Curriculum

The ARC at Mill Lodge Primary School uses and follows the EQUALS curriculum.

The EQUALS Curriculum aims to provide a more personalised and inclusive approach to education for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It focuses on developing essential life skills, communication, and independent, rather than strictly following traditional academic subjects. The curriculum is designed to address the whole person, including their physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development. It often integrates activities like sensory experiences, physical education, and creative arts to support this holistic growth. (information taken from: EQUALS website).

Below you will find the AET (Autism Education Trust) 8 principles of good Autism practice, which we have adapted to meet the specific needs of our children.

Core Word Programme

80% of all spoken language is known by Speech Therapists and professionals as ‘core words’. These core words are consistently used in communication books and all AAC (Alternative Augmentative Communication – this is an umbrella term to cover all symbolic and pictorial communications). It is important that our children have a good grasp of these words, in order to make sentences, follow instruction, make requests, and use AAC.

These are the core words that we are focusing on throughout the year. We complete a minimum of 2 weeks per word.

If you are interested in learning more about this platform that we use, please visit Sensory Classroom.

For more information regarding our curriculum at the ARC, please click the links below for our curriculum framework and an example of our medium term plans: