Our school curriculum

Built around the learner, not the year group.

A Curriculum for Wales offer delivered through four progressive pathways and our HyFlex model – one-to-one, small group, and outdoor learning, so every young person can make real, measurable progress.

Our curriculum

Stage not age: the right level

Cumbers House delivers the Curriculum for Wales across all six areas of learning and experience for young people aged 11 to 19 with additional learning needs, including SEMH.

Our curriculum is organised around four progressive pathways rather than fixed year groups, reflecting the Curriculum for Wales principle that progress is determined by stage and not age. A learner may be working confidently in one area while building foundations in another, so timetables and targets are shaped around individual starting points rather than whole-year expectations.

Placement is decided through careful baseline assessment at admission and reviewed through the IDP at least annually, and more often where needed. Learners can move between pathways as they develop, or spend longer consolidating an area before moving on, because secure progress matters more than keeping pace with a calendar.

The curriculum

A framework, not a formula

Aligned with Curriculum for Wales, shaped by every young person’s IDP and built around what’s genuinely meaningful for them.

Subjects taught, levels differentiated

Ages 11-16

We teach a full subject curriculum aligned to Curriculum for Wales, using OCR Entry Level and GCSE specifications that are deliberately co-teachable – the same lesson, assessed at the level that’s genuinely right for each learner.

English

OCR Entry Level → GCSE

Mathematics

OCR Entry Level → GCSE

Computer Science

OCR Entry Level → GCSE

Art & Design

100% non-exam assessment

History & Geography

Enquiry led, fieldwork included

PHSE, RSE & PE

SEND framework + OCR Physical Education

Preparing for adulthood

Ages 16-19

Our post-16 pathway is built around each young person’s IDP outcomes and aspirations, aligned with the ALN Code for Wales 2021 and the Preparing for Adulthood framework.

City & Guilds

Vocational qualifications

ASDAN

Incl. Towards Independence

NCFE

Accredited courses

Essential Skills Wales

Literacy, numeracy & ICT

Employability

Work Readiness initiatives

Independence

Life skills for adulthood

The hyflex model

Three models of delivery, one curriculum

Our HyFlex model combines individual support, small-group learning and outdoor experience so the same curriculum can be accessed in the way that best suits each learner.

One-to-one

Targeted academic delivery and IDP support, paced to the learner.

Small group

Collaborative work that builds social confidence alongside skills.

Outdoor & movement

Structured therapeutic and physical learning beyond the classroom.

Four progressive pathways

Each pathway is a destination, and a starting point for the next

Learners move through at their own pace, with the flexibility to consolidate one stage before taking the next step forward.

Foundations

Foundational, exploratory and sensory learning. We build basic skills, confidence and engagement, with oracy and communication at the centre. Highly practical and play-based.

Indicative qualifications

ASDAN Short Course Awards · Entry Level 1

Developing independence

Learners begin to work independently in the core skills. Literacy, numeracy and knowledge are built in applied, contextual ways, with continued ALN support inside a more structured day.

Indicative qualifications

Entry Level 2–3 · Essential Skills Wales Level 1

Consolidating & extending

Knowledge and skills are consolidated and extended towards qualification entry. GCSE preparation is offered where the IDP identifies this as appropriate and achievable for the learner.

Indicative qualifications

Essential Skills Wales L2 · WJEC GCSE · NCFE Level 1

Preparing for adulthood

Employability, independence and transition-focused learning that prepares each young person for adult life, further education or work. All IDP Preparing for Adulthood outcomes are addressed.

Indicative qualifications

City & Guilds Vocational · NCFE L2 · ASDAN Towards Independence

Recognised qualifications

Every pathway leads somewhere real

We work with awarding bodies whose qualifications are recognised across the UK, so progress made here travels with the learner.

Subject by subject

One classroom, many levels

Wherever possible we use co-teachable OCR Entry Level and GCSE specifications; the same lesson, assessed at the right level, with a shared two-cycle sequence so the whole school moves together while each learner progresses at their own pace.

Cycle One

Foundations. Core knowledge and skills are introduced through progressive half-termly units, taught to the whole school at the same time so learners on different pathways share the same subject matter.

Cycle Two

Application and assessment. Pathway-specific programmes complete qualification content by the third half term, followed by controlled assessment, revision, examinations and a final term of enrichment.

