Curriculum:  Curriculum for Excellence

 Stages: Primary 1- 7

     Timings:  Monday to Friday: 09:00 - 15:00      

          (interval 13:30- 10:45/ lunch 12:15 - 13:00) 

    Religion/ Beliefs: Multidenominational

  Gender: Co-education (mixed)

 Communication: Total Communication

 

At Windsor Park our pupils follow 'Curriculum for Excellence' (CfE) following a Total Communication philosophy. Staff ensure every learner has equal access to opportunities and can participate in a full range of activities, providing access to and enrichment of the Curriculum for Excellence. The curriculum is taught through individually planned, systematically monitored teaching methods and adaptive materials within accessible settings. Staff take account of the unequal starting points of our D/deaf learners and provide engaging learning experiences that are planned to ensure breadth and depth, enabling progression throughout the school of every learner irrespective of race, gender, age, disability, religion or belief and sexual orientation. Teachers of the Deaf (ToDs) have a very specialist role and set of skills to ensure D/deaf learners achieve their full potential. You can find out more about the role of a Teacher of the Deaf in another section of this website. We aim to empower learners through the curriculum to become confident in their abilities and prepare them for a purposeful life. Windsor Park pupils are supported and challenged to achieve their potential in line with their mainstream peers.

The aims of Curriculum for Excellence are that every child and young person should know they are valued and will be supported to become:

• an effective contributor
• a confident individual
• a responsible citizen and
• experience a traditionally broad Scottish curriculum that develops skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work, with a sustained focus on literacy and numeracy, that encourages an active, healthy and environmentally sustainable lifestyle and builds an appreciation of Scotland and its place in the world.

The experiences and outcomes under Curriculum for Excellence are written at five levels, with progression to qualifications described under the senior phase, covered within our secondary department.

• Early level - the pre school and P1 or later for some
• First level - to the end of P4, but earlier for some
• Second level - to the end of P7, but earlier for some
• Third and Fourth - S1 to S3, but earlier for some
• Senior phase - S4-S6 and college or other means of study

Windsor Park understand the importance of developing positive relationships and the impact this has on raising achievement at home, school and beyond. At Windsor Park we are actively working towards becoming a recognised ‘Nurture School’ and embrace the 6 Principles of Nurture;

1.       Children's learning is understood developmentally

2.       The classroom offers a safe base

3.       The importance of nurture for the development of wellbeing

4.       Language is a vital means of communication

5.       All behaviour is communication

6.     The importance of transition in children's lives

Ref: Lucas,S., Insley,K. and Buckland,G. (2006) Nurture Group Principles and Curriculum Guidelines Helping Children to Achieve, The Nurture Group Network.

From P1 to P7 the children are encouraged to manage and maintain their own audiological equipment (hearing aids, cochlear implants, listening devices etc), make use of their residual hearing and learn about D/deaf culture, history, technologies and positive D/deaf identity within their Deaf Studies topic and develop their British Sign Language skills within Windsor Park.

Our current learners are mostly taught in Windsor Park, however, every pupil has the opportunity to participate in learning experiences within their allocated Bantaskin class, as staff carefully monitor the needs of each pupil and devise weekly plans collegiately with our colleagues in Bantaskin Primary School. This enables Teachers of the Deaf to identify the most appropriate learning environment for each pupil e.g. Windsor Park or Bantaskin mainstream class (with support) and plan the lessons necessary to prepare our pupils to enable them to participate confidently alongside their mainstream peers.

At interval and lunchtimes Windsor Park pupils socialise in Bantaskin's playground and lunch hall and are always supervised by a member of Windsor Park staff. We have our own garden, fully equipped with outdoor exercise equipment, which Windsor Park and Bantaskin pupils can access at any time. This space is maintained by our staff, pupils and volunteers from Lloyds Banking Group. Pupils harvest the fruits, vegetables and herbs from the garden and learn how to create delicious dishes with the produce. Windsor Park have an Eco and Improvement Group, involving all pupils and staff. Learning for Sustainability is an integral part of the work we do at Windsor Park.  Learning for Sustainability is learning to live within the environmental limits of our planet and to build a just, equitable and peaceful society. It is essential for the well-being of all and is an international priority.

UNESCO, 2013

At Windsor Park it is ...'a whole school approach that enables the school and its wider community to build the values, attitudes, knowledge, skills and confidence needed to develop practices and take decisions which are compatible with a sustainable and equitable world.'

Learning for Sustainability, The report of the One Planet Schools Group, 2012

Windsor Park have developed and sustained longstanding partnerships to develop skills for life. Our pupils take part in the 'School Toothbrushing Programme' supported by Forth Valley's NHS Dental Team, brushing their teeth after lunchtime and learning about oral hygiene and healthy eating. Amy Joss, Relax Kids, provides 2 sessions per term for our pupils to encourage a positive mindset and develop self-regulation and resilience. P4-7 attend a block of swimming lessons taught by Miss Julie Simpson, a British Sign Language swimming coach. P4-7 attend termly sessions with our Outdoor Education instructor focussing on developing a love and respect for the outdoors (climbing, bushcraft, katakanu, hillwalking, teambulding activities, beach combing). We actively seek opportunities to socialise with other D/deaf children and young people from across Scotland, attending events run by British Deaf Association, National Deaf Children's Society and Deaf Action and through contacting other D/deaf provisions to organise and lead fun events.