Curriculum - Community Site
Curriculum Intent Statement – ‘Building resilience for Future Success’
OUR CORE VALUES
At Ancora House School we believe in providing a tailored curriculum that meets the diverse needs of our learner group. Our curriculum is designed to ensure that all learners, no matter what their starting point, can access their personal curriculum and make progress, within an environment and culture of high warmth and high expectation.
At the heart of our curriculum is the premise that in order to succeed in their futures, learners need to build on cultural capital and develop the resilience and the skills that will scaffold their next steps.
All staff utilise Quality First teaching with the aim of firstly securing ‘readiness to learn’ and then to establish and build on prior knowledge through a mastery teaching and learning approach. Metacognition and the 16 Habits of Mind underpin our curriculum, our curriculum is a skills and knowledge based curriculum.
THE RECOVERY CURRICULUM – Building Resilience for Future Success
Ancora House School recognises that our learner groups have often faced significant challenge. Our curriculum embodies a trauma informed approach that supports our learners to gain understanding of their experience and difficulties; to understand the impact of their development and learning and to then acquire the skills of recognition and self-managing. As a school we work closely with Child and Adolescent Mental Health teams and other agencies to secure a joined up approach in co-production with families.
Our approach is holistic and offers the nurture necessary to enable young people to re-engage with learning meaningfully; at the same time we raise aspiration within a culture of high warmth and hhigh expectation.
We believe one of the most valuable gifts we can offer learners in our setting is the experience of education that develops skills of critical thinking, independent thinking and learning within and between specific subject areas.
Permeating through our assemblies; tutorials; whole class work and interventions, the skills of reading, writing, thinking and discussing individually and collaboratively promote small but significant incremental progress.
PSHE
At Castle Park, PSHE is delivered via Your Journey of Life and provides a structured, engaging programme that ensures students develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need for adult life. The curriculum uses video‑led lessons, with worksheets and teacher guidance for every session.
At Key Stage 4, students follow lessons covering statutory RSE topics and additional modules such as drug awareness, online safety and media literacy.
During Post-16, the students make real‑world connections: managing finances (including mortgages), understanding sexual health, mental wellbeing, respectful relationships, and preparing for life beyond school Lessons are scaffolded with pause‑points for tasks and reflection, enabling engaging conversations and debates. Through this approach students are supported to map out their future choices, increase their understanding of health, relationships and wellbeing, become digitally resilient, and build confidence to make informed decisions.
