The Horizon Pathway
“Supportive foundations that keep aspiration high’
This pathway to learning spans across year 7 to year 11. Our Horizon groups are taught by one teacher and follow a holistic curriculum. The pathway follows the National Curriculum and includes discrete subjects which often focus on bridging gaps in learning and social/emotional development.
The Horizon pathway is designed to provide a holistic, personalised approach to learning and enable our students to be involved in a range of opportunities and experiences in a safe and structured environment. Lessons aim to encompass a variety of activities to scaffold and extend learning in a way that sparks curiosity thus facilitating ‘buy in’ and engagement with a love of learning for life.
During Key Stage 4 pupils embark on a GCSE (level 2) learning pathway; studying English Literature and English Language, Maths, Science, Geography, Art and ICT alongside ensuring that Functional Skills are also achieved in Maths, English and Science. This provides students will broad body of knowledge and learning and supports pupil’s next steps by providing a passport for progression into a range of post 16 options.
As part of the’ Development of Me’ area of our Curriculum we have an Enrichment offer. Students take part in a variety of enrichment activities and have the opportunity to choose three activities from the option blocks available. Different options are available to select at the start of each term, to give the students a broad variety of experiences, opportunities and development of new skills. The options have been designed to engage our young people to develop a broader range of skills and develop a wider set of interests. Student voice has helped shape this offer.
Throughout both KS3 and KS4 all pupils receive alternative provision engagement opportunities within their timetables, some of which allow them to progress towards a level 1 qualification. The school maintains strong links with external stakeholders in education, health and SEND who are supporting the young people to ensure there is an integrated approach to providing a rich and relevant learning experience that supports pupil transition back into a mainstream setting if possible or into a secure post 16 destination.
In some instances, Castle School will provide an entirely bespoke curriculum offer to support students whose illness makes it impossible to attend or engage in school life in a typical way. Our intent with these programmes is to provide students with an enriched learning experience that is understanding of the pupils needs but also one that is ambitious and prepares pupils for appropriate next steps.
Across all pathways there is a strong emphasis on developing strategies to promote independence and overcome barriers to learning attendance, engagement and learning.
Intent:
- Provide a safe, structured, and supportive space for emotional and academic development
- Offer a rich and varied curriculum with consistent adults and routines
- Maintain high expectations for learning and social growth
- High support and appropriate stretch and challenge
Curriculum Features:
- Cross-curricular learning and topic-based approaches
- Access to practical subjects (e.g. art, sport, food technology)
- PSHE and Personal Development deeply embedded through the pathway
- Focus on pupil voice and social development
- Enhanced Alternative Provision offer
- Integrated therapeutic approaches including mentoring, counselling, and regulation strategies e.g. Fagus and ELSA
