Wider Skills

Wider skills is an essential part of our curriculum to prepare all pupils for life beyond our school community. The wider skills encompass a broad range of learning areas, including PE, RSHE, Food education, Behaviour, Careers and work experience, Off-site learning, Functional Skills and play and leisure skills, to equip our students to be as independent and self-reliant as possible in adulthood. Wider skills aims to promote the learning and development of our pupils, enabling them to access the next stage of education, training or employment.

By the time pupils leave Paddock School, our wider skills curriculum will have equipped them to:

Be as independent as possible in their daily lives, with skills in self-care, decision-making, and managing their own needs
Regulate their emotions and sensory needs, using strategies and tools to help them feel calm, safe, and ready to learn
Engage in physical activity and understand its benefits for their overall well-being
Navigate their community safely and confidently, applying skills such as road safety and using community facilities
Develop healthy, appropriate relationships with an understanding of personal boundaries, consent, and respect
Communicate effectively using their preferred communication methods
Access the next stage of their education, training, or employment with the skills and confidence they need to thrive
Use technology safely and effectively to support their learning and daily life

Physical Development

We recognise the importance of physical development for our learners' overall wellbeing, and we support them in developing their physical abilities in a safe and inclusive environment. Our curriculum includes activities and experiences that promote gross and fine motor skills, coordination, and sensory integration.

Adapted PE sessions are taught across the school, promoting:

Physical fitness and strength
Social interaction and teamwork
Enjoyment of physical activities
Development of fundamental movement skills
Understanding of healthy, active lifestyles

Emotional Regulation and Wellbeing

Emotional regulation is a fundamental aspect of our wider skills curriculum, supporting children in understanding and managing their emotions effectively. We use the Zones of Regulation approach to provide our learners with tools and techniques to:

Identify their emotional state
Express their feelings appropriately
Regulate their emotions in various contexts
Develop self-awareness and self-management strategies
Build resilience and coping mechanisms

Community Skills and Off-Site Learning

Off-site learning experiences are integrated into our wider skills curriculum to provide learners with opportunities for:

Application of skills in different contexts
Real-world exploration and problem-solving
Development of community skills, such as road safety, using public transport, and accessing community facilities
Building confidence in unfamiliar environments

There is a broad range of off-site experiences on offer as pupils move up through the school that inspire curiosity and promote personal and academic growth beyond the confines of the traditional classroom. These experiences are carefully sequenced to build independence progressively, starting with supported visits to familiar local places and developing towards more complex community engagement.

Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE)

RSHE is set in the context of our wider whole-school approach to supporting pupils to be safe, happy and prepared for life beyond school. RSHE is a vital component of our wider skills curriculum, promoting the development of healthy relationships, personal well-being, and understanding of self and others.

Our RSHE curriculum:

Is delivered through developmentally appropriate lessons adapted to meet the specific needs and abilities of students
Uses visual supports (including adapted SoSafe visuals), simplified language, and sensory materials to make content accessible
Supports students to develop their understanding of appropriate and meaningful relationships, including friendships, family relationships, and personal boundaries
Teaches pupils about personal safety, including online safety, recognising unsafe situations, and knowing who to ask for help
Promotes understanding of physical and emotional changes, presented in age-appropriate ways
Addresses consent and personal autonomy, helping pupils understand their right to say no and respecting others' boundaries
Complements and is supported by our wider school policies on behaviour, inclusion, safeguarding, and anti-bullying

We recognise that our pupils may be particularly vulnerable, and our RSHE teaching is carefully sequenced to equip pupils with knowledge to navigate different experiences in a positive way and to prevent harm before it occurs.