English

Entry Level English is co-teachable with GCSE English Language, so learners sit alongside one another while working at different levels. Cycle 1 builds reading, writing and spoken language through progressive half-termly units; Cycle 2 runs pathway-specific programmes, with taught content finishing at HT3, spoken language and controlled assessments at HT4, revision and exams at HT5, and enrichment at HT6. Pathway 1 continues developing functional literacy before progressing to Pathway 2.

Qualification route

OCR Entry Level English (R393) → OCR GCSE English Language (J351)

Mathematics

Entry Level Mathematics is divided into twelve sections mapped directly to the GCSE specification, making it genuinely co-teachable. Cycle 1 develops core understanding across number, geometry, measures and statistics; Cycle 2 applies those skills in increasingly meaningful contexts. Pathway 1 focuses on practical, functional numeracy, while Pathways 2 and 3 complete qualification content before consolidation, revision and examinations.

Qualification route

OCR Entry Level Mathematics (R449) → OCR GCSE Mathematics (J560)

Computer Science

A common half-termly sequence balances computer systems theory with computational thinking, algorithms and programming. Cycle 1 covers hardware and systems, software and operating systems, memory and storage, data representation, algorithms and programming fundamentals. Cycle 2 moves into programming projects, Boolean logic, networks and online safety, before qualification completion, revision and a learner-led enrichment project. Pathway 1 focuses on functional digital skills.

Qualification route

OCR Entry Level Certificate in Computer Science (R354) → OCR GCSE Computer Science (J277)

Art & Design

Assessment is 100% non-exam, which suits our learners well. Both qualifications share four Assessment Objectives; Develop, Refine, Record, Present, and the same structure of a Portfolio (60%) and an Externally set task (40%) completed in ten supervised hours. Cycle 1 introduces drawing and painting, printmaking and mixed-media, then sculpture and 3D media. Cycle 2 allows time for portfolio revision, the set task and enrichment, building technical skill and a personal response.

Qualification route

OCR Entry Level Certificate in Art and Design (R310) → OCR GCSE Art and Design: Fine Art (J171)

Geography

Geography here is the study of the world learners actually live in; its landscapes, people, resources and threats, taught through enquiry rather than memorising facts about distant places. Cycle 1 explores UK geography, while Cycle 2 widens to the global picture, moving from the local and familiar outwards. Fieldwork and British Values run as golden threads throughout, and fieldwork is compulsory on both qualification pathways: geography cannot be understood without leaving the classroom.

Qualification route

OCR Entry Level Geography (R407) → OCR GCSE Geography A (J383)

History

History is taught as a rigorous academic discipline using the Schools History Project enquiry approach, with every topic framed as an investigative question, “Why did the Black Death kill so many people?”, to build sustained, curiosity-led engagement. Pathway 3 follows Thematic Study, British Depth Study and History Around Us, while Pathways 1 and 2 are co-taught the same topics through carefully differentiated outcomes. History is our primary vehicle for teaching British Values.

Qualification route

OCR Entry Level History (R435) → OCR GCSE History B (J411)

PSHE & RSE

PSHE equips learners with the knowledge, skills and attributes to stay healthy and safe, build positive relationships and prepare for adult life. The framework is organised into six sections; self-awareness; self-care, support and safety; managing feelings; changing and growing; healthy lifestyles; and the world I live in, sequenced across seven progressive stages. Full RSE coverage aligns with the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021, with help-seeking taught discretely and revisited throughout.

Qualification route

PSHE Association SEND Framework (KS3–5) · Statutory RSE through Wales Act 2021

Physical Education

Physical Education develops fitness, teamwork and resilience through a balanced mix of team and individual activities across each cycle. Cycle 1 covers basketball, fitness and circuit training, football, tennis, cricket and athletics; Cycle 2 covers rugby union, indoor rock climbing, hockey, badminton, volleyball and learner-led sports leadership. Availability in Wales is confirmed via the Qualifications in Wales portal, with outcomes, activities and assessment differentiated carefully by pathway.

Qualification routes

OCR Entry Level Physical Education (R463) → OCR GCSE Physical Education (J587)

For local authorities

Want the curriculum detail for a referral or placement discussion? We can share pathways, qualifications, baseline assessment and how progress is tracked against the IDP.

For families & carers

Curious how the HyFlex model, pathways and IDP-led targets would work for your young person? Come and see a real timetable, meet the team and ask anything.

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