The Tributary Pathway (pre-formal Curriculum) enables learners to interact and access the world around them through exploration and observation; developing their curiosity through play. Learners may encounter a ranger of sensory stimuli and experiences through a planned curriculum, developing their place within the world. A golden thread throughout the Tributary Pathway is for adult to support pupils to explore the world with as much reduced dependence as possible, enabling opportunities  for  cognitive  development,  mobility and communication.

On the Tributary pathway, pupils will participate and engage in active learning opportunities that are designed to enable progress throughout the whole curriculum, through sensory and immersive learning. All pupils will have the opportunity to:

• Develop their water skills, through specialist swimming sessions, water confidence and hydrotherapy.
• Develop basic life skills to enable independence, such as hand washing, independent toileting or safe hygiene when eating.
• They will have opportunities to develop a love of stories, activities that enable learning through sensory stimuli, and sessions that foster communication to help build on a child’s own learning journey towards independence where possible.

On the Tributary pathway, Life Skills and Communication will focus on the overall emotional health and wellbeing of each pupil. This will include communicating basic needs, wishes, feelings and emotions. We expect pupils to identify likes and dislikes which will may well expose raw responses, reactions and emotions which are not always positive or problem solving. We will work with these to extend windows of tolerance enabling increased resilience and social interaction.

Communication is a huge part of pupil’s progress for pupils on the Tributary pathway. It is important we find out how pupils communicate so we can use every opportunity to develop this to enable communication for them. Opportunities for this would include:

• Tools such as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). AAC helps someone to communicate as effectively as possible, in as many situations as possible.
• Picture Exchange Communication System (PECs} will also be encouraged, as well as a signing system such as Makaton.
• Objects of Reference are also employed, as an anchor for recognising cues and prompts (i.e. a nappy for the toilet etc)
• BSL to support expression and understanding

Through our thematic curriculum (click here to view), pupils will be immersed in a holistic and continuous provision that enables learners to make meaningful connections with the world around them through real life experiences.

Communication, pupil voice, PSHE and life skills such as independence, problem solving and curiosity, alongside their personalised learning goals, will be interwoven throughout a carefully adapted curriculum to ensure skills are developed to prepare pupils as much as possible for an independent life.

Learners within the Tributary curriculum require higher levels of adult support for their learning needs, being provided with curriculum opportunities that require their learning opportunities to be broken down into small steps. The Tributary curriculum builds in time for learners to repeat, practise and generalise skills, underpinned by personalisation and consistency. It is fundamental that the curriculum develops learners engagement by providing personalised learning opportunities that uses student motivations and interests as a vehicle for high quality teaching and learning.