Lower School Curriculum
Some of our pupils are working below age related expectations. Our Lower School provides a rich, personalised curriculum offering highly personalised learning opportunities that are informed by the National Curriculum and reflect Education, Health and Care Plan outcomes. Young people follow an individualised curriculum that is adapted to ensure it is both functional and meaningful.
Ripplevale School provides a dynamic programme of education that is augmented by specialised resources and the expertise that ensures their special educational needs are addressed effectively. Our staff are highly skilled and are committed to ensuring the best possible outcomes for the pupils in their care.
The individualised and personalised curriculum allows for both academic and personal progress to be made through experiential and meaningful learning opportunities that are specifically designed to revisit and reinforce key and life skills.
We offer a relevant, rich and dynamic curriculum which includes all statutory curricula for relevant ages. Learning is linked to a “theme” to allow for a cross-curricular and holistic approach, incorporating statutory subjects alongside enrichment opportunities, outdoor learning and specific targeted intervention.
Enrichment
Visits and experiences play a vital role in the teaching and learning here at Ripplevale. Each topic involves carefully planned visits or experiences designed to bring the learning alive, give learning a real-life context and equip children with experiences that they often miss. These experiences form part of our weekly enrichment afternoon programme.
Phonics
At Ripplevale we teach the Letters and Sounds synthetic phonics programme in all year groups in our Lower School. Pupils continue to learn phonic skills throughout their school lives. It aims to build pupils’ speaking and listening skills in their own right, as well as helping pupils learning to read by developing their phonic knowledge and skills.
Lunch and Break Time
Ripplevale School is fortunate enough to have our own catering team on site providing all our pupils with a daily home-cooked meal using locally sourced produce. Cold options are also available which include a salad bar and sandwiches. Our dining room has a relaxed homely feel about it, this gives our children and young people the opportunity to eat their lunch in a calm and positive social environment with peers and staff.
Transition to Upper School
The move into the secondary phase of education can be a little daunting at any school so we work hard to ensure there is a smooth transition from our Lower School into our Upper School. We have a year 7 transition class which supports new students coming to the department. Throughout year 6, students will have small ‘taster’ sessions in the Upper School so that the transition is not too much of a shock to them.
Primary Charter
At Ripplevale we believe that our curriculum should not only include learning through the requirements laid out in the National Curriculum but also learning through exciting and enriching experiences.
In light of this, we set up the Primary Charter of Experiences. As part of this Charter, we pledge that all children will have the opportunity to participate in a range of activities that will broaden their life experiences and develop a wider understanding and appreciation of the world they live in.
When pupils start Primary they will be given their own Charter presentation folder. As children take part in an experience, photographic evidence will be taken which will then be added to their charter. Their charter will follow them throughout their Primary years and will finally be presented to them during their end of Year 6 Achievement/moving on assembly.
The Primary Charter of Experiences is made up of 115 exciting opportunities.