Further Curriculum Information

Preparation for Adulthood (PfA)

The approach to Preparation for Adulthood reflects the ambitious vision for every child's future. The school is caring in how it supports this journey, inclusive in recognising different pathways to adulthood, and focused on meaningful learning for life.

Stanley School is committed to ensuring that Preparation for Adulthood is woven into every phase of learning—starting from the earliest years, in line with the SEND Code of Practice (2015).

PfA encompasses four key outcome areas, which are embedded across all pathways in developmentally appropriate ways:

The Four PfA Outcomes

Employment and Further Learning
Independent Living
Community Inclusion
Health and Wellbeing

In all pathways, the school promotes:

Self-care – from eating and toileting to understanding hygiene and dressing
Independence – from supported routines to self-managed tasks
Decision-making and self-advocacy – through choices, communication systems and structured discussion

Learning Outside the Classroom (LOTC)

The commitment to learning extends beyond the classroom. The school is inclusive in ensuring all pupils can access trips and visits, caring in how pupils are supported during these experiences, and ambitious in the range of opportunities provided.

Stanley School recognises the important role that educational visits, off-site activities, adventurous activities and activities provided by external agencies play in providing a rich and rewarding education, irrespective of age, ability or circumstances.

Community and Local Area Visits

Pupils have regular opportunities for LOTC beyond the school setting, either within the local community or the wider Merseyside area, using the school minibuses. These experiences include:

Visits to local shops, libraries and community facilities
Trips to parks, beaches and nature reserves
Cultural visits to museums, galleries and theatres
Participation in community events and activities

These visits are carefully planned to support curriculum learning whilst developing pupils' confidence, independence and understanding of the world beyond school. They help develop cultural capital – the knowledge and experiences that help children understand and participate in the world around them.

Outdoor Learning on Site

Pupils also have opportunities to explore the outdoor environments within the school grounds.

Outdoor spaces include areas for:

Physical development and active play
Sensory exploration and engagement
Growing and caring for plants

Outdoor learning enhances pupils' physical and mental wellbeing, provides different contexts for learning, and helps develop environmental awareness and respect for nature.

Religious Education and British Values

Teaching about different faiths and British values reflects the inclusive ethos and commitment to preparing children for life in modern Britain. The school is caring in how it respects all beliefs and ambitious in developing children's understanding of the diverse world they live in.

Religious Education is taught across all curriculum pathways at Stanley School. It is integrated within Personal Development and taught within topics throughout the school year.

The RE Curriculum

The RE curriculum:

Is appropriate to pupils' age and stage of development
Explores different faiths, beliefs and values
Promotes respect and understanding of diversity
Supports pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
Encourages pupils to reflect on their own beliefs and values
Celebrates what we all have in common across different communities

British Values

As part of their learning, all pupils are taught about the fundamental British values:

Democracy – understanding fairness, having a voice, and making choices
The rule of law – understanding rules, right and wrong, and consequences
Individual liberty – understanding personal freedom, making choices, and respecting others' choices
Mutual respect and tolerance – valuing everyone, celebrating differences, and understanding that everyone deserves respect

These values are taught in age-appropriate ways across all pathways. For example:

Purple Pathway pupils learn about making choices and experiencing respect through how adults interact with them
Indigo Pathway pupils learn about rules and routines, and experience tolerance through accepting different sensory needs
Saffron Pathway pupils learn about fairness, taking turns, and respecting others through structured activities
Fuchsia Pathway pupils explore these concepts more formally through PSHE, RE and topic work

Multi-Disciplinary Approach

The multi-disciplinary approach demonstrates the commitment to caring for the whole child. The school is inclusive by bringing together different expertise, ambitious in collaborative goals, and focused on effective learning through coordinated support.

The curriculum is delivered by skilled staff working collaboratively with:

Specialist Therapists and Professionals

Speech and language therapist – supporting communication development
Occupational therapist – helping with sensory processing, fine motor skills and daily living activities
Physiotherapists – supporting physical development and movement
Educational psychologists – providing expertise on learning and behaviour
Specialist teachers – offering expertise in areas like visual impairment or hearing impairment
Health professionals – supporting medical and wellbeing needs
Social care teams – working with families who need additional support

This team approach ensures pupils receive coordinated, holistic support that addresses all aspects of their development. Regular meetings ensure everyone is working towards the same goals.

Safeguarding: Keeping Children Safe

Safeguarding is at the heart of the caring approach. The school is ambitious in its commitment to keeping every child safe, inclusive in recognising that some children may be more vulnerable, and focused on learning about how to stay safe.

At Stanley School, safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. The school is committed to:

Creating a safe, nurturing environment where children feel secure
Teaching children how to keep themselves safe in age-appropriate ways
Working closely with parents and external agencies when there are concerns
Having clear procedures that all staff understand and follow
Listening to children and taking their concerns seriously

Pupils are taught about staying safe through:

Personal safety – understanding safe and unsafe situations
Online safety – using technology safely and knowing who to talk to if something worries them
Healthy relationships – understanding appropriate and inappropriate behaviour
Who to talk to – knowing the trusted adults they can speak to if they're worried

Commitment to Continuous Improvement

The school is ambitious not just for pupils but for itself as a specialist provision. There is a commitment to learning and improving practice, caring about the quality of education provided, and being inclusive in seeking feedback from everyone in the school community.

The curriculum is regularly reviewed and developed to ensure it continues to meet the needs of pupils. This includes:

Regular staff training – keeping up to date with best practice and new approaches
Listening to families – feedback from parents and carers helps inform improvements
Learning from specialists – working with therapists and experts to refine approaches
MSLD network – we work collaboratively with a number of SEN schools across the Merseyside region to review and refine our curriculum
Monitoring progress – using assessment information to identify what's working and areas for development
Celebrating success – sharing what works well across the school community

Through continually reflecting on and improving practice, the school provides the best possible education for every child.