At Leigh Academy Milestone we have a vision to develop independence and confidence when exploring building relationships, self awareness, managing behaviour and managing our emotions. Allowing us to acquire knowledge, understanding and skills of the world to manage our lives now and in the future, independently and safely.
At Leigh Academy Milestone Personal, Social and Physical Development is taught and assessed in line with core subjects to ensure our students develop as much independence in their personal skills as possible. The progress students make in PSPD is assessed, tracked and monitored in alternate modules, utilising a bespoke assessment framework for each Curriculum Pathway and EHCP targets.
PSPD will be embedded in a range of activities throughout the day to master and generalise skills in a variety of activities. Targets will be transferred into a range of learning opportunities during PSPD sessions, to consolidate skills across environments in line with the Transdisciplinary Themes, informed by the National Curriculum and Curriculum Maps. PSPD targets will be personalised and individual to each learner’s needs in order to promote independence and achievable progress at an appropriate pace.
The PSPD curriculum incorporates Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) and physical health and well-being, whilst also maintaining fundamental British Values and supporting Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development (SMSC) in our young people. Exploring and experiencing are vital parts of teaching and learning PSPD skills at Milestone, with a wide range of active learning opportunities on offer for consolidation and generalisation of skills and to aid the long-term retention of the learning and knowledge as appropriate for the individual learner. Personal progress incorporates the government guidelines for SMSC and British Values which are important within all aspects of the curriculum. British Values are outlined as; Democracy, Rule of law, Individual liberty and Mutual respect and tolerance. These are taught within our curriculum and embedded in all areas of school life.
PSPD sessions will be an extension of Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) to fully embed and generalise skills in a variety of activities and settings throughout the whole day. ILPtargets will be transferred into a range of activities throughout the sessions, to consolidate skills across environments from the ‘PSEWB, Building Relationships and Managing feelings and behaviour’ area of the ILP. Scaffolding will be available in line with prompts on ILP’s to promote independence as appropriate.
PSPD sessions will be an extension of ILPs to fully embed and generalise skills in a variety of activities and settings throughout the whole day. ILP targets will be transferred into a range of activities throughout the sessions, to consolidate skills across environments from the ‘Functional and Citizenship’ area of the ILP. Scaffolding will be available in line with prompts on ILP’s to promote independence as appropriate.
PSPD will be embedded across the day to master self-help, independence and social skills, generalising these skills in a variety of activities. Targets will be transferred into a range of activities experienced during PSPD weekly sessions to consolidate skills across environments with a focus on PSHE and RSE. Scaffolding will be available in line with prompts on ILP’s to promote independence as appropriate.
In addition to ILP targets/ PSPD sessions , there will be timetabled activities for continuous skill development in personal care including: teeth cleaning, hair brushing, handwashing, toileting, dressing and undressing skills and eating and drinking skills.
- Classroom environments are engaging and multi-sensory with high levels of adult support. PSPD objectives are achieved through a variety of physical and sensory routines and activities. For example, assisted touch, cause and effect toys and overload trays.
- Alongside structured individual objectives aspects of PSPD are taught through continuous learning opportunities e.g. personal care skills.
- Students work on their individualised Provision Plan targets for Social, Emotional and Mental Health and Physical and Sensory.Cognition and Communication targets may also cover some aspects of PSPD.
- All planning is in line with the government guidance for delivery of RSE along with the bespoke Curriculum Maps and Assessment Frameworks.
- Well-being opportunities will be embedded throughout the teaching day and supported by the ‘Six ways to well-being’ approaches; this will also be supported with termly assemblies, weekly certificate assemblies and daily opportunities for reflection.
- Students will have regular access to physical education including aqualearn, rebound, playtimes and PE as appropriate to individual needs.
- Students are following the National Curriculum at a highly differentiated level alongside PSPD objectives outlined in the assessment frameworks.
- Students access PSPD objectives through weekly discrete/direct teaching sessions. Topics for these sessions are outlined on the curriculum maps, overarching topics are each taught annually with objectives on a three year rolling programme.
- Students will be taught about families and people who care for them, caring friendships, respectful relationships, being safe and online relationships as discrete teaching sessions.
- Students will be taught about puberty and personal care during menstruation, in gender-specific groups with a female member of staff both as direct teaching sessions and when appropriate developmentally for individuals.
- Where appropriate students will be taught about the changing adolescent body and personal care during puberty. These lessons will be taught between individual sessions, gender-specific group learning and whole class activities as appropriate for student needs.
- Where appropriate students will be taught about intimate and sexual relationships, sexual health, and the law in regards to sexual interactions and consent in line with the statutory guidance for RSE.
- Parents are consulted regarding delivery of RSE and the right to withdraw, as well as access to RSE resources. Guidance is followed in accordance with government guidelines.
- Students will be taught about mental well-being, internet safety and harms, physical health and fitness, healthy eating, drugs, alcohol and tobacco, health and prevention including basic first aid.
- In addition students will be taught about mental well-being and healthiness in direct relation to puberty in line with RSE guidelines.
- Students will learn about and experience the working environment. They will learn about preparing for work, careers education and will participate in enterprise projects.
Through our PSPD Curriculum, students develop resilience, self-esteem, confidence, problem-solving, tolerance, communication, social skills and a sense of enjoyment in order to achieve skills for life and independence.
- PSPD is a key thread that underpins learning to achieve skills for life and independence, for example enabling students to develop positive relationships with others, maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep themselves and others safe.
- PSPD is fundamental to students’’ understanding of the world they live in, preparation for adulthood and to be contributing citizens e.g. School Council for pupil voice and Eco Committee for environmental issues. At Milestone we pride ourselves for our mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without faiths.
- Community Visits – using money, social communication, problem-solving, travel training, tolerance of different people and places.
- Physical and Sensory – students have developed physical and sensory skills and improved mental health, enabling them to develop leisure interests.
- Students have Individualised Learning Plans and assessment trackers to ensure fluidity of progress from starting points to leaving Leigh Academy Milestone with maximum progress being made.
- Students will enjoy learning about the world around them, take pride in their achievements and develop a love of learning new skills.
- Students are prepared for life after Milestone with the maximum possible independence for their individual journey.
- Students develop a range of techniques to enable them to live a successful, happy and safe life.
- Personalised targets ensure that individual needs are prioritised for success in learning and life outside school, thus ensuring the best possible outcomes for each student, taking into account the skills and knowledge appropriate to their planned future learning and employment aspirations and personal interests.
- A co-curricular offer of residential trips provides students with opportunities to stay away from home, develop their independence, experience different communities and cultures.