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At Willow Park School, we are committed to creating a nurturing, inclusive, and communication-rich environment where every learner is valued, supported, and empowered. Our approach celebrates individuality, fosters curiosity, and builds trust through meaningful relationships and sensory-rich experiences.

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Our curriculum is:
•    Play-based and child-led
•    Grounded in the EQUALS Curriculum
•    Designed to promote engagement, independence, and well-being

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We have a calm, supportive and nurturing environment in which children are able to focus on their educational development and their Educational, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) targets.

 

Willow Park School: Curriculum Intent, Implementation & Impact Statement

✨ Intent

At Willow Park, our curriculum is designed to meet the complex needs of pupils with autism, and significant communication challenges. We believe that every child is entitled to a curriculum that is:

• Individualised: rooted in each pupil’s EHCP outcomes, sensory profile, and communication needs.

• Developmentally appropriate: aligned with pre-formal and informal learning pathways, not chronological age expectations.

• Communication-rich: prioritising expressive and receptive communication in all its forms, including AAC, gesture, vocalisation, and sensory cues.

• Emotionally safe: supporting regulation, trust, and positive relationships as the foundation for learning.

• Holistic and meaningful: embedding Preparation for Adulthood (PFA) from the earliest years through real-life, sensory, and play-based experiences.

We aim to nurture curiosity, connection, and confidence in every learner, celebrating all forms of progress — however small — as steps toward greater independence, self-expression, and well-being.

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🛠️ Implementation

Our curriculum is delivered through three pathways — Curious (Pre-Formal), Engaged (Informal), and Flourishing (Semi-Formal) — each designed to meet pupils at their developmental stage. Implementation is underpinned by:

• The Engagement Model and SCERTS Framework to assess and plan for engagement, communication, and regulation.

• The Willow Park Roadmap: a bespoke progression tool aligned with our curriculum strands.

• Total Communication Approach: including PECS, Makaton, objects of reference, visual timetables, and AAC devices.

• Therapeutic integration: including Attention Autism, Sensology, TACPAC, sensory diets, and OT/SaLT input from PETALS.

• Highly structured, low-arousal environments: with clear routines, visual supports, and sensory regulation spaces.

• Personalised planning: through weekly zone-based activities, individual learning intentions, and consistent adult modelling.

• Family partnership: through Tapestry, home visits, and shared celebration of progress.

Learning is immersive, sensory-rich, and responsive — not worksheet-based or abstract. We prioritise process over product, and connection over compliance.

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🎯 Impact

We measure the impact of our curriculum through:

• Pupil engagement: sustained attention, curiosity, and participation in learning activities.

• Communication progress: increased use of AAC, vocalisations, gestures, or intentional behaviours to express needs and preferences.

• Emotional regulation: reduced incidents of dysregulation, increased use of self-regulation strategies, and improved well-being.

• Functional independence: progress in daily routines, choice-making, and preparation for life beyond school.

• Parental confidence and involvement: positive feedback, increased engagement, and shared understanding of progress.

• Holistic progress: captured through the Engagement Model, SCERTS, the Willow Park Roadmap, and qualitative observations.

We celebrate every step — from a first smile to a first symbol — as a meaningful milestone in each child’s journey.