Our Curriculum

Crosby High School Mission Statement:

Celebrating diversity and achievement to secure a bright future.

Crosby High School Values:

Responsibility - Respect - Empathy - Trust - Kindness

Curriculum Intent

At Crosby High School, we provide an ambitious and personalised curriculum which enables pupils to develop socially, morally, and academically, ensuring they are well-prepared for post-16 education, employment, and adulthood.

We aim to offer individualised pathways that equip pupils with the skills, knowledge, and independence they need to succeed. Each pupil’s curriculum is carefully tailored to reflect their strengths, learning needs, and future aspirations, supporting them to achieve their full potential.

Curriculum Rationale

Our curriculum is designed to be broad, balanced, challenging and engaging, thus inspiring students to learn. We have high expectations of our students and we want them to enjoy and engage in their learning. As a school, we are committed to improving the life chances for all our students, with our curriculum offering them the opportunity to develop socially, morally and academically while developing their employability and life skills.

At Crosby High School, students have a personalised pathway through school. This personalised pathway is achieved through each student having personalised subject and wider development targets, often linked to their EHCP, and through our qualification offer. It is solidified through High Quality Teaching which ensures that teaching is inclusive while being scaffolded for students to meet their individual needs. Our curriculum offer is also personalised by considering pupils’ development needs in the wider curriculum offer and in the decision as to whether to follow more of a formal or developmental curriculum in how each pupil is taught and personalised targets set in each subject area.

Every pupil at Crosby High School follows a curriculum offer that is balanced across three key elements:

Formal Curriculum – Structured academic learning in subject-based lessons, often leading to external accreditation.
Developmental Curriculum – Supporting wider developmental needs such as communication, social interaction, self-regulation, and independence.
Additional Curriculum – Specialist interventions, therapies, and personalised support based on individual needs.

Each pupil’s curriculum mix is determined by:

EHCP Outcomes – Ensuring learning aligns with agreed targets.
Annual Review Targets – Adjusting the balance of Formal, Developmental, and Additional Curriculum based on progress.
Assessment Data – Using baseline and ongoing assessments to track development.
Extended Support Plan Targets – Ensuring holistic development in both academic and personal areas.

All students enjoy equality of opportunity, regardless of sex, race, faith, identity or ability. Our aim is to provide an education which prepares our students for post-16 education, the world of work, and to become a positive member of society in the future.

We offer a range of subjects which reflect the demands of the National Curriculum and place a great emphasis on transference of skills across school. Each subject also plays a role in our wider curriculum offer, preparing students for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences which they will encounter after their time with us.

Students’ progress is assessed regularly through personalised targets, ensuring that each pupil is supported to make strong academic and personal development. Regular feedback from staff helps pupils understand how to improve and make progress towards their goals.

Individualised Curriculum Model

At Crosby High School, every pupil follows a personalised curriculum, carefully tailored to their individual strengths, needs, and aspirations.
The curriculum is structured across three key elements:

Formal Curriculum:

Structured academic learning delivered through subject-based lessons, often leading to external accreditation.

Includes:

Access to a broad range of National Curriculum subjects.
Focus on knowledge acquisition, problem-solving, literacy, numeracy, and communication.
Pathways to recognised qualifications such as Functional Skills and Open Awards courses.

Adaptations made to ensure accessibility for all pupils.

Developmental Curriculum:

Supports pupils’ wider developmental needs to promote independence, communication, and personal growth.

Focus areas include:

Communication and social interaction.
Emotional regulation and resilience.
Self-regulation and sensory integration.
Development of life skills and social independence.
Personal Development sessions focusing on social skills, emotional wellbeing, and preparation for adulthood.

Additional Curriculum:

Provides specialist support, interventions, and enrichment activities tailored to individual pupil needs.

Provision includes:

Extended Support Plans targeting academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs.
Specialist interventions such as the Thrive Programme, counselling, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and anxiety support.
Access to wellbeing hubs and pastoral mentoring (e.g., the Thrive Hive).
Engagement with external support agencies where needed, including CAMHS, Social Care, Play Therapy, Art Therapy, and services for pupils with sensory impairments (e.g., Visual Impairment and Hearing Impairment specialist teachers).
Opportunities for work experience, external college placements, and life skills development programmes.
Enrichment through lunchtime clubs, school sports teams, creative arts, and a wide range of extracurricular activities.

