Curriculum statement - Intent

The students at Hilltop School are unique and very special individuals with a wide range of needs. Our ambition is that each one of them will ‘Be the best that they can be’.

We aim to achieve this by:

• Putting the needs of our students first;
• Working in partnership with families and professionals;
• Creating opportunities to achieve and enjoy;
•  Having a personalised curriculum;
• Developing our skilled and experienced staff;
• Treating all with care, respect and dignity;
• Being open, clear and honest;
• Developing practical life and social skills for a better future.

The curriculum at Hilltop needs to be bespoke to ensure it meet the needs of our very individual and unique students. It aims to develop students’ engagement, relevant skills and knowledge and prepare them for their future through motivating, interesting and appropriately challenging learning opportunities and experiences.

It is our intention that students will leave Hilltop School:

• with a good sense of well-being
• as independent as possible
• equipped to communicate their needs and feelings
• able to access and manage situations in their community
• with an understanding of the world around them
• knowing how to keep themselves and others safe
• achieving their academic potential

These are the aspects that drive our curriculum provision.

Core Curriculum

At the heart of our educational approach is our Core Curriculum based on the four areas of need outlined in the SEND Code of Practice.  The SEND Code of Practice promotes a holistic approach to supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. 

These four key areas of need guide our planning and provision:

• Cognition and Learning – Developing academic and problem-solving skills tailored to each pupil’s individual needs.

• Communication and Interaction – Building effective communication skills and fostering meaningful interactions.

• Social, Emotional and Mental Health – Prioritising well-being, self-regulation, and resilience.

• Sensory and/or Physical Needs – Ensuring accessibility and providing targeted physical and sensory support.

There is also a strong focus on Preparation for Adulthood and Personal, Social, and Health Education Development (PSHE and RSE).

The personalised outcomes detailed in each pupil’s EHCP form the foundation of their educational journey and are the driving force behind the design and delivery of our curriculum. These outcomes are not just targets—they are aspirations that define success for each individual. Our curriculum adapts to these goals, ensuring that every lesson, activity and intervention contributes towards meeting their specific needs.

This focused, outcome-driven approach ensures that our pupils receive the tailored support they need to thrive both now and in the future. It reflects our commitment to enabling every pupil to achieve their full potential.

Through the carefully constructed curriculum map, long term plans and skills, knowledge and understanding matrices, staff are able to plan learning opportunities and provide experiences that ensure students make good progress from their individual starting points. Every student’s learning journey will be unique to them and will consist of the provision and opportunities require to meet their EHCP outcomes and our wider school outcomes.

The curriculum also incorporates the requirements of the EYFS framework and the National Curriculum.

Our curriculum design ensures that students are able to develop skills, knowledge and understanding in:

Communication and interaction

Cognition and learning

Social, emotional mental health

Sensory and physical development

Preparing for Adulthood

PSHE

Functional maths and English

Understanding of the World (Science, history, geography, RE, ICT)

Expressive Arts and Design (Art & Design, Music, Drama, dance)

Curriculum Implementation 

The details of our EYFS curriculum provision can be found here. 

The curriculum for students in classes in KS1-KS4 at Hilltop comprises of the core curriculum (which is accessed by all students in these classes) supplemented by a bespoke curriculum (which is unique to every student). The bespoke curriculum comprises of therapeutic provision, Preparing for Adulthood provision, engagement provision, academic provision and restabilisation provision. The curriculum provision for each student will be based on their identified needs and will change according to their emerging needs.

The details of our Post 16 curriculum provision can be found here: 

The curriculum overview map and long-term plans can be found below.