Curriculum | Carter's Sunflowers

Our Curriculum

The children at Carter’s Sunflowers all have complex communication and learning needs. We recognise their individual strengths as well as their individual needs and plan for their success. All of our children are unique however, we aim to provide a low arousal environment to aid the level of stimulation and give all children the best opportunity to access learning. We do this by offering a curriculum based on the fundamentals of communication. Research shows that communication gives access to all other aspects of learning and the curriculum. If the fundamentals of communication are not learnt all other learning is disrupted and the child is disadvantaged emotionally, socially and cognitively (Nind, 2012)

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Intention

At Carter’s Sunflowers, we recognise that all of our children are unique and we believe they all deserve the opportunity to access learning through a broad range of experiences that are engaging and purposeful to them. Learning activities and teaching may look different for individual children, from structured adult led tasks, engaging play experiences and building relationships through intensive interaction, which to an untrained eye might look like 'rolling around on the floor together'! Learning takes many forms and individual needs are valued, with every moment being used as an opportunity for learning and development.

Our curriculum enables us to have clear intentions for all children

To develop a sense of belonging and build positive relationships.
To develop an effective method of communication so they feel understood, can make choices, seek out help and can understand the communication of those around them.
To develop the core skills they need to access learning opportunities that are developmentally appropriate.
To be able to regulate overwhelming emotions to keep themselves and others safe; mentally and physically and be included in education and community life.
To develop independent thinking, exploration and decision making to enable children to gain confidence in their own abilities and achieve what they set out to do.

Independence and Life Skills at Carter’s Sunflowers

At Carter’s Sunflowers, we recognise that developing independence is a fundamental part of learning for children with autism and complex needs. Independence supports children to feel confident, capable and empowered within their environment. For many of our children, independence looks different to that of their typically developing peers and may begin with small but meaningful steps such as making a choice, communicating a need, or completing part of a familiar routine.

We believe that independence is closely linked to communication, emotional regulation and wellbeing. By supporting children to become more independent, we reduce frustration, increase self-esteem and enable children to participate more fully in nursery life and the wider community.

Our intentions for independence

Through our curriculum we aim to support children to:

· Develop the ability to make choices and express preferences

· Communicate wants and needs using their individual communication system

· Engage in simple self-help skills such as snack routines, dressing and toileting readiness

· Follow familiar routines with increasing confidence and predictability

· Build attention, motivation and persistence when completing tasks

· Develop early problem-solving skills and flexibility in play

· Experience success through achievable steps and positive reinforcement

Promoting independence

Independence is embedded throughout our daily practice and is supported through:

· A highly structured and predictable environment using visual schedules, now-and-next boards and clear routines

· A total communication approach, enabling children to independently request, choose and interact

· Teaching tasks through small achievable steps using approaches such as backward chaining

· Providing consistent opportunities for children to practise skills across the day, including play, group learning, snack and transitions

· Using TEACCH-informed workstations and structured tasks to develop independence with learning routines

· Supporting children to regulate their emotions so they are able to access learning and participate safely

Adults carefully balance support and challenge, knowing when to scaffold learning and when to step back to allow children the opportunity to practise independently.

Preparing for transition

A key outcome of our curriculum is to ensure children develop the core independence skills needed for successful transition into reception or their next educational placement. This includes supporting children to:

· Access learning with reduced adult prompting over time

· Communicate needs in a functional way

· Follow routines and participate in group learning

· Develop confidence within new environments and relationships

Independence is therefore a vital thread that runs through all areas of our curriculum, supporting children not only to learn, but to thrive.

Attention for Learning

For any Teacher led learning to be effective children need to be able to Share Attention. This means that they are focusing their attention on the same thing as the Teacher, shifting their attention between the teacher and the 'item' and listening to what is being said. Our education system assumes children can do this. When playing with a typically developing child they will naturally focus on what the adult is doing, listen to what they are saying and begin to imitate what they have seen. Shared Attention is a core skill that is needed to access new learning opportunities. Many of our children are on their own agenda when they join us and have learnt skills, but may then be stuck in a rigid play routine and not be able to expand their interests and learn from others. At Carter's Sunflowers our curriculum is based around teaching core skills for learning, such as attention as well as the broad and balanced curriculum you might expect in an early years setting.

Through our curriculum we teach focused attention, attention for group learning and attention to socially interact. We plan our activities around children’s interests to develop and extend their learning.

The National Autism Plan (2003) states that educational programmes that have tended to be most effective for young children with autism are those that:

Build on a child’s interest
Offer a predictable schedule
Develop joint attention, communication and social understanding
Teach tasks as a series of simple steps
Reinforce positive behaviours
Make use of visual strategies to help understanding
Involve parents

This is part of our core values at Carter’s Sunflowers and is embedded in our everyday working practices.

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Implementation

We have developed three different pathways to meet our children’s needs based upon their current stage of development. We meet children where they are developmentally and focus on each child's social, communicative and emotional developmental stage.

Children are in small groups based on their learning and sensory profile. The curriculum they follow allows for flexibility and personalisation. All of our children fit into one of our three learning groups; Explorers, Curious Learners and Adventurers. Our specialist and highly trained staff deliver successful interventions that are evidence based to support each child to achieve the next steps in their learning and development.

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Learning Pathways

There are 7 areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

These are split into

Prime areas

Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)

Communication and Language (C&L)

Physical Development (PD)

Specific areas

Literacy

Mathematics

Understanding the world

Expressive Arts and Design

Typically children achieve skills in the prime areas before they access specific areas of learning. At Carter’s Sunflowers we recognise that our children have ‘spiky’ learning profiles and we take time to observe and assess to ensure learning opportunities are planned for each child. Our curriculum is highly focused on the prime areas, however play and learning opportunities are carefully planned around all areas of learning to give children broad opportunities in line with their development.