How The Curriculum Is Personalised:

Each pupil’s curriculum mix is determined by:

EHCP Outcomes — aligning learning with agreed long-term targets.
Annual Review Targets — ensuring the curriculum responds to progress made each year.
Assessment Data — using baseline and ongoing assessments to refine curriculum priorities.
Extended Support Plan Targets — providing holistic support for academic and personal development.

The balance between the Formal, Developmental, and Additional Curriculum elements is fluid and responsive, ensuring that every pupil receives a dynamic, supportive, and aspirational learning experience throughout their journey at Crosby High School.

Curriculum Organisation

At Crosby High School, pupils follow a personalised curriculum structure designed to meet their individual needs. Curriculum delivery is carefully organised to ensure that all pupils access a balanced blend of Formal, Developmental, and Additional Curriculum elements, supporting their academic progress, personal development, and preparation for adulthood.

Pupils may follow different models of provision depending on what best supports their learning:

In our Secondary Model Classes, pupils move between subject-specific classrooms and teachers, accessing a structured timetable of academic learning.
In our Base Classes, pupils spend more time in a consistent classroom setting with one or two main teachers, enabling a strong focus on developmental learning alongside academic study.
In some cases, a blended approach may be used where it is identified that a pupil’s individual needs would be best met by combining elements of both models. A blended offer is considered carefully based on assessed need and is not routinely provided to all pupils.

This flexible curriculum organisation ensures that every pupil receives a dynamic, responsive, and supportive learning experience throughout their time at Crosby High School.

Further details about curriculum organisation, subject allocations, pathways, and lesson structures can be found in our Curriculum Justification Document.

Curriculum Implementation

At Crosby High School, the curriculum is designed to be structured yet flexible, ensuring that pupils receive the right balance of Formal, Developmental, and Additional Curriculum. The way the curriculum is delivered varies across Secondary Model and Base Classes, with adaptations made to reflect individual needs. The curriculum covers all National Curriculum subjects, with modifications to support accessibility and engagement. Pupils have opportunities to work towards accreditations and qualifications, including Functional Skills and Open Awards, where appropriate. Further details on curriculum structure, subject allocations, and accreditation pathways can be found in the Curriculum Justification Document.

Wider Curriculum

The Wider Curriculum extends beyond academic learning, supporting pupils’ personal, social, and emotional development. All pupils benefit from this offer, which is embedded into each subject’s curriculum, delivered through Personal Development sessions, and enriched by assemblies, school trips, events, clubs, and initiatives such as the Prefect system, Reading Ambassadors, and opportunities to represent the school. These experiences and the knowledge they provide further enhance pupils' personal development.

The eight areas of the Wider Curriculum focus on providing enriching experiences and powerful knowledge to support pupils’ personal development and preparation for life beyond Crosby High School.

✨ SMSC (Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural Development)

SMSC is the overarching framework that supports pupils' personal development across the entire curriculum. Every subject identifies opportunities to promote pupils’ SMSC development, and all school assemblies are linked to at least one of the four SMSC areas. Pupils also develop in this area through school events, visits, and additional activities.

🏛️ British Values

Crosby High School promotes British Values throughout the curriculum to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. The five British Values are:

Democracy
The Rule of Law
Individual Liberty
Mutual Respect
Tolerance of Those with Different Faiths and Beliefs

Every subject embeds British Values within its curriculum. All school assemblies link to at least one British Value, and pupils further develop their understanding through school events, visits, and additional activities.

🧭 Careers & Employability

In line with the government's careers strategy, Crosby High School ensures that all pupils receive a structured programme of careers education, advice, and guidance. The curriculum is designed around the Gatsby Benchmarks to ensure high-quality, progressive careers education.

The school has a designated careers teacher who:

Delivers careers lessons in Key Stage 4,
Runs weekly careers drop-in sessions,
Supports pupils with careers-related activities.

Careers education is also incorporated into Personal Development sessions, and all subject areas consider careers and employability skills within their curriculum.

An example of this is work experience, which is an important part of the curriculum. Crosby High School aims for all Year 11 pupils to complete a work experience placement, giving them valuable opportunities to:

Apply skills learned in the classroom in a real-life work environment,
Develop personal and social skills in a workplace setting,
Broaden their awareness of career pathways and employability skills,
Gain confidence in transitioning from school to further education, training, or employment.

Skills for Further Learning and Development lessons further support pupils in this area in Key Stage 4.

