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Curriculum Offer

Please see information below in regards to the Curriculum Offer at The Heights

At The Heights Academy the children are grouped based on their chronological age and follow an age-appropriate National Curriculum.   To find out more about the Curriculum Offer at The Heights Academy, please email info@heights.fet.ac.

  • Key Stage 2 – for Year 3,4,5 and 6 pupils who are aged 7 -11 years 
  • Key Stage 3 – for Year 7,8 and 9 pupils aged 11 – 14 
  • Key Stage 4 – for Year 10 and 11 pupils aged 14 – 16 

*Please note that in our first year (2023/24) The Heights will only have pupils in key stage 2 and year 7. 

We recognise that each young person on the autism spectrum has unique needs and approaches to learning.  Pupils at The Heights have often found mainstream settings overwhelming or overstimulating and therefore they may have struggled to access the full range of the curriculum and achieve their potential.  Therefore, pupils at The Heights need a more personalised approach to the curriculum and levels of support that meet the individual needs of each pupil.  

We believe that all children, especially those with SEND, are entitled to a high-quality education that is broad and balanced and that equips them for future life. As such all pupils will have access to the full National Curriculum, which is enriched with a strong focus on communication, PSHCE, emotional literacy & regulation and developing resilience & independence.  

The key principles and purpose of our curriculum: 

  • To provide a broad and balanced education for all pupils that is coherently planned and sequenced. pupils to develop knowledge, understand concepts and acquire skills, and be able to choose and apply these in relevant situations 
  • To equip pupils with portable skills for life, living & work; preparing pupils to make a positive contribution to life in a modern society 
  • To be adaptive and responsive to individual needs, strengths & interests, removing barriers to learning with high expectations for every pupil and appropriate levels of challenge and support 
  • To focus on developing the transferrable key skills of communication, independence, physical development, and self-care  
  • To provide a progression pathway for each pupil which leads to recognised accreditations and qualifications for all pupils. 
  • To support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development 
  • To support pupils’ physical development and responsibility for their own health, and enable them to be active 
  • Develop pupils’ independent learning skills and resilience, to equip them for further/higher education and employment 

These curriculum aims are underpinned by our values which aim to develop: 

  • Successful learners – inspired and motivated through high quality teaching & learning opportunities; to engage with learning and strive towards becoming the best version of themselves individuals who are confident and resilient with a positive attitude towards their learning and willing to take risks and try new things.   
  • Respectful citizens – able to engage positively with their community, who are thoughtful and understanding, healthy & safe; able to contribute positively to life in modern Britain. 
  • Confident individuals – independent, self-aware, and emotionally literate. 

The Height’s ambitious curriculum is based on the National Curriculum and pupils will study the full breadth of this; ensuring that basic key skills such as literacy and numeracy and that these form the foundation for achieving progress in all subject areas and improve skills that facilitate social mobility and success in adult life. 

Key Stage 2 

  • At Key Stage 2, pupils will follow a knowledge rich programme delivered through a range of subject-specific projects, with an embedded focus on key skills in Literacy and Numeracy.  

Key Stage 3 

  • At Key Stage 3 we follow the national curriculum guidance as produced by the DfE.  All students study a range of subjects: English; Mathematics; Science; Physical Education; Geography; History; Art; Food and Nutrition; Religious Education; PSHE & Life Skills (including the 2020 mandatory Sex and Relationships curriculum); Design and Technology; Music; and ICT. 

Key Stage 4 

  • In year 10 and 11, pupils will follow a range of courses that are recognised as suitable for Level 2 study by the government and DfE.   
  • All pupils will study towards accreditation in English Language, Mathematics and Science.  Some pupils will also study English Literature. 
  • Pupils will be given the opportunity to select two or three options subjects from a range of academic and vocational courses.  
  • In addition, pupils will continue with lessons in PSHE, RE, PE and life skills ensuring that careers education and Sex & Relationships curricula are covered to prepare pupils for post-16 transition and for life in modern Britain.  

Personalised Intervention Time 

In addition, to the national curriculum, all pupils will have a daily targeted intervention session.  These will address areas such as social communication and interaction, literacy, numeracy, emotional regulation and mental health and wellbeing.  

Programmes will be designed and delivered in response to pupil needs, primarily those identified in their EHCPs and will be support by our multi-disciplinary team of Speech & Language and Occupational Therapists.  

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