Our Wider Curriculum

Intent:

To practice and generalise skills pupils have learnt through the Creative Curriculum in the wider community and a greater understanding of the world.

Implement:

The Wider Curriculum is a carefully constructed programme of activities and interventions for all age pupils that provides a progression of experiences and skills throughout the school.

Impact:

Through our wider curriculum, pupils develop their resilience, self-esteem, confidence, problem solving, tolerance, communication, social skills and a sense of enjoyment (fun) in order to achieve skills for life and independence.  

• Community Visits – e.g. using money, social communication, problem solving, travel training, tolerance of different people and places.  
• Curriculum Enrichment Activities – e.g. Valuing Voices Arts’ Project has led to increased pupil confidence and engagement in the Arts and Pop Up Literacy Festival has inspired a love of stories and poetry in our pupils.
• Physical and Sensory – e.g. Pupils have developed physical and sensory skills and improved mental health and this enables pupils to develop leisure interests.
• A comprehensive programme of residential trips provides pupils with opportunities to stay away from home, develop their independence, experience different communities and cultures.
• Clubs - Lunchtime, after-school and holiday clubs enable pupils to socialise with different groups whilst developing skills and interests.
• Careers and Destinations – students to have meaningful experiences and opportunities for success, enjoyment and independence through a person-centred approach which ensures they are well-prepared for adulthood and employment.
• P.S.H.E / R.S.E is a key thread that underpins learning to achieve skills for life and independence e.g. enable pupils to develop positive relationships with others, maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep themselves and others safe. 
• S.M.S.C is fundamental to pupils’ understanding of the world they live in and in preparation for adulthood and to be contributing citizens e.g. School Council for pupil voice and Eco Committee for environmental issues. At Oakley we pride ourselves for our mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs and for those without faith e.g. LGBTQ celebrations and R.E. Days.

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC)

We are delighted to share that, as a result of the verification visit on 17th November 2022, Oakley School has been awarded Gold level of the National SMSC Quality Mark for the second time. Please read the Verification Report in which you will see our pupils shone during the visit and when asked to describe Oakley School in one word replied ‘home, fun, best place to be, good, wonderful, powerful, welcoming, superhero, forest school’.