Curriculum
DAME ELLEN PINSENT PATHWAYS
SEEDLINGS
Seedlings pathway incorporates our EYFS and assessment class. All Reception aged children start Dame Ellen Pinsent in our EYFS class and then either continue in Seedlings or move to the Orchard pathway. The teaching and learning in Seedlings are for children who chronologically would be Reception to year 3 and is driven by the EYFS framework, with play-based learning and adult focussed activities.
ORCHARD
This pathway is for our children, whose chronological age would place them in years 1-6, with multiple complex needs. The curriculum is driven by our independence curriculum of social communication; sensory processing and emotional regulation; independence and community; interests and play and learning and problem solving.
LOWER & UPPER WOODLANDS
Woodlands is our most formal pathway. Children access an academic subject-based curriculum that follows the National Curriculum expectations and is aspirational, broad and balanced. Communication is integrated throughout the Woodlands curriculum.
IMPACT
At whatever point they leave Dame Ellen Pinsent School our children will know more and are able to do more than when they started. All children will have acquired the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life. Significant numbers of children will have made above expected progress from their starting points. Our children will be prepared for their next stage of education. Children leave Dame Ellen Pinsent having developed their self-care and self-help skills, enabling them to be as independent as possible. They can communicate their basic needs and wants using signs, symbols or verbal communication.
In addition, our ambition for our children is that they will leave Dame Ellen Pinsent school as confident, independent, and resilient children who are proud of their achievements, and who because of our curriculum, are able to live a good life and integrate and play a valuable, meaningful role in communities.
Expected End Points
This table shows the expected end points for our pupils, based on their attainment on entry.
The DAME ELLEN PINSENT Curriculum will also be connected to the areas of need within the Education Health and Care Plans for children as they prepare for adulthood.
COMMUNICATION AND INTERACTION
Speech and language support
Colourful semantics
TAC PAC
Attention Autism
Makaton
Intensive interaction
Jo Jingles
Role play opportunities
Widget symbols
Communication books
Aided language displays
Cued articulation
Social stories
Processing time and key word usage
COGNITION AND LEARNING
- Sing and solve
- Read Write Inc phonics programme
- Attention Autism phonics
- Library sessions
- Access to high quality texts and texts linked to topics
- Write Dance
- Personalised curriculum
- Interventions
- Educational visits
- Visual timetables, now and next boards
- Outdoor Maths area
- Forest School
- Practical learning activities
- Real life learning
SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
No outsiders
- Regulation activities
- Let’s connect (whole school, community)
- Behaviour support
- Emotional coaching
- Lunchtime clubs
- Celebration assemblies
- External agency support – behaviour and therapeutic mentoring
- Malachi/ Independent Family Support
- Do and Discover
PHYSICAL AND SENSORY
Sensory circuits
OT
Theralympics
Swimming
Gross motor development area
Trim Trail and Gym equipment
MUGA
Football team
Gold School Games Mark – access to competitions
P.E. / Physical development lessons
The DAME ELLEN PINSENT Curriculum will also be connected to the areas of need within the Education Health and Care Plans for children as they prepare for adulthood.
Preparation for Adulthood; Employment, Community, Inclusion
- Carefully planned transitions between classes/ pathways in school
- Transition is key when transitioning into or out of Dame Ellen Pinsent
- PHSE/ RSE lessons
- Education visits
- Residentials
- Charity fundraising, including supporting local charities or those that are linked to the need of the children in school
- Community links
- Links and projects with other Birmingham Special Schools
- Football team
- Every child has a voice or means of communication
Click on the links below to see how we implement subject
specific areas of our wider curriculum and which topics are covered:
We follow a 2-year cycle of topics and high quality texts in each subject area. We are currently on Cycle 1 and in September 2026 we will start Cycle 2. More information on what your child will be learning each half term can be found on your child’s Class Dojo page, in the Knowledge Organisers sent home each half term and in our termly newsletters.
