The curriculum at Kingfisher Academy is crafted to provide students with subject knowledge (access to ‘the best of what has been thought and said’, Kirschner et al., 2006) and the key skills and qualities required to ensure success in their future.

The diagram below outlines the skills and qualities that the curriculum aims to develop in CYP, in addition to subject knowledge.

At Kingfisher Academy, our offer is responsive to the CYP’s needs and how they present, in light of their health and wellbeing. We have three Education Pathways and adjustments are made to the offer, depending on where a CYP is. The pathways are:

1. Stabilisation — where a child is unable to focus on a full-time education package. The focus here is establishing initial relationships, creating familiarity and stabilisation and using a smaller number of staff.
2. Engagement — due to mental or physical health, they are not yet ready for a full timetable. Sessions might be shorter, they may follow a bespoke timetable prioritising subjects of interest for example.
3. Learning — the CYP will be able to follow an academic pathway that is matched to their capabilities. Here the focus is more on academic progress and readiness for transition. 

Our curriculum content takes care to fill gaps and build bridges for our CYP. Subjects start with the question of what a pupil needs to know and how they need to be able to apply this – what does the educated pupil look like and how do we build towards that?

Curriculum Leaders (CLs) and subject specialists consider what the overarching concepts are that a CYP needs to grasp. These key concepts and an understanding of how knowledge manifests in each subject, drive the content and sequencing choices that CLs must take. They then think about the content, the specific examples – the flesh and muscle (Turner, 2026).

The decisions around content coverage are made by subject specialists, who are best placed to make content selections based on how we develop schemata of knowledge for that particular subject in our pupils. Content choice is also driven by the principles outlined above and the gaps which our students present with.

The way in which we structure content over time is integral to helping pupils reach security and fluency but is again dependent on the subject. There is variation between hierarchical subjects and those more typically cumulative subjects. Alongside this, we factor in research that indicates that pupils learn by transferring information from working memory to long-term memory and that using spaced practice, interleaving of material and opportunities for retrieval all support this learning (Deans for Impact, 2015). This is supported by our whole school T&L principles.

The curriculum offer for each subject is reviewed each year.  

We offer opportunities to extend knowledge and experience beyond the classroom. This is through a calendar of school trips, e.g. The Globe Theatre and our ‘Healthy Me’ curriculum offer. These opportunities provide CYP with experiences to build their cultural understanding as well as engage in new experiences which may ultimately contribute to their ongoing emotional wellbeing.

At Kingfisher Academy, we offer educational visits aimed at replicating what they may experience if they were to be at home and not an in-patient, for example, excursions to Whirlow Hall Farm, bowling, and similar outings, that contribute positively to CYP’s social interactions and emotional wellbeing. Where this is not possible, opportunities such as workshops and visitors are planned and facilitated.

At Kingfisher Academy the Personal Development (PD) offer aligns with statutory guidance from the Department for Education (DfE), the Ofsted Education Inspection Framework (EIF) and supports the delivery of the 2014 National Curriculum in England.

At Kingfisher Academy we have planned a curriculum that ensures that all CYP develop holistically and are prepared for life in modern Britain, taking all relevant statutory updates into consideration.

Our aim is to support our CYP to develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours they need to manage their lives, now and in the future. We strive to provide a PD curriculum that nurtures well-rounded, resilient, respectful and reflective individuals who are well-prepared for life in a diverse and ever-changing society.

Our aims are to:

• Develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding (SMSC);
• Promote British values (democracy, rule of law, liberty, respect, tolerance);
• Prepare pupils for future success in education, employment or training;
• Provide age-appropriate careers guidance in line with the Gatsby Benchmarks;
• Promote pupil well-being, including physical and mental health;
• Equip pupils with the knowledge and life skills to keep themselves safe and to be able to live independently when they reach adulthood;
• Encourage active citizenship and a respect for diversity and inclusion.

Key components of the PD curriculum are:

• Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)
• Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) development
• Citizenship and British Values
• Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) in alignment with Gatsby Benchmarks
• Character Education
• Mental Health and Well-being
• Online Safety and Media Literacy

CYP are assessed formatively in lessons through discussion, observation, reflection, pupil voice, assessment wheels and card sorts.

Whole School Approach

We provide a range of opportunities to embed personal development across the school, such as through form time, enrichment opportunities, recognising and celebrating culturally and religiously significant occasions, taking part in planning and delivery of events, trips, reward and recognition events.

Students in Key Stage 4 across the range of provision at Kingfisher Academy have the opportunity to be accredited in the following courses:

• GCSE English Language
• GCSE English Literature
• GCSE Mathematics (Foundation and Higher)
• GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy
• GCSE Triple Science
• Functional Skills English (Entry Level, Level 1 and Level 2)
• Functional Skills Mathematics (Entry Level, Level 1 and Level 2)
• Edexcel Maths Awards (Number and Measure)
• AQA Unit Award Scheme (in a range of subjects)

We support students who are able to access other subjects in conjunction with their ‘home school’ and over the last few years have students who have sat GCSE exams in History, Business Studies, RE and Art.

At our SCH and Becton site we have a team of trained invigilators who will allow students to sit exams as transferred candidates from their home school.