At Merstone School, we believe that the curriculum the children follow should enable them to become successful young people who are ready to learn, make progress and achieve, whatever their starting point may be and whatever type of special educational need they may have. 

The children on roll are grouped into classes based on need and ability. 

Our curriculum focusses on developing the transferrable skills that equip children for each stage in education and life beyond school as confidently and independently as possible. The key areas of communication, physical development, cognition, self-care and independence are central to our offer. To enable our children to engage in learning, our curriculum is skills and play-based. We believe in creating a happy and secure environment which inspires our children to explore, engage and learn safely. 

Through a multidisciplinary approach, we aim to work collaboratively to start each child’s individualised learning pathway from the point of induction into the Merstone family. 

Teachers use individual EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) outcomes as a starting point for all learning intentions. Emphasis is placed on ‘Communication and Interaction’, ‘Cognition and Learning’, ‘Sensory and Physical’ and ‘Social, Emotional and Mental Health’.

Merstone School is organised in specific specialised departments / pathways to ensure that the needs of all the children are met in the most effective way. This allows for really individualised provision that offers a broad and balanced, relevant and exciting curriculum. The pathways are not defined by age but by stage of development. Each pathway covers skills, knowledge and understanding across a range of areas of learning. These are planned to facilitate movement between pathways to ensure the curriculum is flexible and responsive to a child's needs at any point in their time at Merstone School.   At Merstone teaching and learning opportunities are not limited to ‘lesson time’ but throughout the day, including break times, snack time, personal care routines and when out in the community. These opportunities are planned for and include meaningful generalisation of skills across a range of settings.

Each department is led by a Department Lead who has experience and expertise that is particularly specific to the needs of the children.

Pebbles - Nursery

Moonstones - EYFS and assessment year

Ruby 1, 2 and 3 

Sapphire 1, 2 and 3

Emeralds 1, 2 and 3

Topaz

Diamonds 1, 2 and 3

Please use the tabs to discover more about each department.

We refer to the following Curriculums across our school;

EQUALS