Our Curriculum
The PLLUSSCurriculum®
- 6 curriculum areas, woven through the day
- 52 weeks of learning a year
- 1 timetable, built around each child
Person-centred approach
What is The PLLUSS Curriculum?
PLLUSS® is a person-centred whole approach designed to enable students to learn functional skills and experience a range of activities in settings where they are comfortable and relaxed. If students are calm and relaxed there is a reduction in inappropriate behaviour and greater opportunities for learning.
PLLUSS® allows students to experience a waking day curriculum with learning beginning when they wake up, developing their self -help skills of washing and dressing. They then continue to learn across the six areas throughout the day with continuing opportunities in the evening. The PLLUSS® curriculum is intent on building individual life skills to allow the young person to live as independent as possible and experience a rich quality of life.
A waking day curriculum
Learning that begins the moment a child wakes
PLLUSS® allows students to experience a waking day curriculum – learning begins when they wake, developing the self-help skills of washing and dressing, then continues across the six areas throughout the day, with further opportunities in the evening.
Staff use every activity as a vehicle to extend each child’s learning. The day is shaped around sensory processing needs: timetables are built so regular sensory activities run throughout, keeping each child calm, focused and more ready to learn.
Morning
- Energising
- Calming
- Energising
Break
- Energising
- Calming
- Energising
Lunch
- Energising
- Calming
- Energising
Break
- Energising
- Calming
- Energising
Night
Child-centred learning
We build the timetable around the child.
We are committed to child-centred learning. To create a timetable that meets the needs of the child, we first build an understanding of how that child prefers to learn.
From there, we base the PLLUSS® curriculum for each child around their preferred learning activities and preferred learning styles – the things that genuinely engage them become the route into everything else.
Loddon School activities
Sessions offered continuously within the house timetables.
A bank of activities runs across every house, every week – drawn on flexibly to follow each child’s interests and keep the day varied, sensory-rich and purposeful.
A typical week
One waking day, shaped for sensory rhythm.
Every child’s timetable is personal – this is a sample week showing how learning, therapy and leisure are layered from waking through to evening clubs.
Start of the day activity
9:30am - 10am
Circle time and singing
Circle time and singing
Circle time and singing
Circle time and singing
Circle time and singing
Main morning activities
10am - 12.30pm
Life books session
Construction
Music therapy
Art lessons
Animal care
Swimming
Community trips
Horticulture
Discovery club
Horse riding
PE
Music
Community swim
Art lessons
Phonics
Swimming
Horticulture
Discovery club
Community trips
Swimming lessons
Drama/Music
Art lessons
Active life gym
The Jump Factory
Forest Schools
Horticulture
School assembly
Cycles4all
Cooking
Aromatherapy
Horticulture
Write dance
Horse riding
Art
Music
Swimming
Yoga
Juicing and healthy eating
Horticulture
Art lessons
Animal care
Forest Schools
Swimming
Music therapy
Community trips and
letter posting
Celebration assembly
1:45pm
Sensory Circuit
Sensory Circuit
Sensory Circuit
Sensory Circuit
Sensory Circuit
Afternoon activities
1.30pm - 3.30pm
Drama
Dance
Music therapy
Art lessons
Storytelling
Animal care
Phonics
Forest Schools
Community swim
Horticulture
Work experience
Art lessons
The Jump factory
Discovery club
Adapted Lego therapy
Life books
Horticulture
Tuck shop
Horse riding
Lis'n tell
Swimming
Massage story
Lis'n tell
Work experience
Community trips
Young explorers
Horticulture
Social skills
Drama
Swimming
Aromatherapy
Camp Mohawk
Music
Horticulture
Donkey walking
Community trips
Art tech
Yoga
Drama
Swimming
Drama sessions
Messy sensory
Discovery club
Horticulture
Print making
Community trips
Horse riding
Social skills
Drama
Evening clubs
Art club, Adventure club,
Messy sensory club
Exercise club,
Pub (restaurant) trip
Youth club
Cookery club,
Art club
Cinema club
8pm
Beyond the timetable
How PLLUSS supports the whole young person.
The curriculum reaches well past the daily timetable – into funded support, spiritual and cultural development, relationships education, and preparation for a meaningful adult life.
01. Removing Barriers
Funding matched to each child's individual needs.
We are committed to supporting students who are eligible for and receive Pupil Premium by identifying each of the student’s individual needs and using the Pupil Premium to fund items and activities to meet these needs.
As each student has a personalised learning programme based on their needs, allocated funding is used to help develop their learning skills, especially communication and leisure opportunities, which help to enhance their quality of life and prepare them for adulthood.
The students who receive Pupil Premium funding have been able to benefit from a range of different opportunities: personalised technological equipment, specialist equipment for Duke of Edinburgh Award trips, holidays, and therapeutic programmes such as music therapy and extra physical activities in the community. All students receiving funding show that they have made progress in their annual reviews.
Personalised communication supports
Technology and other Augmentative and Alternative Communication aids chosen for the individual child.
Duke of Edinburgh & holidays
Specialist equipment for award trips, holidays and community experiences.
Therapeutic programmes
Music therapy and extra physical activity in the community.
02. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural
Awe, wonder and a fascination with the world.
We promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development across the waking day curriculum. The school fosters a spirit of learning by making the educational journey one which is fun, enjoyable and full of fascination – about themselves, others, and the world around them.
Students have daily access to the school’s Tranquillity Garden and take part in a number of visits, including places of culture and faith.
The Tranquillity Garden
A calm outdoor space for reflection, available to every child each day.
Places of culture & faith
Regular visits that broaden cultural understanding and experience.
03. Relationships & sex education
Delivered through a whole-school approach.
RSE will be delivered through a whole-school approach. Key messages will be reinforced throughout daily activities by all staff. Pupils will learn from the way staff react in everyday situations and interactions, so key messages are modelled, not just taught. Our RSE focuses on:
- Personal care and hygiene – skills being taught throughout their daily care routines.
- Body changes (puberty).
- Appropriate sexualised behaviour – understanding the need to keep parts of the body covered and tolerance of wearing clothing to maintain dignity, appropriate touch including appropriate greetings, and the need for privacy.
Every adult plays a part
Consistent responses across the team make the learning predictable and safe.
Dignity & privacy
Respect for the body and personal space, woven through the daily routine.
04. Work related learning
Skills for a fulfilled, self-occupied adult life.
Community-based
Out in the community
- Delivering the local community magazine
- Recycling
- Litter picking in the community
School-based
Helping with school work
- Helping others
- Helping in Juice bar, Tuck shop, and the school cafe
- Looking after the animals
- Keeping their bedrooms and living environment clean and tidy
- Doing their own laundry.