School curriculum

Communication, Interaction & Language at St Piers School

At St Piers School, every student is supported to develop their understanding and use of English through a highly personalised approach. Communication underpins independence, life skills, and access to all areas of the curriculum.

We use a total communication approach, combining spoken and written language with a range of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) methods. These may include:

• Signing and gesture
• Symbols, objects, and touch cues
• Songs and sensory cues
• Eye gaze, switches, and electronic AAC

Our My Communication, Interaction & Language curriculum includes the teaching of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. We follow the Twinkl Phonics programme, adapting it to meet the needs of every learner and ensure accessibility.

Teaching takes place both discreetly and through cross-curricular activities, embedded across the school day. Lessons are designed with flexibility to reflect individual learning journeys, with students taught in small groups and 1:1 where needed.

Communication is central to everything we do and is delivered through a multidisciplinary approach, ensuring students can understand the world around them and their role within it.

At St Piers, we support students to understand and use mathematics in everyday life. Our approach is practical, personalised, and inclusive, empowering every student—whatever their cognitive level—to engage with numeracy in meaningful ways.

Our Approach

Maths is key to developing independence and functional life skills. We deliver a three-tiered curriculum that adapts as students progress through Lower, Middle, and Upper School. This model ranges from therapeutic, sensory-based learning to more formalised teaching aligned with the National Curriculum.

Staff use a variety of strategies, motivators, and teaching tools to ensure maths is accessible, ambitious, and relevant for each student’s learner journey.

Tier 1: Learning for Life – Therapeutic Numeracy

For students needing a more sensory and developmental approach, maths is introduced through:

• Multi-sensory experiences (e.g. objects, routines, spatial awareness)
• Exploration of basic concepts: number, shape, measurement, calculation
• Activities linked to sequencing, organisation, and problem solving

Learning is supported by our therapy teams (OT, SaLT, Physio) and delivered in both class and therapy settings. Facilities like the sensory suite, swimming pool, and extensive outdoor areas help embed mathematical understanding through movement, communication, and real-world experience.

Tier 2 & 3: Skills for Life & Specialist Skills

As students develop, maths becomes more structured. We build on earlier concepts through:

• Practical tasks, stories, songs, games, and real-life scenarios
• ICT tools such as interactive whiteboards, iPads, and platforms like Twinkl Go, BKSB, and Active Learn
• Differentiated and personalised lessons based on each student’s needs and cognitive level

In Upper School, we place greater focus on applied maths through our Life Skills Programme. Functional maths is embedded across home management, enterprise projects, and community-based learning to prepare students for adulthood.

At St Piers, we take a holistic approach to personal development, embedding it across the school day through class-based lessons, therapeutic support (ELSA), and specialist sessions like yoga and horse riding.

Building Independence

Students develop practical life skills tailored to their needs, including:

• Personal care and hygiene
• Food preparation and household tasks
• Understanding puberty and growing up
• Emotional regulation and decision-making

Relationships & Sex Education (RSE)

RSE is adapted to each learner and covers:

• Emotions and healthy relationships
• Consent, safety, and rights
• The body, reproduction, and sexual health
• Recognising and reporting harm

Staying Safe & Connected

We teach students how to stay safe and engaged in their communities. Topics include:

• Online safety and digital awareness
• Road safety and accident prevention
• Cultural understanding and celebrating diversity
• Resilience, problem-solving, and asking for help

Yoga & Riding for the Disabled

Students benefit from regular yoga and horse riding sessions to support:

• Physical and sensory development
• Emotional wellbeing and self-regulation
• Confidence, coordination, and focus

Creative Arts is a powerful tool for learning, self-expression, and connection. At St Piers, we value it both as a discrete subject and as an integral part of our wider curriculum.

Why It Matters

Creative Arts fosters vital skills in:

• Communication and self-expression
• Collaboration and negotiation
• Emotional wellbeing and confidence

These skills support students’ growth and open access to other areas of learning.

