Art
Art is studied in every Key stage throughout the Academy. Our pupils explore colour, shape, form, line, 3D modelling and clay work. Experiencing these skills enable our pupils to express themselves through art and develop an imaginative and personal response to art activities.
As our pupils enter KS4 there are many opportunities to gain an accreditation in painting and drawing, print making, ceramics, textiles, they learn to display and celebrate their artwork. For some of our pupils art is experienced in a sensory and experiential way.
Foxwood is an associate school of the Royal Shakespeare Company, our involvement involves performance and art making. We run an after school club and have visiting artists to add to our curriculum.
Computing and E-Safety
At Foxwood, a wide range of technologies are used throughout the Academy and play an invaluable part in the education of all students. The majority of classrooms have a Smartboard that allow all pupils to access lessons via resources shown on an interactive computer screen.
Computing, and E-Safety as a separate subject, is taught to all our pupils (with the exception of e-safety for Primary Pathway 1). They have access to our fully equipped ICT suite, laptops and iPads.
Pupils study computational thinking – how to access and use technology appropriate to their ability as well as coding and programming – how to control devices and characters with animation techniques. In e-safety they are taught about the risks that technology and online communication may present in a world where technology plays an increasing part in more and more of their daily activities.
Creative (Music & Drama)
At Foxwood Academy, we recognise that creativity provides opportunity for our students to nurture individual interests and to further develop communication and interaction outcomes across the curriculum. All pupils have access to weekly creative sessions which are designed as a mixture of both music and drama units of work.
All pupils explore the expressive elements of sound and music using voice, percussion and electronic instruments. They also have the opportunity to listen to a wide variety of music and organised sounds in order to develop various skills. These may range from simple sound recognition to following rhythms and describing moods and feelings suggested by different pieces of music. We also work with outside professionals to deliver high quality 1:1 music tuition for pupils who would like to develop their singing, guitar or keyboard skills.
All pupils have the opportunity to take part in drama lessons where they are encouraged to explore and develop their non-verbal communication skills such as facial expressions and body language, as well as developing their performance skills in front of their peers and small groups. This further supports the development of communication and interaction skills which helps to meet EHCP outcomes. Our pupils are given regular opportunities to perform in front or their peers and the wider-school community during the academic year.
Throughout the year, we use every opportunity to experience the Arts either inside school or through visiting local Arts events. Last year, our pupils experienced the following activities: visit from Nottingham Playhouse and performance in school, visit to local theatres, visit to the cinema, regular story telling workshops, carol performance in Nottingham City, Primary Christmas performance, light art installation in the sensory studio and art competitions. Foxwood Academy were also part of a project with the Royal Shakespeare Company and performed at the Theatre Royal with other schools in the area.
Physical Education (PE)
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.” (Nelson Mandela)
Our Physical Education curriculum offers all of our pupils the opportunity to acquire the fundamental skills necessary to be able to play, lead active and healthy lifestyles and progress into sport outside of the Academy. Our curriculum focuses on four key areas to help develop student’s progression and development in Physical Education. These four areas are; Wellbeing, Enjoyment, Life Skills and Lifelong participation in Sports.
Wellbeing – Pupils develop their knowledge of how physical activity keeps their body strong, helps maintain good health and improve focus, school performance and energy levels.
Enjoyment – Pupils experience challenge and enjoyment through working successfully in teams’ sports or individual achievements.
Life skills – Teaching life skills through Physical Education that includes respect of self and others, team building skills and critical and creative thinking. This allows for a more inclusive and respectful learning environment and helps engage our Pupils in the learning process.
Lifelong participation – Pupils have more independence in their learning and access Physical Activity both in (Extra-Curricular Activities) and outside of school (Sports Clubs).
Personal & Social Development (PSD)
PSD is fundamental in all teaching at Foxwood Academy. PSD is taught explicitly in single-subject sessions but also interwoven throughout our Preparing for Adulthood curriculum. We pride ourselves on valuing each young person as an individual and providing opportunities for pupils to develop an awareness of themselves and their qualities as individuals. Through this celebration of individuality and high emphasis on promoting the worth of all, we aim to build relationships that prompt mutual respect and understanding. There is an emphasis on personal, social and emotional development and a recognition that is it our duty to equip children, to the best of our ability with the skills and attributes that will see them be able to integrate as a well-rounded member of society, also ensuring that they have the skills to keep themselves safe and reduce vulnerability when accessing the community.
Foxwood Academy upholds its statutory requirement to include Religious Education as a strand within our PSD curriculum. The teaching of mutual respect, acceptance and tolerance is the baseline for a fair community where each person’s right to ‘be themselves’ is to be accepted by all. The Academy does not accept intolerant attitudes where people are rejected or discriminated against on the basis of race, faith, gender, sexual orientation or age. We believe that through the core strand of RE within our PSD curriculum students are encouraged to be increasingly respectful and to celebrate diversity. Parents and carers have the right to withdraw their child from all or part of RE. Please contact the Headteacher if you wish to talk about this in more detail.
