Moss Valley hosts two Enhanced Resource Provisions (ERPs). The Orchard is for children who have an Austism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and The Acorn is for children with complex global needs. The children given places in our provisions travel in from all over Salford and have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Pupil places are arranged by Salford's SEND team and pupils placed will have a diagnosed speech and language disorder as identified by a speech therapist or ASD.
The children in The Orchard and The Acorn receive the specialist help they need whilst also having the opportunity to integrate into mainstream classes. This ensures access to an ambitious curriculum as well as giving the opportunity to develop socially and emotionally alongside their peers.
Admissions to The Orchard and The Acorn are controlled by SEND at Salford Local Education Authority. We are unable to accept direct requests for placements from parents, carers or other local authorities. All pupils who attend our provisions have an Educational, Health and Care Plan which outlines the area of need and what provision and resources are needed to support the pupil.
Pupils attending the resource provisions at Moss Valley have a range of complex needs that impact their learning and participation in the classroom and wider community. These needs include difficulties with communication, cognition, mental health, relationships, behavior, physical abilities, medical conditions, and sensory processing.
To support these pupils effectively, they require informed and specific strategies that may involve input from various disciplines. This transdisciplinary approach ensures that they can engage in the learning process and actively participate in classroom activities and the wider community.
Due to the diverse needs of these pupils, their achievements may be inconsistent, resulting in an atypical or uneven profile. It is essential to have an understanding of these unique development patterns to conduct appropriate assessments and provide personalised learning experiences aligned with the curriculum for excellence.
At Moss Valley, pupils work at various educational levels, including the pre-formal (engagement model), semi-formal curriculum, and the formal (national) curriculum.
Moss Valley is proud to be known as an inclusive school which values children as individuals. We are a place which provides children with the care and nurture they need to achieve. We work to create a community where enjoyment and achievement thrive. Our vision in school is to create world class learning opportunities for all of the children we serve.
We believe a cycle of support, accountability, trust and challenge can provide better opportunities for all children and help to ensure we provide an education that will empower the children with the skills needed to ensure that they can achieve anything they want to achieve. We want to work as a community to encourage parents, carers, volunteers, students and other agencies to ‘learn with us’ to provide a positive role model demonstrating the rewards that cooperation and collaboration can bring. Our learning environment is reflective of our high expectations and engaging curriculum and is a place that helps to develop children’s love of learning. We believe that a child who develops a love of learning is more likely to make good progress and a child who makes good progress is more likely to carry these skills forward through life.
We recognise learning as the process through which pupils can develop their knowledge, skills, and understanding, to the point where they have retained and generalised what has been taught. This achievement is made possible by providing a relevant and meaningful context for all pupils, including those with additional complex needs.
Our pupils with additional complex needs have a diverse range of requirements, which necessitates the adoption and development of a variety of suitable teaching and learning strategies. Our dedicated staff strive to create a calm and consistent learning environment that is visually structured and communicates clear expectations to pupils, both as individuals and in small groups. This approach ensures maximum information processing throughout each day, enabling all pupils to realise their full potential.
We believe pupils learn best when they:
● Are happy
● Feel safe
● Are interested and motivated
● Achieve success and gain recognition
● Are given tasks which match their abilities and experiences
● Clearly understand the task and what is expected from them
● Are confident, feel secure and aware of boundaries
Progress for learners following the semi-formal curriculum pathway is currently assessed using descriptors from Wilson Stuart Progress Steps (WS P Steps) and through formative assessment of progress towards individual EHCP outcomes.
Children are initially baselined to ascertain which P step they are secure in and typically make approximately 1-2 steps progress across an academic year. For those children participating in subject-specific learning, their progress is recorded within their corresponding P Step for their year group as well as their developmental P step. This progress is recorded on Solar. The Engagement Model was introduced into Moss Valley during 2022-23 and may be used to assess some Semi-Formal learners alongside existing planning, assessment, and recording systems.
The developmental profile of pupils with additional needs can be mixed or spikey. All children with spiky learning profiles show significant developmental inconsistencies between different areas of learning. For example, they might be working at the national curriculum level 4–5 for literacy, yet at P6 for numeracy; or at level 3 for science but at P5–6 for PSHE. Children may also have strengths and abilities in keeping with or beyond their developmental age. For pupils with additional complex needs, it is therefore essential to establish an accurate pupil profile on which to base educational targets. Assessment for pupils with additional needs is bespoke to each pupil and is carried out in a range of environments. Pupils may perform well in a given situation but may not transfer or use the skill in another; such inconsistencies may be attributed to changes and variations in the environment, personnel, or resources used.
The assessment process is based upon careful observation and the identification of concepts or skills which require further exploration as well as a combination of information from different sources. Information from home and parental perspectives is vital to form a holistic profile. Parents have a great deal to contribute to both the informal and formal assessment process and may face quite different challenges to the adults in the education setting. A range of professions may be involved to supplement the knowledge and information gathered by classroom staff.
At Moss Valley, we prioritise the seamless integration of our Semi-Formal and Formal Curricula, allowing our students to transition between the two as their development calls for. This personalised approach ensures that our pupils can thrive in an environment that is best suited to their individual needs. For those students who primarily follow the formal curriculum, we provide assessments that align with their chronological age year group, enabling them to progress and achieve their full potential.
Moss Valley Resource Provisions
Moss Valley Resource Provision
Moss Valley Resource Provision
Moss Valley Resource Provision
