Curriculum, Teaching, Learning
and Assessment Policy
LEARNING BARN ON MANOR FARM
Policy owner
Antonia Stewart
Provision
Learning Barn on Manor Farm
Review frequency
Annually, or following significant changes
1. Purpose
This policy outlines the educational approach at Learning Barn on Manor Farm, including our curriculum, teaching methods, assessment practices and the ways in which we support and monitor individual progress.
Our provision combines academic learning, animal-assisted learning, practical experiences and personalised SEND support to provide an inclusive, engaging and meaningful education.
We recognise that children and young people have different educational experiences, abilities and needs. Our curriculum is therefore flexible, individualised and responsive to each learner.
2. Our Provision
Learning Barn on Manor Farm provides specialist educational support, including alternative provision, individual tutoring, animal-assisted learning and small-group learning opportunities.
Our provision is led by a qualified teacher with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and postgraduate qualifications in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
We support children and young people with a range of educational, social, emotional and communication needs.
Although we are not a registered school, our academic teaching is informed by the National Curriculum for England and adapted to learners’ individual attainment levels.
We do not aim to replicate a traditional classroom. Instead, we create accessible opportunities for children to develop academically, socially, emotionally and practically.
3. Curriculum Intent
Our curriculum aims to:
• Provide high-quality, appropriately challenging and personalised educational experiences.
• Support academic progress from each learner’s individual starting point.
• Rebuild confidence and develop positive attitudes towards learning.
• Improve communication, social interaction and emotional regulation.
• Develop independence, problem-solving and practical life skills.
• Encourage curiosity, creativity and engagement through meaningful experiences.
• Support relevant Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) outcomes.
• Prepare learners for future education, employment and everyday life.
We recognise that progress is individual and may include both academic achievement and improvements in wellbeing, communication, engagement and independence.
4. Curriculum Planning and Resources
Academic learning is planned with reference to the National Curriculum for England, supported by established educational resources.
These include:
• White Rose Maths: Used to support structured mathematics teaching, progression in mathematical understanding, reasoning and problem-solving.
• Twinkl: Used to provide differentiated teaching materials, activities, assessments and curriculum resources.
• National Curriculum: Used to identify relevant knowledge, skills and progression in subjects including English, mathematics and science.
• Additional teaching resources: Selected according to each learner’s needs, interests, abilities and educational targets.
Planning considers both the learner’s chronological age and their current academic attainment.
Where a child is working below age-related expectations, teaching is adapted to their assessed level while maintaining age-respectful resources, appropriate challenge and opportunities for progression.
Where appropriate, learning is broken into smaller steps, with knowledge and skills revisited and reinforced before moving forward.
5. Individual Learning and Personalisation
Every learner is treated as an individual.
Planning is informed by relevant information including:
• Previous educational experiences and school information.
• Current academic attainment and identified gaps in learning.
• Individual strengths, interests and preferred learning styles.
• SEND needs, sensory preferences and communication requirements.
• Relevant EHCP outcomes and educational targets.
• Observations and assessments completed during sessions.
• Feedback from parents, carers and referring professionals.
Learning objectives are selected according to what each child needs to develop next.
We recognise that pupils may have uneven attainment profiles. For example, a child may demonstrate age-appropriate understanding in one area while requiring additional support in another.
Teaching is therefore differentiated according to individual needs rather than assuming that all learners of the same age require the same activities.
6. Teaching and Learning
Teaching is delivered through a combination of direct instruction, individual support, practical experiences and child-centred learning.
Strategies may include:
• Teacher modelling and explanation.
• Guided practice and independent activities.
• Differentiated tasks and resources.
• Visual supports and concrete learning materials.
• Repetition and reinforcement of key concepts.
• Practical application of academic skills.
• Animal-assisted and outdoor learning opportunities.
• Sensory breaks and adapted learning environments.
• Collaborative activities and supported social interaction.
