Curriculum Overview

Inspire Academy – Curriculum Overview 2026/27

Intent, Implementation and Impact

Our Mission

At Inspire Academy, part of Rivermead Inclusive Trust, our mission is to provide a safe, inclusive and aspirational learning environment where every young person with social, emotional and mental health needs is valued, understood and supported to achieve their full potential.

We recognise that many pupils join Inspire Academy having experienced disrupted, fragmented or unsuccessful educational journeys. Some pupils may have had periods of reduced attendance, exclusion, trauma, anxiety, low self-esteem or difficulty engaging with learning in previous settings. Many pupils have an Education, Health and Care Plan, with social, emotional and mental health needs identified as a primary area of need.

Our curriculum is therefore deliberately designed to re-engage pupils with education, rebuild confidence as learners, close gaps in foundational knowledge, and provide a clear pathway towards adulthood, further education, training or employment. We combine high-quality teaching with therapeutic, pastoral and relational support so that pupils are able to access learning, develop independence, make positive choices and experience success.

Our curriculum is based on the belief that every pupil is entitled to an ambitious education. This ambition is not lowered because pupils have additional needs. Instead, the curriculum is carefully adapted so that pupils can access meaningful knowledge, develop important skills and build the confidence, resilience and character needed for life beyond school.

1. Curriculum Intent

Aims of the Curriculum

The curriculum at Inspire Academy is designed to ensure that all pupils:

  • access a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum which is appropriate to their needs and starting points;
  • develop secure knowledge and skills in English, mathematics, science, personal development and wider curriculum subjects;
  • build communication, literacy, numeracy, social and decision-making skills;
  • experience success and develop positive attitudes towards learning;
  • strengthen resilience, confidence, self-esteem and independence;
  • develop their understanding of themselves, others and the wider world;
  • learn how to keep themselves healthy, safe and emotionally regulated;
  • understand their rights, responsibilities and role within modern Britain;
  • access suitable qualifications and accreditation pathways;
  • are prepared for their next stage of education, training, employment and adult life.

The curriculum at Inspire Academy is:

  • is engaging, motivating and enjoyable;
  • promotes high expectations and aspirations for all pupils;
  • provides a broad, balanced and relevant educational experience;
  • enables all pupils to access an ambitious curriculum regardless of need, background or starting point;
  • develops individual talents, interests and strengths;
  • prepares pupils for successful transition into further education, employment and training;
  • promotes equality, diversity and inclusion;
  • supports pupils to become active, responsible citizens.

The curriculum is supported by consistent expectations, clear routines and a relational approach to behaviour. Pupils are explicitly taught the behaviours, attitudes and self-regulation skills required for successful learning and future employment. Alongside the formal curriculum, pupils benefit from an extended curriculum through daily interactions, enrichment opportunities, social experiences, educational visits, employer encounters and wider school life. Improving attendance is a core curriculum priority. Leaders identify and remove barriers to attendance so that pupils can benefit fully from the curriculum and wider opportunities available.

Our curriculum balances academic learning, vocational development, therapeutic support and personal development. This ensures that pupils are not only prepared for qualifications, but also for the wider demands of adulthood, relationships, work, community participation and independent living.

Curriculum Entitlement

All pupils at Inspire Academy are entitled to a curriculum that supports both academic and personal growth. The curriculum is organised to ensure that pupils have access to a wide range of learning experiences across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.

At Key Stage 3, pupils access a broad curriculum which includes:

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Humanities
  • Physical Education
  • PSHE / RSE
  • Religious Education through Humanities, assemblies and personal development
  • Food Technology
  • Design Technology / Construction-related learning
  • ICT / Computing
  • Art and Design
  • Commando Joe’s / resilience and character education
  • Personal development and enrichment

Key Stage 3 is designed to rebuild learning behaviours, strengthen literacy and numeracy, develop foundational knowledge and provide pupils with access to a wide range of subjects before greater specialisation at Key Stage 4.

At Key Stage 4, the curriculum continues to provide breadth while also allowing pupils to follow appropriate accredited pathways. Pupils study a core curriculum including English, mathematics, science, PSHE / RSE, careers and personal development, alongside vocational and accredited options such as sport, construction, occupational studies, food technology and King’s Trust programmes.

Where pupils follow adapted or personalised pathways, this is done through a clear rationale based on their individual needs, EHCP outcomes, prior attainment, engagement, aspirations and next-step destinations. Any adaptation is planned carefully so that pupils continue to access an ambitious and meaningful curriculum rather than a narrowed experience.

Ambition for Pupils with SEMH Needs

Our ambition is that pupils leave Inspire Academy with the knowledge, skills and confidence to participate successfully in society. We aim for pupils to:

  • be literate and numerate enough to access further education, training, employment and independent living;
  • achieve appropriate qualifications in English, mathematics and wider accredited courses;
  • understand how to manage emotions, relationships and personal responsibility;
  • make informed decisions about health, safety, relationships and future pathways;
  • understand different beliefs, cultures, communities and perspectives;
  • develop the confidence to contribute positively to their communities;
  • move successfully into positive post-16 destinations.

