Overview

Napier Miles Secondary, including Napier Miles Post 16 department, is for pupils aged 11-19 who have severe learning difficulties and complex needs. Each class has a teacher and a minimum of one full-time teaching assistant, with extra teaching assistants involved at particular times where necessary. Pupils are separated into Key Stages with KS3 starting at year 7, Key Stage 4 starting at year 9 and Key Stage 5 (Post 16) starting at year 12. Within each Key Stage, pupils are grouped where possible by academic/social/emotional/sensory need.

All pupils have an individual EHCP. Some pupils may have a pupil support plan to ensure a consistent approach to helping pupils manage their behaviour. These plans will be shared and written in agreement with parents/carers.

Curriculum

The National Curriculum is delivered at Napier Miles Secondary but is modified to meet the individual needs of our pupils. In all Key Stages, there are daily maths and English lessons followed by opportunities to learn other subjects via cross-curricular topics which follow a rolling programme throughout the Key Stage. There is a strong focus on developing communication supported by symbols and Makaton signing and on Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) which promotes the development of independence and self-help skills across the school day.

In the Post 16 department, the weekly timetabled Preparation For Life (P4L) lessons provide further opportunities to focus on life skills. These are entirely focused on self-help, independence and ‘preparation for life’ skills at an individual student level. This could mean learning how to wash clothes and read labels or identify washing powder, cooking simple meals (in addition to timetabled food technology lessons), making a bed, recognising hygiene products or travel training for college preparation. Literacy/Numeracy/PSHE lessons will also be used to put learning in context to supplement food technology lessons (eg making a shopping list then going to supermarket or using money in different contexts) and teachers will plan to make it a relevant learning experience for each student. Parents are asked to share with teachers throughout the year which life skills they would like staff to focus on.

Accreditation: Pupils work towards accreditation from KS3 onwards. In KS3 the ASDAN New Horizons course is followed for PSHE. In KS4 pupils start working towards either Entry level accreditation in English, Maths, Science, ICT and Food Studies or by following the Equals Certification scheme of work. Pupils in KS4 and KS5 also complete AQA unit awards, ASDAN Transition Challenge and either ASDAN Personal Progress (Certificate level and then Diploma) or the Personal, Social Development course.