Curriculum Statement

For many of the young people referred to The Maidstone & Malling Alternative Provision, education has been an unhappy and unsuccessful experience. Our initial priority is to ensure that a solid, trusting relationship is forged, one where the pupils’ voice can be heard and staff can understand some of the challenges pupils have faced. Our aim is to ensure our pupils learn to believe in themselves, that with our help, guidance and support, they will start to achieve both personally and academically, eventually exceeding all expectations. With new-found confidence, pupils will no longer feel that they are failures, but grow confident with the knowledge that they can be successful and develop a love for learning.

We are driven by an unshakeable belief in the potential of all young people. Working in collaboration with families, home schools and agencies, our commitment to listening to young people, nurturing and engaging young people in a safe and supportive learning environment is unwavering. Offering a holistic approach, we aim to empower young people to overcome barriers, build resilience and acquire the knowledge and skills to become valued and effective members of society. We inspire and motivate our pupils to thrive with a culture of respect, dignity and celebration, where everyone feels equal and valued.

At the Maidstone & Malling Alternative Provision, we have three core values chosen by staff, students and parents in 2022, which reflect our continuing promise to pupils and highlight the character of our school;

• Believe
• Achieve
• Exceed

We have a committed, dedicated and hard-working team of staff that work together to ensure that every pupil has a voice, is listened to and is stretched and challenged to achieve the best possible outcomes, preparing them for their next steps and adult life. Our aim is to give them the skills and confidence to achieve qualifications to progress into further education, training and employment or return to their mainstream school to continue their education.

It is vital that our pupils develop a wide range of core skills and knowledge, as achievement provides a sound route to post 16 education, employment and further training opportunities. Therefore, our focus is to provide a solid education in English and Maths, fill any gaps in learning, support mental wellbeing and raise aspirations. Our curriculum is reviewed regularly to ensure that we offer a wide range of subjects that support progression and engage learning for pupils attending our school. Separate interventions are in place for reading, handwriting, Maths and English. These are to raise standards and exceed expectations.

We map all subjects across our curriculum to re-affirm every learning opportunity and to develop deeper learning. Pupils follow a balanced curriculum which re-enforces core skills, developing knowledge that they can use in adult life.

We achieve this by:

• Providing a high-quality education experience
• Supporting pupils and parent’s mental wellbeing
• Provide a safe and nurturing environment
• Working in partnership with pupils, parents, external support services, alongside mainstream schools and other partners
• Promoting a structured behaviour framework to ensure continuity and fairness
• Celebrating success

We expect all stakeholders of Maidstone & Malling Alternative Provision (Students, Staff, Parents and Governors) to commit to the chosen core values: Believe, Achieve, Exceed.