Kersland School - a night at the Oscars

This case study focuses on the steps taken by staff in Kersland School to develop planning approaches which ensure young people’s learning experiences meet the recommendations of Curriculum for Excellence. Staff encounter many and diverse challenges in planning and delivering a curriculum which meets the needs of their young people, who have a wide range of abilities and significant support needs.

Staff worked in teams which included teachers, classroom assistants, and instructors; collaborative planning and working together is the norm. Learning and teaching approaches which are interdisciplinary, learner-centred and active in nature benefit children who, whilst having many severe and complex learning difficulties, are extremely enthusiastic and can achieve a great deal.

There was a recognised need for staff development, especially for the less experienced members of staff, before the school embarked upon this ambitious project. In-service days, working group sessions and attendance at courses featuring interdisciplinary approaches, along with visits to other establishments, were all used to reassure staff and give them the confidence to proceed.

Staff were encouraged to work across a range of curriculum areas, but these were limited in number to ensure that the interdisciplinary planning supported the learning intentions, was relevant and coherent, and provided opportunities for challenge and progression. Each team, which included a range of staff and pupils, chose their main curricular focus and selected specified learning outcomes which were appropriate to the young people’s needs and stage of development. The overarching intention was to provide stimulating contexts for learning which would be appropriate for children within the school from 5 to 18.