAN Personal and Social Development for our Formal learners and ASDAN Personal Progress for our Pre-Formal and Semi-Formal learners.

Senior Curriculum

Life Skills

Life skills make up an important aspect of the senior curriculum running alongside our Functional skills qualifications. It allows pupils to use the concepts and skills learnt in the classroom and put these into practice within different environments. The Life Skills developed will be appropriate for the learner’s curriculum type and may include skills such using PEC’S to make food choices, accessing the toilet independently and making a drink through to travelling independently on public transport into town on a shopping trip to purchase groceries to prepare and cook a meal.

Vocational opportunities

Within the Senior school we offer a number of vocational opportunities. These include Encounters with Further Education providers in the form of college links with Poole and Bournemouth, Brockenhurst and Kingston Maurward College. We offer when appropriate internal and external Work Experience opportunities and Employer Encounters in line with the Gatsby Benchmarks.

Enrichment opportunities

The Senior school offers many opportunities for enrichment activities. Activities such as Sailing, Residentials, Canford / Bryanston drama, dance, Drumming, Canford PE, Theme days Burrows, RAFA and Streetlight Café as well as Forest Schools help pupils develop their self-esteem, confidence, social interaction skills, mental resilience as well as providing opportunities to practice their life skills.

Personal curriculum’s

All pupils have an Individual Assessment Learning Journeys which outlines how the school plans to meet their EHCP. In addition to this we offer Inclusion, Speech and Language and input from external agencies and providers e.g. CAMHS, EP, OT, Play Therapy, Music Therapy and Careers Guidance as and when appropriate.