The curriculum is intentionally ambitious while remaining accessible. Staff identify pupils’ starting points carefully and then plan learning so that pupils build knowledge cumulatively over time.

2. Curriculum Implementation

How the Curriculum is Planned and Sequenced

The curriculum is planned to ensure that pupils build knowledge, skills and understanding over time. Subject leaders identify the key knowledge pupils need to learn, the order in which it should be taught, and the end points pupils are working towards.

Curriculum plans identify:

  • what pupils will learn;
  • why this knowledge matters;
  • how learning builds on prior knowledge;
  • how pupils will revisit and retain key concepts;
  • how literacy, vocabulary and communication are developed within subjects;
  • how pupils are supported to access learning from their individual starting points;
  • how learning prepares pupils for future study, accreditation and adulthood.

Sequencing is particularly important because many pupils arrive with gaps in learning. Therefore, teachers revisit prior learning, check understanding regularly and provide opportunities for retrieval, rehearsal and application. Learning is planned in small steps where needed, but always with a clear view of the ambitious end points pupils are working towards.

Teaching, Learning and Adaptation

Teaching at Inspire Academy is based on strong relationships, clear routines and high expectations. Staff understand that pupils with SEMH needs may require carefully structured support in order to access learning successfully. The curriculum is designed not only to secure academic progress but also to improve attendance, engagement, behaviour and readiness to learn through consistent routines, positive relationships and effective support.

Teachers use a range of approaches including:

  • explicit teaching and modelling;
  • retrieval and recap of prior learning;
  • carefully scaffolded tasks;
  • vocabulary development;
  • practical and applied learning;
  • questioning and discussion;
  • opportunities for independent practice;
  • timely feedback;
  • planned adaptations linked to individual needs;
  • reinforcement of positive learning behaviours.

Adaptations are made thoughtfully and do not reduce ambition. Staff use knowledge of pupils’ EHCPs, learning profiles, assessment information and pastoral needs to remove barriers to learning. This may include additional adult support, chunked tasks, sensory or emotional regulation strategies, alternative recording methods, structured routines, visual supports or targeted intervention.

Where pupils require additional support in reading, spelling, comprehension, writing or mathematics, interventions are used to supplement high-quality teaching rather than replace access to the wider curriculum.

Reading, Literacy, Numeracy and Communication

Developing literacy, numeracy and communication is central to the curriculum. Many pupils join Inspire Academy with gaps in reading, spelling, writing, comprehension or mathematical fluency. These gaps can affect confidence, behaviour and access to the wider curriculum.  Reading is prioritised across the curriculum. Pupils are supported to develop fluency, comprehension, vocabulary and confidence through high-quality teaching, targeted interventions and opportunities to read for pleasure.

We therefore place a strong emphasis on:

  • reading fluency and comprehension;
  • vocabulary development across all subjects;
  • accurate spelling and sentence construction;
  • purposeful writing for different audiences;
  • mathematical fluency and problem-solving;
  • communication, discussion and oracy;
  • confidence in explaining ideas and reasoning.

Pupils’ starting points are identified through baseline assessments and ongoing teacher assessment. Staff use this information to plan support, close gaps and ensure pupils can access both academic and vocational learning.

Personal Development, PSHE and Wellbeing

Personal development is at the heart of the Inspire Academy curriculum. Pupils are supported to develop the knowledge, confidence and character needed to make positive choices and contribute meaningfully to society.

All pupils access PSHE and RSE, with key themes reinforced across the wider curriculum, assemblies, form time, enrichment and other additional learning opportunities. Pupils learn about:

  • healthy relationships;
  • emotional wellbeing;
  • mental health;
  • physical health;
  • online safety;
  • consent and personal boundaries;
  • equality and diversity;
  • protected characteristics;
  • British values;
  • financial awareness;
  • careers and future planning;
  • responsibility, respect and citizenship.

Dedicated wellbeing and personal development sessions provide structured opportunities for pupils to develop self-awareness, emotional regulation, resilience, teamwork, leadership and confidence. The curriculum promotes equality of opportunity, celebrates diversity and encourages respect for people from all backgrounds, cultures and protected characteristics.

Religious Education, SMSC and British Values

Religious Education forms part of the wider Humanities and Personal Development curriculum. At Inspire Academy, RE helps pupils develop an understanding of different beliefs, cultures, worldviews and ways of life. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on questions of identity, belonging, morality, equality, justice and responsibility.

RE and SMSC are promoted through:

  • Humanities topics;
  • PSHE and personal development;
  • assemblies;
  • Picture News;
  • discussion of current affairs;
  • exploration of historical and contemporary issues;
  • reflection on British Values;
  • learning about protected characteristics;
  • promotion of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Through this provision, pupils learn to respect difference, understand diverse perspectives, and consider how their choices can contribute to a fairer, safer and more inclusive society.

Cultural Capital and Enrichment

We are committed to broadening pupils’ horizons and ensuring they experience opportunities that they may not otherwise encounter. Enrichment is planned to deepen pupils’ understanding of the world, raise aspirations and support personal growth.

