Departments

Primary Stage

Philosophy

We have high ambitions for all of our Primary pupils, and look to work with them across a wide range of areas, providing a child-centred approach bespoke to their needs. Communication is at the forefront of our practice, and we want to help develop our pupils’ skills in making choices, giving opinions, and establishing relationships.

​Team

The department is led by a team of seven teachers and one learning facilitator, supported by a large and dedicated group including Learning Facilitators, ETAs and lunchtime support assistants.

Provision and environment

We have a classroom for each Primary class, each of which is resourced appropriately to pupil need. For our learners who thrive with a range of stimulus, the majority of our classrooms will display and celebrate work and achievements, but we also recognise that for some pupils a reduced environment helps them to maintain their wellbeing and self-regulate their actions.

All of the ground floor classes have an easily accessible outside playground.

​Parental contact

Parents are a huge part of our life at Primary and we encourage a constant dialogue with our families. Each pupil has a home school diary where messages can be passed, but we can also be reached by telephone. There are lots of opportunities for our parents to come and join in with our fun – we have coffee mornings and celebrations throughout the school year, as well as parents evenings and yearly reviews where we can discuss pupil progress and next steps.

​Transition arrangements

Pupils transitioning into Primary from our Early Years class are supported through graduated play sessions and visits from class staff. Young people coming to us from other educational settings are initially assessed at their current setting (if possible) to ensure a smooth transition to the correct class group. Similarly, pupils leaving for our Secondary department are given opportunities to visit their new peers and staff prior to the Summer holidays at a frequency and duration appropriate to their needs and understanding. The last two weeks of the academic year is given over to transition where the new classes are started, which includes going to their new phase.

Secondary Stage

Philosophy

We aim to enable our Secondary pupils to learn from a diverse and enriched curriculum.  Students have the opportunity to access a plethora of facilities and activities here on site, with the help of our expert staff.

​Team

We have an expert team of Secondary practitioners, and support assistants to assist the students.
The team support families and carers with their transition from Primary into Secondary school life through transition periods, which allow the students to adapt to their new environments.

Provision and environment

We provide a safe, supportive and stimulating learning environment to promote engagement, enjoyment and curiosity. Our secondary classrooms are specific in their designs and displays for each group's needs. In each room you will also find a variety of specialist equipment. Topic based learning activities ensure exciting and stimulating learning activities are provided.
As a Secondary Department, we have access to use equipment such as bikes, tricycles, playground, hydrotherapy and swimming, which the students thoroughly enjoy.

​Curriculum

We work from a modified bespoke curriculum which has seven areas of learning; Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, Expressive Arts and Design, Physical Development, Personal, Social and Emotional Development and Sensory Development. The Curriculum is applied through the Topic Cycle which changes termly. Pupils receive accreditation through AQA’s Unit Award Scheme and through ASDAN’s Personal Progress units.

In Key Stage 3 pupils will take part in the Unit Award Scheme, working towards 5 to 10 units over the course of each year. The range of Units is vast and class teachers will choose appropriate units to reflect topic and pupil needs and interests. There is the expectation that half of the units completed will link to the key skills of communication and mathematics. In Key Stage 4  pupils will take part in an ASDAN Personal Progress unit each term. These units will be collated over the course of the two years in Key Stage 4 and will go towards earning an Entry Level Award in Personal Progress. These units also reflect pupil need, key skills and working towards independence.

​Accreditation

In the Secondary department, our pupils receive accreditation through AQA’s Unit Award Scheme and through ASDAN’s Personal Progress units.

​Parental contact

We keep in contact with parents and carers on a daily basis through each child’s home-school diary to report on daily activities and events. We also offer regular ‘themed’ sessions, inviting parents and carers to join us in class to showcase students’ work.

Sixth Form

Students can be part of the Sixth Form department for three years, until the end of the academic year in which they are 19.  In Sixth Form there is an emphasis on developing students’ abilities to use key skills in practical ways in, for example, work towards qualifications in English and Maths.  It is also a time to develop important life skills.  The students work on a broad range of skills with real-life applications, often through the ASDAN Personal Progress and Personal and Social Development accreditation programmes.

​Much of our learning takes place out in the community, preparing students for life beyond school and developing their skills in practical situations.  This might take the form of shopping in preparation for a cooking activity, or helping out at a local shop or school.

As students approach their final terms at Castle Hill, and all the excitement within the graduation celebrations, they are ready for their next steps in life.  In the build up to this transition to adult life, the Sixth Form department works closely with parents, carers and Local Authority services to explore future possibilities, help to make decisions and prepare each student for their move.  The Sixth Form has regular links with Service Providers and Colleges and works closely with Kirklees Transitions Team and Adult Social Services to enable students and their families to make informed choices for the future.

AFA

AFA (Including students from Primary, Secondary and Sixth Form) :

Our Achievement for All classes provide a learning resource for those students with additional complex needs.

Each personalised curriculum is formulated from the results of traditional assessment methods and through engagement profiling.

Team

We have an expert team of teaching practitioners, HLTAs and support assistants to assist the students.

High staffing ratios ensure that opportunities for engagement and learning are exploited to the full in a safe environment specifically designed to prevent over stimulation

​Provision and environment

We provide a safe, supportive and stimulating learning environment to promote engagement, enjoyment and curiosity.

We have a variety of specifically designed spaces for children to learn and develop. Our learning environment reflects the needs of the pupils with low-stimulation as a priority.

Classrooms also provide safe enclosed playgrounds where the children can play and explore safely.