Overview

Our Yellow Pathway is aimed at pupils with moderate learning difficulties. It is an adapted version of the national curriculum.​ The aim of this Pathway is to develop knowledge, skills, a love of learning and preparedness for life after school. We achieve this through a broad range of subjects and qualifications. Progress on this Pathway is assessed against Yellow Pathway curriculum targets and EHCP outcomes using Evidence for Learning.

Who is on the Yellow Pathway?

The Yellow Pathway runs between years 7-11. Yellow Pathway students move on further education or training at a local college in year 12. Yellow Pathway learners access subject specific teaching with appropriate adaptations. Subjects are taught at a greater depth. Pupils working within this Pathway commonly present with the following areas of need:

  • can communicate and interact reciprocally but often lacking depth/clarity/understanding

  • may struggle with physical and/or emotional well being

  • are several years behind age related expectations in cognition and learning

  • may be several years behind mainstream peers in terms of independence and social confidence/awareness

  • may find it difficult to understand complex concepts

The curriculum is designed to be broad, relevant and as engaging as possible. The topics we deliver are carefully decided upon collaboratively by Yellow Pathway teachers and leaders. The Yellow Pathway is designed to allow for over-learning without unintentional repetition. It is planned so that Green Pathway content prepares younger learners for KS3 Yellow Pathway content, which then flows into the Yellow Pathway in KS4.

KS3 Yellow Pathway

The KS3 curriculum is very similar to a mainstream secondary curriculum. See our current annual plan below.

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Lessons are delivered in subject sessions but are usually interlinked and cross-curricular. 

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Upper School Yellow Pathway

In the Upper School, there is a focus on building foundations for transition to Further Education. We also focus on life-skills and independence. There is a strong emphasis on creating a pathway into future careers. 

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In addition to more typical subjects such as maths, science, English, history and more (see the annual plan above), we broaden our curriculum with the following:

Duchess of Ely​

All pupils participate in an outdoor learning session each week. This covers three sections and can be undertaken at three different levels allowing for progression. ​

The three different sections are:​

• Being an Explorer​

• Developing me​

• Community Project​

When pupils reach the Upper school they will also be given the opportunity to participate in an expedition. ​An example of the community project is preparing, marketing and delivering staff lunches. 

Christmas and Easter Fayre​s

Students work with staff to create and market their own products which they sell to the public at these events. This creates opportunities for development of skills in maths, communication, personal confidence and English. 

Vocational​ Options

Pupils have the choice of one of three vocational areas. These are Podcasting, Foodwise and Animal Care. Pupils usually spend the whole of a morning every week, studying these through a mixture of practical and theory work.​

Muddyboots Farm​

Muddy Boots Farm is run by students with support from staff. We welcome visitors from local schools and the community. The farm offers massive opportunities for curriculum content including maths, English, well-being, communication and PSHE.

Careers and Work Experience​

Our Yellow Pathway allows pupils to gain a valuable understanding of the world of work. It aims to help them overcome any barriers they may face when trying to enter the workplace. We measure the impact of our careers curriculum in a number of ways, from assessing pupils' understanding of theory work to how well they perform in work experience placements. ​

Where possible we track our pupils' destinations post-Highfield to establish how many have entered the workplace. We support our teaching with ‘Talentino’.

KS4OS​ (the Key Stage 4 Online Store)

During their time in KS4, pupils take part in a Mini Enterprise programme by participating in all aspects of running an online store. They develop skills around teamwork, literacy, maths, creativity, life-skills, ICT and much more.

Qualifications

Over two years in KS4, learners will complete:

ASDAN Life Skills Challenges in English E1-L1

ASDAN Life Skills Challenges in Maths E1-L1

It is also possible for pupils to sit Functional Skills Levels 1 and 2 in English and Maths where appropriate.

Impact

We know from feedback from students, parents/carers, further education providers and employers that our Yellow Pathway has the following impacts:

  • learners are more confident, often having worked through anxieties around self-perceived failures in learning and gaining qualifications
  • students are able to access the world around them because they have developed the knowledge and skills to do so. This could be linked to reading, speaking and listening, improvements in their ability to self-regulate behaviour, being able to tell the time, travel independently and much more
  • our young people are regular attenders - whether at an FE college or in a place of work
  • pupils are willing and more likely to try new experiences as they have had so many opportunities to do so during their time in school

Moving on from the Yellow Pathway

Learners in the Yellow Pathway usually stay on roll until the end of Year 11. Discussions on moving on begin from the year 9 annual review and are complemented with other guidance including careers interviews and Moving On events. Our Careers strategy has more detail.

Nearly all Yellow Pathway learners will transition to a local further education provider to study specialist college courses at an appropriate level.. The programmes of study at college include Maths and English alongside a range of vocational options that they can in turn take into employment. A small minority leave Highfield and gain training or employment without accessing college first.

If you would like any further information about the Yellow Pathway, please contact the Headteacher (Adam Daw) at adaw@highfield.cambs.sch.uk