🧠 Social & Emotional Development

Personal, social, and emotional development underpins the entire curriculum. Staff actively promote positive mental health and wellbeing for all pupils.

Each class has Form Time at the start of the day and for twenty minutes after lunch. The post-lunch session, known as ERIC (Everyone Reads In Class), provides an opportunity for reading and targeted reading interventions. It also allows Form Tutors to address friendship issues, support sensory regulation, and help pupils settle for afternoon learning.

Pupils are also supported through the Thrive Hive, which functions as a wellbeing hub, providing access to pastoral, emotional, therapeutic, and academic support. The Thrive Hive is a safe and supportive space where pupils can receive both proactive and reactive interventions delivered by experienced mentors, including the Family Support Worker and Intervention Officer. Additional support is provided by the school counsellor, and the Thrive Hive team also includes trained mental health leads.

Crosby High School also delivers the Thrive Approach, supporting pupils' social and emotional development. Staff have received Thrive training, and licensed Thrive practitioners deliver targeted interventions. Form Tutors complete a whole-class Thrive analysis, which informs Personal Development sessions on Friday afternoons.

Pupils’ social and emotional development is further enhanced through special events, trips, activities, and initiatives such as the Prefect system, Reading Ambassadors, and opportunities to represent the school.

🛠️ Functional & Life Skills

Functional skills are academic skills that pupils need for daily life and future employment. Pupils at Crosby High School have the opportunity to work towards Functional Skills qualifications in English, maths, and ICT.

Each subject considers how it supports pupils' development in Functional Skills and broader life skills. Life skills equip pupils with knowledge and confidence for independent living, social interaction, and workplace engagement. Some pupils require targeted support in areas such as personal care, independent living, and travel training.

Skills for Further Learning and Development lessons in Key Stage 4 specifically focus on developing pupils’ Functional and Life Skills.

🌳 Learning Outside the Classroom

Learning Outside the Classroom is an integral part of the curriculum, providing pupils with opportunities to apply their learning in real-world contexts.

Opportunities include:

Sporting participation and healthy lifestyles,
Forest School and Outdoor Learning,
The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

Through these experiences, pupils develop life skills that prepare them for adulthood, promote mental health and wellbeing, build resilience, self-esteem, and confidence, and develop an understanding of the natural environment.

All subjects incorporate opportunities for Learning Outside the Classroom where appropriate.

💬 Building Self-Esteem, Self-Worth & Confidence

All subjects contribute to pupils’ self-esteem, self-worth, and confidence through both curriculum content and teaching approaches.

Pupils’ development is also supported through:

School clubs,
Opportunities to represent the school in arts and sports,
The Prefect system,
The Reading Ambassadors initiative.

🌍 Cultural Capital

Cultural capital refers to the knowledge, experiences, and skills that help pupils engage with the wider world and future opportunities.

All curriculum subjects contribute to pupils’ cultural capital through:

The knowledge they teach,
The qualifications pupils can achieve,
Developing pupils’ vocabulary through subject-specific language.

The Cultural Capital offer is further enhanced through:

Assemblies,
Trips and visits,
School events,
Partnerships with external organisations.

Accreditation & Post-16 Preparation

Crosby High School provides pupils with opportunities to gain external accreditation and develop the skills needed for life beyond school. The accreditation pathways ensure that pupils can achieve qualifications that are meaningful, accessible, and relevant to their future aspirations.

All pupils receive support in preparing for further education, training, or employment through personalised careers education and work experience. Where appropriate, some pupils may also access external placements to support their transition beyond school.

Further details on accreditation pathways and post-16 transition planning can be found in our Curriculum Justification Document.

Conclusion

The curriculum at Crosby High School is individualised, flexible, and responsive to the needs of each pupil. Through our Formal, Developmental, and Additional Curriculum, we ensure that every pupil receives the right balance of academic learning, personal development, and specialist support.

By embedding high-quality teaching, targeted interventions, and enriching experiences, we equip pupils with the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need for their next steps—whether in further education, training, employment, or independent living.

Crosby High School remains committed to continuously reviewing and adapting the curriculum to meet the changing needs of our pupils and to prepare them for successful and fulfilling futures.

Find Out More

For further details about our curriculum structure, organisation, and pathways, please see:

If you would like a printed copy of any document or would like to discuss our curriculum offer in more detail, please contact the school office.