This includes:

  • educational visits;
  • cultural experiences;
  • visiting speakers;
  • careers events;
  • employer encounters;
  • charity and community activities;
  • social and reward experiences;
  • practical learning opportunities;
  • vocational tasters;
  • college visits and transition activities.

These experiences are not additional extras; they are an important part of the curriculum. They help pupils connect learning to real life, develop confidence in unfamiliar settings and build the cultural knowledge needed to participate fully in society.

Careers and Preparation for Adulthood

Careers education is carefully planned to support pupils in making informed decisions about their future. Pupils receive careers education, information, advice and guidance, including opportunities to learn about further education, employment, training and vocational pathways.

Provision includes:

  • careers lessons;
  • individual advice and guidance;
  • employer encounters;
  • college visits;
  • vocational tasters;
  • work-related learning;
  • post-16 transition planning;
  • support with applications and next steps.

The curriculum supports pupils to understand their strengths, interests and aspirations. It also helps them develop employability skills such as communication, teamwork, reliability, problem-solving and resilience.

Assessment and Quality Assurance

Assessment is used to understand pupils’ starting points, check progress and adapt teaching. Staff use assessment to identify what pupils know, what they have remembered and what they need to learn next. We intentionally revisit and reinforce key concepts throughout the curriculum to strengthen long-term retention, deepen understanding and enable pupils to apply their learning with increasing confidence and independence.

Assessment includes:

  • baseline assessments;
  • formative assessment during lessons;
  • questioning and discussion;
  • retrieval tasks;
  • work scrutiny;
  • teacher assessment;
  • progress reviews;
  • qualification outcomes;
  • reading, spelling and numeracy assessments;
  • pupil voice;
  • behaviour and attendance information.

Leaders monitor the curriculum through a regular cycle of quality assurance, including learning walks, lesson visits, work scrutiny, pupil voice, data analysis, subject reviews and evaluation of interventions. This ensures leaders have an accurate understanding of curriculum quality and can take timely action where improvement is needed. Subject leaders use assessment information, pupil work and accreditation outcomes to evaluate how effectively pupils are developing subject-specific knowledge and skills.

3. Curriculum Impact

The impact of the Inspire Academy curriculum is seen in the progress pupils make academically, socially, emotionally and personally.

We expect pupils to:

  • re-engage positively with education;
  • improve attendance and participation where these have previously been barriers;
  • develop confidence as learners;
  • improve reading, writing, communication and mathematical skills;
  • know more, remember more and apply learning over time;
  • achieve appropriate qualifications and accreditation;
  • develop emotional regulation and resilience;
  • demonstrate safer and more responsible decision-making;
  • understand how to build positive relationships;
  • contribute positively to the school and wider community;
  • move successfully into further education, employment or training.

Impact is evaluated through a combination of quantitative and qualitative evidence, including progress data, qualification outcomes, attendance, behaviour trends, destination information, pupil voice, work scrutiny, learning walks, case studies, EHCP outcomes and post-16 transition information.

For pupils with SEMH needs, impact is not measured by academic outcomes alone. It is also measured by pupils’ ability to trust adults, participate in learning, regulate emotions, sustain relationships, make positive decisions and prepare successfully for adulthood.

4. Continuous Review and Improvement

The curriculum is regularly reviewed to ensure it remains ambitious, relevant and responsive to pupils’ needs. Leaders take account of:

  • pupil voice;
  • staff expertise;
  • assessment information;
  • destination data;
  • attendance and behaviour trends;
  • EHCP needs;
  • local employment and training opportunities;
  • Trust quality assurance;
  • statutory requirements;
  • national guidance and inspection expectations.

Where changes are made to the curriculum, leaders ensure there is a clear rationale and that changes strengthen pupils’ access to knowledge, qualifications, personal development and future opportunities.

The school continues to refine curriculum planning so that all subjects have clear end points, carefully sequenced knowledge, planned assessment opportunities and evidence of impact over time. Subject curriculum maps clearly identify the key knowledge and skills to be taught, ensuring that learning is sequenced effectively and built upon year by year.

Success Measures

Success is demonstrated through:

  • achievement of recognised qualifications;
  • strong progress from individual starting points;
  • improved attendance and engagement;
  • positive learning behaviours;
  • improved emotional regulation;
  • successful transition into further education, employment or training.

5. Summary Statement

The curriculum at Inspire Academy is ambitious, inclusive and carefully designed to meet the needs of pupils with SEMH. It provides a broad and balanced educational experience, strengthened by personal development, therapeutic support, vocational pathways and preparation for adulthood.

Through high-quality teaching, careful adaptation, structured assessment and targeted support, pupils are given the opportunity to rebuild confidence, close gaps in learning, achieve meaningful qualifications and develop the knowledge, skills and character needed for future success. Pupils develop and apply key knowledge, skills and understanding across the curriculum. Through retrieval practice and planned revisiting, pupils retain important knowledge, make connections between areas of learning and become increasingly independent learners.

 

As part of Rivermead Inclusive Trust, Inspire Academy is committed to ensuring that every pupil experiences a curriculum that is not only accessible, but also ambitious, purposeful and life-changing.

 

Curriculum