Foxwood Academy also promotes a strong belief in the importance of Fundamental British Values. The curriculum is devised to allow students to investigate tolerance, mutual respect, the democratic process, individual liberty and the rule of law. They are encouraged to share their opinions; challenge ideas and enter into discussions to explore these values in a variety of different contexts.
Integral to our teaching of PSD is our teaching of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) At Foxwood Academy we believe that RSE should not only be taught as an isolated subject but as a natural part of children learning about themselves and their relationships with each other. There is a proactive approach taken to the teaching of RSE throughout the academy. This means topics are often revisited and built upon several times throughout the year; there are weekly discussion sessions held during tutor times as a chance for children to raise any questions or concerns; explicit time within the weekly timetable where RSE is taught through our PSD curriculum and half-termly men and women groups where there is a morning focus around different areas such as sexual harassment. RSE is taught in an age-appropriate and respectful way throughout the academy recognising that this is a natural part of growing up and developing into an adult. Within some classes, where appropriate, students may have standalone personal care sessions each morning and afternoon in which concepts surrounding health, body parts, hygiene, and consent are also reinforced.
We believe that all of the above is integral to our school and the development of our young people to ensure that they are readily equipped to be as independent, safe and happy as possible not only during their time at Foxwood but for the rest of their adult lives.
Science
In Science we aim to develop curiosity so that children can explore and understand the world and their surroundings. Pupils also have the opportunity to experience a range of concrete practical experiences including taking part in investigations and experiments in the science lab. This enables them to experience the awe and wonder of science and inspires them to develop their interest in science.
Throughout their time at Foxwood pupils are encouraged to work independently and co-operatively to share ideas, formulate hypotheses and modify their thoughts in the light of experience. In KS4/5 pupils work towards an AQA entry level qualification in science and some go on to do AQA chemistry GCSE.
Speaking & Listening (Communication)
At Foxwood Academy we strive to empower all pupils to communicate in a way that is accessible to them. We build in regular opportunities across the curriculum to ensure all pupils are given time to develop this important skillset. All children and young people work towards a set of bespoke speaking and listening (communication) Key Stage End Points (KSEPs) in primary, key stage 3 and 14-19 that encourage the use of communication in a range of ways. These KSEPs include early communicative strategies such as making eye contact and facial expressions through to public speaking and presentations.
For our pupils that use verbal communication as their main form of communication, there are many opportunities for them to build their confidence and skills in communicating with different audiences. There are opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills in a variety of ways, these can include but are not limited to:
- Assemblies.
- Performances.
- Presentations.
- Class-based discussions.
- Debates.
For children and young people who are developing their use of verbal communication, we use a range of tools and visuals to aid them in communicating with adults and their peers. They are encouraged to use these throughout the day to communicate their wants and needs. These tools are developed for the specific needs of each student but may include:
- Objects of reference.
- Photographs and symbols.
- Aided language boards.
- Makaton signing.
- Timetables.
- PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System).
- Electronic devices e.g. iPads.
All pupils also access drama as part of our creative curriculum. This helps them to build their skills in performance and understanding of audiences, which further builds their confidence in communicating with a variety of different people. Our pupils learn to project their voice, understand body language, and interpret facial expressions through drama. They are also able to access trips to places such as theatres and art galleries where communicating is done in a range of ways.
As a staff team we work closely with speech and language therapists to deliver bespoke speech and language programmes that are developed for the needs of specific learners. Many of our pupils also have sessions with therapists in school to develop their communication skills.
Intensive Interaction
Intensive Interaction is an approach known to benefit individuals of all ages who experience significant social and communicative impairment such as those with a diagnosis of autism, severe and complex learning difficulties and multi-sensory impairments. The Academy therefore recognises the potential offered by the approach for some of our learners and this is exemplified by the specific reference made to it in some of our bespoke Key Stage End Points (KSEPs).
Intensive Interaction promotes the development of the Fundamentals of Communication. These include:
- Enjoying being with another person.
- Developing the ability to attend to another person.
- Concentration and attention span.
- Sharing personal space.
- Taking turns of exchanges in behaviour.
- Using and understanding eye contact.
- Using and understanding facial expression and physical contacts.
- Vocalising and using vocalisations with meaning.
- Learning to regulate and control arousal
The Academy also believes the approach develops key emotional learning too such as feeling safe and calm, bonding with another person and developing trust. Staff within the Academy employ recognised techniques of Intensive Interaction and strive to be as responsive to the emergent communicator as possible.
Pupil progress is documented through written records and regular video recordings of sessions which are shared with parents and carers at key points throughout the academic year.