Our Curriculum
Benton Dene School – Our Curriculum Approach
At Benton Dene School, every child is valued, challenged, supported and successful. We recognise that every child learns, communicates and experiences the world in their own unique way. Our curriculum is built on the belief that pupils thrive when teaching is personalised, flexible and rooted in a deep understanding of their individual strengths, needs and interests. We use a range of evidence‑informed approaches to support our learners, ensuring that each child can access learning in the way that suits them best.
To achieve this, we provide an aspirational, flexible and personalised curriculum that supports a wide range of needs. Our curriculum is organised into two pathways — Subject‑Based Progression and Integrated Learning. Each pathway provides the right level of structure, support and challenge, helping pupils develop communication, social and academic skills at a pace that is right for them. Pupils may move between pathways when appropriate, or remain within one pathway throughout their time with us.
Across both pathways, our aim is simple: to help every child thrive, feel understood, be valued and experience success, with clear opportunities to progress and grow in ways that prepare them for the next stage of learning and life.
Integrated Learning Pathway
The Integrated Learning Pathway is designed for pupils whose learning is best supported through a developmental approach that prioritises communication, interaction, sensory processing and self-regulation. Learning is carefully structured to build the foundations that enable pupils to engage, participate and make meaningful progress.
These pupils learn best through a calm, structured and highly supportive approach, where learning is broken into small, carefully planned steps that help them make connections, build confidence and experience success.
Learning is organised across five developmental levels, ensuring pupils move through a clear sequence that strengthens communication, regulation, independence and early thinking skills before widening into broader academic and real‑world learning.
We aim to:
- Provide a developmentally appropriate curriculum that follows the ambition of the National Curriculum but is adapted to each child’s starting point and learning needs.
- Build strong foundations in communication, functional movement, making connections, self and emotions, and sensory development so pupils feel safe, understood and ready to engage in learning.
- Teach Understanding My World through immersive, sensory‑rich units that draw on Science, PSHE, RE, Geography, History, and Computing, with the Arts woven throughout. These units align with our Subject-Based Progression Pathway, enabling pupils to access more subject-specific learning when appropriate and ensuring there is no ceiling on progress.
- Embed EHCP outcomes and IEP targets into everyday learning so progress is meaningful, personalised and purposeful.
- Ensure access to phonics, English and Maths at the level that matches each child’s stage of development.
This pathway offers a coherent, nurturing curriculum that builds essential foundations, supports wellbeing and helps pupils feel a strong sense of belonging and achievement. Our goal is to help every child communicate in their preferred way, develop the skills they need, and move confidently into the next stage of their learning.
Subject-Based Progression Pathway
This pathway supports pupils who are ready to engage in subject-specific learning while continuing to develop their communication and interaction skills. Pupils follow a broad, balanced and accessible curriculum adapted from the National Curriculum, with learning organised through discrete subjects and carefully sequenced to develop knowledge, vocabulary, understanding and independence over time.
We aim to:
- Develop secure communication, literacy and mathematical skills alongside subject-specific knowledge, vocabulary and understanding.
- Provide engaging, hands‑on learning that encourages curiosity and participation.
- Use autism‑friendly, sensory‑aware approaches so pupils feel calm, regulated and ready to learn.
- Promote independence and confidence in every lesson.
- Provide meaningful access to the full breadth of the curriculum through engaging learning and first-hand experiences.
- Embed EHCP and IEP targets throughout the school day.
Pupils are taught phonics, English and mathematics at the stage that best matches their development, ensuring secure progress over time.
Overall, this pathway offers a rich, supportive curriculum that helps pupils grow in skills, knowledge, communication and independence, preparing them for future learning and life beyond school.
While the curriculum is delivered differently within each pathway, both provide an ambitious and personalised education that enables pupils to thrive. Each pathway combines high-quality teaching with support for communication, social development, emotional wellbeing and independence, ensuring that every child is equipped to make meaningful progress from their individual starting point.
The links below explain each Pathway in more detail, including the intent behind the curriculum, how it is implemented in day‑to‑day teaching, and how we assess and evaluate its impact on pupils’ progress and development.
Subject Based Progression Pathway
For more information about what your class is learning this term. Click here
If you would like to find out more about an area of the curriculum please email the school office who will put you in contact with one of our curriculum leads.