Alongside the Foundation Stage, The SCERTS model underpins all of our practices. SCERTS addresses the core challenges faced by children with autism and related conditions and focuses on the areas of Social Communication, Emotional Regulation and Transactional Support. This enable us to assess and set targets around these fundamental areas and focus on these core skills through the curriculum we offer.

At Carter’s Sunflowers all children are grouped according to their learning and sensory profile.

We use three different pathways to deliver the most appropriate curriculum for each child, ensuring that evidence based approaches are used throughout the day to develop children’s skills in these critical areas.

Pathway 1 is designed for our children who are Explorers. These children explore the world using all their senses, their learning is often at own agenda stage and their curriculum focuses on expanding their interests and experiences as well as developing meaningful interactions and purposeful communication with adults. Explorers are often at a sensory play stage when they join us and some children are beginning to move to a functional stage of play, using play items with purpose. Stories are shared through sensory experiences and massage and sensory preferences are used to provide meaningful movement and physical development opportunities. Explorers communicate through gesture and non verbal means. The curriculum encourages the use of objects of reference and visual photo supports to aid expressive language development and understanding. Children are encouraged to understand choices and begin to make requests using their preferred communication method. In Explorers children are not aware of how the sensory environment impacts them and need adults to manage this and offer both alerting and calming supports to co-regulate them. The curriculum encourages children to develop an awareness of key adults, build relationships and accept support from a familiar adult. In terms of the SCERTS© Model, these children would typically be at the early Social Partner stages of development. Children investigate and experience things and 'have a go', showing that in the EYFS they are demonstrating the Playing and Exploring characteristic of effective learning. The curriculum focuses on developing a clear daily routine that children can begin to anticipate. This enables them to feel regulated in the learning environment and actively engage in classroom routines, self care, dressing and eating activities.

Pathway 2 is for our children who are Curious Learners. These children have developed play interests and show an awareness of new learning opportunities. They are beginning to focus on short adult let activities that are highly motivating. Their curriculum focuses on developing a wide range of functional play skills, early pretend play actions, sequenced play and purposeful communication with adults. Curious learners continue to develop skills daily in the prime areas of the EYFS and are beginning to access the specific areas, developing an awareness of early maths concepts, literacy, Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design through carefully planned play opportunities and short adult led activities. Their curriculum encourages the use of visual communication to aid expressive language development and understanding. As play sequences develop, visuals are also sequenced and children begin to use a 'First and then' approach to understand the routine and then move on to a visual schedule to build independence. Children are encouraged to approach adults for help and to request items and places that they want to go to using their preferred way of communicating. Children begin to explore regulating tools with adult support and copy actions when adults model how to use equipment purposefully. In terms of the SCERTS© Model, these children would typically be at the Social Partner stages of development. children show focused attention, determination to keep trying and enjoyment in their achievements, showing that in the EYFS they are demonstrating the active learning characteristic of effective learning. The curriculum focuses on building independence and reducing adult prompts to complete familiar routines. Children are encouraged to use visual schedules to complete toileting and handwashing routines and focus on simple dressing skills, with coats and shoes. Cutlery is introduced through play activities and at eating times to encourage safe, independent eating.

Pathway 3 is for our children who are Adventures. These children have developed interests in particular areas of play and learning and are able to play functionally using resources for their intended use and communicate their choices. Their curriculum focuses on expanding their interests across the areas of learning and developing wider functional and pretend play sequences. Expressive communication develops alongside play skills and words/signs begin to accompany play actions and children comment on what they can see, hear and do. Some children are beginning to move into a symbolic stage of play and act out scenarios that are familiar and meaningful in their lives. The curriculum encourages children to use visual communication to support expressive language development and move on to symbols to aid understanding. They are learning to follow sequences to complete activities and communicate with others by requesting, commenting and using simple questions. Adventurers are able to attend to an adult led activity, complete a structured task and join in small group learning. They access all areas of the EYFS at their level, through carefully planned play opportunities, group learning and individual activities. Children are encouraged to play and interact with peers by learning to take turns and play games. The curriculum focuses on positive interactions, identifying emotions and developing an understanding of what children can access independently and what they need support with to regulate. In terms of the SCERTS© Model, these children would typically be moving from the Social Partner stages of development to the Language Partner stage. Children have their own ideas, starting to make links between ideas and begin to develop strategies for doing things, showing that in the EYFS they can demonstrating the creating and thinking critically characteristic of effective learning. The curriculum focuses on developing self help, problem solving skills and becoming independent with toileting, dressing and eating routines, ready for school.

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Impact

We use the early years developmental journal alongside SCERTS to obtain a baseline assessment for each child. This enables us to set achievable next steps for our children and develop their individual education plan or contribute towards their education health care plan. Progress is reviewed continuously and formally assessed each term.

Observations are carried out and recorded on our leaning app ‘Class Dojo’. This allows us to share children’s progress in the moment with parents and carers. Group stories are also uploaded on the app so that parents can see the learning focus and share their child's achievements.

Parents and carers are invited to attend a termly family support meeting where progress and next steps are discussed and any other support needs the family have identified are supported and reviewed.

CARTER'S SUNFLOWERS CIC

SPECIALIST NURSERY

Our Curriculum

Intention

Implementation

Learning Pathways

Impact