EQUALS Curriculum

Learning for all

At Treales CE Primary School, we believe that every child deserves access to a high-quality, ambitious, and meaningful curriculum. We recognise that our learners have diverse strengths and needs. For some, the National Curriculum alone may not provide an appropriate route to meaningful progress and preparation for education beyond primary school and adulthood.

In line with the SEND Code of Practice, the Equality Act 2010, and current Ofsted expectations for inclusive practice, we have embedded a clear, multi-tiered curriculum pathways model:

- Trailblazers (Informal/Pre-Formal Curriculum)
- Adventurers (Semi-Formal Equals Curriculum)
- Voyagers (Formal Equals Curriculum)

Each pathway aligns with a clearly defined learner profile, robust evidence base, and rigorous provision model.

Defining Learner Characteristics

Based on the Equals framework and best practice, pupils accessing the pathways typically have:

✅ Cognitive and Learning Characteristics:
- Working significantly below age-related expectations over time.
- May have PMLD, complex SLD, MLD or ASD profiles.
- Require higher-level functional application of learning (not just subject content).
- Need learning contextualised and repeated, with a focus on real-life skills.

✅ Communication and Interaction:
- May have limited spoken language, using Makaton, PECS, objects of reference or AAC.
- Typically working within Blank Language Levels 1–3.
- Require simple, concrete instructions, repeated language, and visual supports.

✅ Physical/Sensory Needs:
- May require calm, low-arousal environments.
- May have sensory processing differences and need adapted equipment, sensory regulation, or movement breaks.

✅ Engagement, Social and Emotional:
- May be working within the Engagement Model’s 5 indicators: Exploration, Realisation, Anticipation, Persistence, Initiation.
- Benefit from structured routines, adult regulation support and personalised environments.
- May become dysregulated in overstimulating or unstructured spaces.

Curriculum Pathways Overview

Trailblazers (Informal / Pre-Formal)

Learner Profile: Pupils with PMLD or at the earliest developmental stages.
Provision: Sensory-rich, exploratory learning, intensive interaction, co-regulation, and multi-sensory experiences.

Adventurers (Semi-Formal Equals Curriculum)

Purpose: For learners with complex learning needs (SLD/ASD) working consistently below early National Curriculum levels.
How it Works:
- Focus on communication, emotional regulation, early cognition, and life skills.
- Delivered in specialist, low-arousal spaces (e.g., The Hub).
- Taught by qualified teachers with specialist SEND training.
- Uses Attention Autism, Intensive Interaction, PECS, Makaton, and the Engagement Model.
- Learners access mainstream opportunities with 1:1 or small group support.
- EHCP outcomes mapped directly to daily planning.
Example Learner: Chronological age 7; developmental age 24–36 months; communicates through Makaton, gestures, objects of reference.

Voyagers (Formal Equals Curriculum)

Purpose: For pupils with MLD/ASD who are not ready for the full National Curriculum but can benefit from simplified, subject-based learning.
How it Works:
- Covers adapted English, Maths, Science, PSHE, and Life Skills.
- Small-group delivery within or alongside mainstream classes.
- Structured, visual, practical teaching with manipulatives and role-play.
- Curriculum links to mainstream themes to foster belonging.
- Monitored using adapted subject objectives, EHCP targets, and the Engagement Model.
Example Learner: Age 9 (Year 4), working ~3+ years below age expectations; Blank Level 2–3; needs repetition, visuals, Now/Next support.

How Pathways Meet Ofsted’s Inclusive Expectations

✔️ Clear Definitions & Criteria: Pupils are matched using credible assessments across all four SEND dimensions.
✔️ Ambitious Provision: All learners have SMART, co-produced targets linking assessment, planning, teaching, and review.
✔️ Qualified Teaching: Pupils with SEND are taught mainly by qualified teachers, with TAs providing additional support.
✔️ Adaptive Teaching: Teaching is adapted to stage, not just age, balancing ambition with developmental readiness.
✔️ Robust Progress Evidence: Progress tracked using the Engagement Model, EHCP targets, and individual provision maps.
✔️ Systematic Monitoring: Regular reviews ensure adaptations are precise, sustained, and effective.
✔️ Culture of Belonging: Every child feels welcome, valued, and connected to the wider community.

Monitoring and Review

• Ongoing MAPP assessments and termly Engagement Model observations.
• EHCP outcome mapping and provision maps.
• Annual SEND self-evaluation includes attendance, engagement, reading, maths, readiness for next steps.
• Policy reviewed annually by SLT, SENDCo, and Governors.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Headteacher & SLT: Strategic oversight, quality assurance, statutory compliance.
• SENDCo: Leads pathway allocation, training, impact tracking, and parent partnership.
• Teachers & Support Staff: Deliver personalised, adaptive teaching.
• Parents/Carers: Partners in planning and review.

Compliance

This policy upholds the SEND Code of Practice (2015), Equality Act (2010), Ofsted’s inclusion framework, and the DfE’s national SEND forum guidance for pathway-based learning.