Key Stage 3

Aims

To promote the four key purposes

The Four Purposes
The curriculum meets the mandatory elements of the curriculum for Wales as the four purposes are central to all learning in the school. Through each lesson, learners are made aware of the four purposes, through child-friendly characters which depict the four purposes. These were created by staff and pupils were engaged in developing the characters and being part of the process. The school curriculum is broad and balanced, ensuring that all learners have planned opportunities and assessment activities across all the Areas of Learning.

To promote the pupil’s language and communication skills
To promote the pupil’s numeracy skills
To promote the pupil’s scientific skills
To promote the pupil’s historical and geographical skills
To promote the pupil’s sporting and mobility skills
To promote the pupil’s personal and social skills
To promote the pupil’s problem-solving and independent thought processes
To promote the pupil’s religious and cultural development
To promote the pupil’s creative design and artistic skills
To promote the pupil’s information and technological skills
To provide a stimulating environment that promotes learning and independence

Our Main Objectives

To continue to work with other agencies in order to provide a multi-disciplinary approach to the pupil’s education
To provide a broad and balanced curriculum, designed according to the New Curriculum for Wales, bespoke to our pupils individual needs
To give each child the opportunity to access the six areas of learning through the context booklets which is taught at their appropriate level and covers the What Matter Statements, enabling each child to make progress according to the Pre Progression steps for the majority of learners and Progression step 1 and 2 where appropriate.
To provide opportunities for pupil’s to develop their independent skills through an age-appropriate environment
To encourage pupil’s to begin to think about their future life beyond school
To build on pupil’s communication, literacy and numeracy skills, ensuring that these are transferable across the curriculum
To give pupil’s the opportunity to take part in team-building activities by representing the school in sporting competitions and matches
To continue to develop pupil’s mobility through physiotherapy, where appropriate
To continue to develop pupil’s speech and language skills through the Speech and Language Therapy service, where appropriate
To build on the development of pupil’s numerical skills, ensuring this is transferable to all areas of the curriculum and life skills
To build on pupils scientific development incorporating their knowledge and understanding of the world and promoting independent investigation

Parental Involvement

Parental involvement and support is considered an important and valued part of the education of pupils in Ysgol Tŷ Coch. This is particularly the case towards the end of Key Stage 3 when parents work with a number of agencies as they start to plan the future for their child beyond school. Open evenings are offered at the school as a forum for agencies to gather and show parents what is available after their child leaves school.

Curriculum

The curriculum at Key Stage 3 aims to build on the skills taught in the primary department. There is an emphasis on skills rather than subject-based learning and pupils are encouraged to transfer their skills and to think independently where possible.

Children have full access to the Curriculum which is adapted to their needs. Teaching and learning activities are delivered through a varied medium, including ICT, academic tasks and practical tasks.

We have developed a three-year thematic rolling programme.

Area of Learning	Previous National Curriculum Alignment
Expressive Arts	Art, Drama, Music, Dance, Film, Digital Media
Health and Well-being	PE, PSE, SRE, Careers
Humanities	History, Geography, RE
Language, Literacy and Communication	English, Welsh, Digital Communication, MFL
Mathematical Development	Maths
Science and Technology	Science, DT, ICT

We adopt a thematic approach, teaching through termly topics.

Year	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Year 1	Woodland Wonders	Wales at Work	All Around the World
Year 2	Cosmic Connections	Dungeons and Dragons	Into the Wild
Year 3	Engineering Essentials	Dig for Victory	Home and Away

The learning experience is extended through visitors to school and visits to places of historical interest, e.g Cyfartha Castle and Pontypridd Museum. The learning experience has been planned to extend the learning of the current topics. All work is specifically tailored to the abilities of individual pupils and incorporates opportunities for pupils to practice skills and specific objectives in line with their OPPs. The curriculum is delivered through a structured framework which incorporates long, medium and short term planning, which ensures long term progression throughout the key stage. There is an emphasis on skills and a cross-curricular, practical and applied approach to learning. Pupils are encouraged to become independent thinkers.

As part of their curriculum, in the spring term of some years, KS3 have entered the Welsh Heritage Schools Initiative and have won the Special School category for the Welsh Heritage School's Initiative. This competition has further helped embed Curriculum Cymreig into the school curriculum.

Pupils at KS3 have regular RSE and PSE sessions. This is undertaken by the class teacher but may also be further extended with sessions from the school nurse. For further details, please read the RSE curriculum. RSE is a fundamental part of the curriculum and is weaved through in a cross curricular approach, being part of each context book and Area of Learning.

Some pupils learn through a sensory approach and will access light / dark rooms and the hydrotherapy pool.

Extra Curricular

Pupils have also represented the school, taking part in athletic competitions at Leckwith and around Wales. Speech therapy, Occupational Therapy and physiotherapy are available for pupils where necessary.