The Transition curriculum at Altus School is taught in our two Key Stage 3 centres and is designed to support pupils in preparing for the next stage of their education. The main aim of the subject is to equip pupils with the skills they need to learn and to take their place in the world, including moving on to the next phase of their education.
Transition is delivered through a humanities and citizenship based curriculum. This approach helps pupils understand the world around them and their place within it, while also developing the tools they need to learn, grow and adapt. Lessons are carefully designed to build independent study skills, problem solving, teamwork, and communication, including speaking and listening.
Pupils explore a range of meaningful topics such as community and belonging, rights and responsibilities, war and peace, local history, understanding the wider world, and the natural world. These themes support both personal development and the knowledge needed to move forward positively in education.
Implementation
Through the Transition curriculum, we focus on three key areas:
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Communication and language.
- Understanding the world.
These three areas are central to equipping pupils with the social and educational tools they need to move forward with confidence.
Pupils are taught knowledge through humanities and citizenship content that helps them understand the world around them. Lessons and tasks are carefully designed to strengthen communication, language, and personal and social development. Learning activities to foster this include:
• Student led research tasks
• Student presentations that are relevant to the topic
• Discussion based activities to develop speaking and listening skills
• Supported extended writing
• Small group work that encourages teamwork, collaboration, and positive relationships
• Discussing relevant and often challenging topics
These activities are designed to bolster these areas of development and are adapted to meet the academic and social needs of each pupil, supported by small class sizes and teaching support.