Curriculum
Menu
Inclusion in Our Curriculum
The Curriculum Intent
At the Mirfield Free Grammar, we have an inclusive curriculum. We plan for students based on their individual needs to ensure everyone can access the curriculum and reach their full potential. We adopt a flexible approach to curriculum
planning and delivery. We also balance any potential benefits of flexibility against the need for students to meet standard criteria for accreditation and certification, and to prevent adapted curricula from becoming too narrow or not being ambitious enough.
Most of our students can and do access a full curriculum. If required, teachers use their skills and experience to adapt the curriculum and its implementation for learners who are struggling.
The Curriculum Implementation
Our Teaching model (Quality First Teaching) is research based, using the best evidence available about what effective teaching looks like in the classroom. Students with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) have the greatest
need for excellent teaching. The following is taken from the EEF’s guide to Special Educational Needs in mainstream schools:
‘…far from creating new programmes, the evidence tells us that teachers should instead prioritise familiar but powerful strategies, like scaffolding and explicit instruction, to support their pupils with SEND. This means understanding
the needs of individual pupils and weaving specific approaches into everyday, high-quality classroom teaching—being inclusive by design not as an afterthought.’
‘Interact then Adapt’ is an area of Quality First Teaching. Teachers know the importance of checking for understanding and responding when necessary.
To aid with understanding the needs of individual pupils, every teacher has a Student Confidential Information File (SCIF) for each class they teach, which details specific needs of students in the group. This is a live document
which is used to record misconceptions and is revisited regularly.
Where appropriate, teachers deploy additional adults in the classroom effectively, to support the learning of the students.