Our Approach

• One topic each year has a Creative Arts focus taught through dedicated lessons.
• Drama and music are woven into subjects like Literacy, Numeracy, Communication, and Science.
• In KS4 and Post-16, Drama and Music are used primarily for pleasure and enrichment, with elements covered through EQUALS modules and subjects like RE and Sensory Stories.

Enrichment & Delivery

• Specialist staff deliver Creative Arts through whole-class, small group, and 1:1 sessions.
• Sessions take place in classrooms, the Creative Arts room, and a themed interactive studio set that changes each term.
• Students enjoy performances from visiting artists, local schools, and live shows like pantomimes. The annual Christmas show is a much-loved highlight.

At St Piers, we believe that physical activity in a safe, supportive environment plays a vital role in promoting physical, emotional, and social wellbeing.

Physical Education

Our inclusive PE curriculum is broad, balanced, and personalised to meet the needs of every student. It develops physical skills, fitness, and confidence, while fostering:

• Concentration, self-discipline, and teamwork
• Respect for others and an appreciation of diversity
• Risk awareness and independent participation

Students take part in a wide range of activities, including:

• Gymnastics, swimming, athletics, games, and trampoline
• Outdoor adventures: cycling, hiking, paddle sports, orienteering, and more
• Functional fitness and movement (e.g. MATP and health-related exercise)

Onsite and offsite facilities support real-world learning, preparing students for active lives beyond school.

School Sport

We offer enriching and competitive opportunities through:

• Intra- and inter-school events via the Surrey School Games
• Activity weeks and links with local and national disability sport organisations

Representing the school helps students build pride, identity, and belonging, while promoting spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development.

Physical Activity Across the Day

We embed physical activity across the school day to:

• Boost physical and emotional health
• Improve behaviour, focus, and academic achievement
• Promote resilience, confidence, and independence

By encouraging active lifestyles, we help students understand how to stay healthy in both body and mind—now and into adulthood.

Computing

At St Piers, students explore and use digital devices in ways that enhance their learning and everyday life. We promote safe, purposeful use of technology through:

• Exploring common devices (e.g. tablets, laptops, appliances)
• Learning about control, use, and basic programming
• Accessing content for communication, learning, and enjoyment
• Developing digital literacy and understanding online safety (e.g. personal data, social media, gaming, fake news)

Every class has access to devices like iPads, laptops, interactive whiteboards, and switch-activated tools. Learning is supported by platforms such as Twinkl Go, BKSB, and Active Learn.

Outdoor & Woodland Learning / Forest School

Our Outdoor and Woodland Learning, including Forest School, supports learning through real-world, hands-on experiences in our ancient woodland and pond. These sessions develop:

• Confidence, independence, and problem-solving
• Sensory exploration and emotional regulation
• Cross-curricular learning in Science, Geography, and more

Students learn through nature-based activities like habitat exploration, mini-beast hunts, weather observation, and environmental science.

Careers Education, Information, Advice & Guidance (CEIAG)

We embed careers education throughout the curriculum, tailored to individual learning journeys. We follow the Talentino Careers at Every Level programme for students with SEND.

Careers Pathways

• Lower School: Bambino Programme – first steps in careers education
• Middle School: Careers at Every Level (PMLD–MLD learners)
• Upper School: Functional Skills and Careers at Every Level

Students access a range of accredited programmes, including:

Careers Guidance & Support

• One-to-one personal guidance is delivered by a qualified CDI-registered IAG practitioner
• Students have Personal Learning Records with evidence of work experience and guidance
• All students are invited to attend their EHCP Annual Reviews, with advocacy support if needed
• The school tracks past leaver destinations and identifies students at risk of NEET

Enrichment & Work Experience

Students take part in:

• Internal & external work experience (where appropriate)
• Vocational workshops, STEM events, and educational visits
• Community-based learning and cross-curricular PSHE/RSHE lessons
• Activities funded by PPG and Bursary grants

St Piers holds the Quality in Careers Standard (QiCS) through Complete Careers.