Teaching is adapted to the learner’s emotional regulation, engagement and ability to access learning on a particular day.
For learners experiencing anxiety or demand avoidance, strategies may include flexible expectations, collaborative approaches, meaningful choices and reduced-pressure activities.
These adjustments allow learners to access educational opportunities without compromising their emotional wellbeing.
7. Curriculum Areas
English and Communication
Learning opportunities may include phonics, reading, comprehension, spelling, grammar, vocabulary, writing and spoken language.
Activities are differentiated according to current attainment, with National Curriculum objectives and suitable teaching resources used to identify next steps.
Communication development may also include listening, conversation, expressing needs, following instructions and social communication.
Mathematics
Mathematics is taught using appropriate curriculum objectives and resources, including White Rose Maths.
Learning may cover number, calculation, fractions, measurement, geometry, time, money, statistics and problem-solving.
Concepts are reinforced through practical situations, such as measuring animal feed, estimating quantities, comparing weights and calculating costs.
Science and Environmental Education
The farm environment creates opportunities for learning about living things, habitats, lifecycles, nutrition, materials, seasons and environmental responsibility.
Activities encourage observation, questioning, scientific vocabulary and practical investigation.
Animal Care and Welfare
Animal-assisted learning provides opportunities to develop knowledge of animal behaviour, welfare, husbandry and responsible care.
Activities may involve preparing food, observing animals, maintaining environments and understanding species-specific needs.
Learning is planned with consideration for health and safety, appropriate supervision and animal welfare.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
We support emotional literacy, self-regulation, confidence, communication, resilience, relationships, teamwork and self-advocacy.
Individual and group activities create opportunities to practise these skills in supportive, real-life situations.
Independence and Life Skills
Learning may include following routines, making decisions, organising resources, completing responsibilities, problem-solving and developing practical independence.
Creative and Practical Learning
Creative projects, art, sensory experiences and hands-on activities are used to develop imagination, coordination, concentration and self-expression.
8. Assessment and Identification of Starting Points
Assessment is an ongoing part of our teaching practice.
When learners begin attending, their starting points are identified using relevant school information, previous attainment records, discussion with families or referring professionals, initial activities and professional observation.
Where appropriate, curriculum-based assessments and activities help identify existing knowledge, gaps in understanding and areas requiring additional support.
These starting points inform future planning and enable teaching to be appropriately challenging.
Assessment is not limited to formal testing. It includes observation, questioning, discussions, practical demonstrations and review of completed work.
9. Recording Learning and Monitoring Progress
Individual learning folders are used to record and evidence learners’ educational experiences and progress.
These folders provide a record of learning over time and support ongoing assessment and future planning.
Depending on the learner’s programme, folders may contain:
• Completed worksheets and academic activities.
• Examples of independent and supported work.
• Curriculum-related learning objectives.
• Records of practical or animal-assisted learning.
• Teacher observations and assessment notes.
• Examples of progress towards individual targets.
• Evidence of developing knowledge and skills.
Folders are used to identify what a learner can already achieve, what they are working towards and what should be taught next.
Evidence of progress is considered in relation to each learner’s starting point and individual learning objectives.
Progress may be demonstrated through improved accuracy, understanding, confidence, engagement, independence or the ability to apply a previously taught skill.
We recognise that some meaningful learning takes place through practical activities and verbal communication and may not result in a written piece of work.
In these circumstances, observations and other appropriate evidence can be used to demonstrate achievement.
10. Curriculum Progression
Our curriculum is designed to build knowledge and skills progressively.
Academic learning is planned in relation to individual attainment and appropriate curriculum expectations.
Where relevant, White Rose Maths and National Curriculum progression are used to identify the next steps in learning.
Learners are supported to consolidate existing knowledge before progressing to increasingly challenging objectives.
For example, a learner developing mathematical understanding may progress from recognising quantities and counting objects to using addition, subtraction and practical problem-solving.
