Accessing the Curriculum

Laycock has an auditory oral approach which means we teach primarily through speaking and listening. We have Speech and Language therapists who work in school providing 1:1 sessions, whole group sessions, advice and language assessments for each deaf child. Teachers and speech therapists work together to allow children to access the curriculum. We have small class sizes, with a high adult to child ratio. This ensures that lessons are tailored to meet individual needs and that every child receives appropriate levels of support and challenge. All of these measures ensure children can access the curriculum.

We teach a ‘big question’ curriculum that covers the national curriculum subjects in a relevant and engaging way. Recent topics include ‘where does our food come from?’; ‘Do dinosaurs make good pets?’ and ‘Was the space race quick?’. A child led curriculum makes learning meaningful and memorable.  

Each half-term, the unit starts with a wow event to inspire children. This takes the form of a practical and hands on event such as a trip or an in school workshop. Teachers work collaboratively to plan lessons which immerse children in the language they need to know for the topic. Five key words are selected for the topic which are repeated and displayed throughout the unit. The language is modelled explicitly and with a high level of repetition. When the learning is purposeful and meaningful children are motivated to learn so opportunities to rehearse are plentiful. Lively and engaging activities such as puppets, games and role play provide children with opportunities to practice with their peers.