Children are placed in Allenby Unit if they have an Educational Health and Care Plan, that states they have severe learning difficulties and/or autism and would not manage in mainstream classes. 

The curriculum in the SLD Unit at Allenby Primary School encourages active engagement in learning and focuses on the key skills of communication, cognition, physical development and self-care in order to promote children’s independence and prepare them for life beyond the school. It aspires to address individual needs and to build on each child’s strengths and interests.

In order to offer children experiences that are relevant, interesting and challenging, and to identify opportunities for progression, we have adopted a curriculum structure, which encompasses three broad levels: ‘pre-formal’, ‘semi-formal’ and ‘formal’.

Through these three levels, the children follow a broad and balanced curriculum incorporating aspects of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum, the EQUALS Scheme of Work and the National Curriculum as required on a personalised basis. Through an annual plan of topics and a cross-curricular approach, children learn through different experiences, themes and subjects. There is an annual plan of topics, which provides varied contexts for learning.

Given the children are in mixed age classes, the topics have been planned to enable progression. Learning and progress is through the level of the curriculum each child follows and their Education, Health and Care Plan, which underpins targets in each individual education plan (IEP).

A variety of teaching and learning strategies is used to help meet the needs of each child drawing from a range of different approaches. A multidisciplinary staff team including specialist teaching staff and external professionals such as Educational Psychologist delivers the curriculum. Therapies (speech and language therapy, occupational therapy) are an integral part of what we offer to the children, even in the case of our more academically able pupils who follow the formal curriculum.

Inclusion of the children in the unit is a huge part in developing their independence. Social inclusion for all the children in the unit takes place every day through play times, dinner times and special school events. When ready, children in the unit attend a number of formal lessons in the mainstream classes.

Each pupil has an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) that highlights their specific individual educational needs and priorities.  Much emphasis is put on ensuring the pupils learn basic life skills and develop independent learning which is encouraged through the use of distraction-free workstation areas.