Within animal-assisted learning, progression may involve moving from supported observation and identification of an animal’s basic needs towards completing increasingly independent animal-care tasks.
Progression is not always linear, particularly for learners with complex SEND needs. Teaching may revisit earlier skills or adapt objectives to ensure understanding, accessibility and successful participation.
11. SEND, Inclusion and Accessibility
We are committed to providing an inclusive environment in which children and young people feel valued, respected and supported.
Teaching is adapted to individual learning needs, including communication differences, sensory needs, emotional regulation difficulties, anxiety and differences in cognitive development.
Reasonable adjustments may include:
• Reduced task demands or shorter learning activities.
• Alternative communication methods.
• Visual timetables and instructions.
• Additional processing time.
• Movement or sensory breaks.
• Individual adult support.
• Flexible approaches to recording learning.
• Access to quieter learning environments.
Where relevant, EHCP outcomes are incorporated into individual learning targets and activities.
We recognise the importance of working collaboratively with parents, carers, schools, local authorities and other professionals to support consistent and meaningful outcomes.
12. Animal-Assisted and Experiential Learning
Animal-assisted learning is a central part of our educational approach.
The farm environment offers meaningful opportunities for practical learning, communication, emotional development and the application of academic skills.
Activities are selected with clear educational or developmental intentions.
For example:
• Measuring animal feed may reinforce mathematical understanding.
• Reading animal-care instructions may support literacy and comprehension.
• Preparing and completing animal-care tasks may develop sequencing and independence.
• Working cooperatively may develop communication and social skills.
• Learning about habitats and lifecycles may support scientific understanding.
Animal-assisted learning is not considered separate from education but provides an additional way for learners to engage with and apply knowledge and skills.
All activities are subject to appropriate risk assessments, supervision and animal welfare considerations.
13. Communication and Reporting
We recognise the importance of effective communication with families, schools, local authorities and other professionals involved in a learner’s education.
Where appropriate and agreed as part of a placement, information may be shared about:
• Curriculum areas covered.
• Individual educational targets.
• Academic and developmental progress.
• Engagement and participation.
• Areas requiring further support.
• Suggested next steps.
Information is shared in accordance with agreed placement arrangements, safeguarding responsibilities and data protection requirements.
14. Quality Assurance and Curriculum Review
The quality of our educational provision is monitored through professional reflection, assessment information, learner progress and feedback.
This may include:
• Reviewing individual learning folders and completed work.
• Evaluating learners’ progress from their starting points.
• Reviewing the suitability of teaching resources and activities.
• Considering feedback from learners, families and referring professionals.
• Reviewing individual outcomes and educational priorities.
• Reflecting on teaching approaches and identifying improvements.
The curriculum is adapted in response to learner needs, educational developments and changes within the provision.
15. Safeguarding, Health and Safety
All educational activities are delivered in accordance with our safeguarding, health and safety and animal welfare procedures.
Activities involving animals, equipment and the farm environment are appropriately supervised and risk assessed.
Staff consider individual learner needs, including medical conditions, allergies, sensory sensitivities and behavioural risks.
The safety and wellbeing of learners, staff and animals remain central to all teaching and learning activities.
16. Staff Responsibilities
The provision leader is responsible for overseeing curriculum planning, educational quality, individual learning arrangements, assessment and policy review.
Staff supporting learning are expected to understand the purpose of activities, follow relevant individual support strategies and record significant information as appropriate to their role.
Staff must follow the provision’s safeguarding, confidentiality, health and safety and animal welfare procedures.
17. Monitoring and Review
This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner where significant changes occur to the educational provision, applicable guidance or learner needs.
It should be read alongside our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy, Health and Safety Policy, Behaviour Policy, relevant risk assessments and other associated procedures.
Learning Barn on Manor Farm is committed to providing meaningful, inclusive and appropriately challenging educational experiences that recognise each learner’s strengths, needs and individual potential.
Learning Barn on Manor Farm • Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy • Page
