Below are examples of how we fulfil our intent and provide an enriched curriculum that motivates, stimulates and gives all learners the opportunity to excel.

During the seven years at Braidwood School, each learner can expect to:

• Benefit from specialised teaching and support, delivered through a total communication approach, by high quality staff
• Receive regular personalised feedback that enables learners to reflect on their successes and understand the ways in which they can improve
• Participate in individualised intervention programmes
• Be offered a wide range of academic and vocational qualifications and opportunities.
• Access emotionally available adults to support their mental health and well-being
• Access to a range of health professionals who support positive physical and mental health
• Engage in individualised speech and language programmes where appropriate
• Encounter positive Deaf role models
• Have regular opportunities to share achievements in assemblies and other whole school events
• Have opportunities to take part in a wide range of sporting activities including football, tennis, swimming, basketball, dance, etc.
• Attend live theatrical performances
• Work with professional actors and producers with the opportunity to perform  in school and at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre
• Experience work places and engage in a work experience placement
• Receive individual, high quality, independent careers guidance
• Participate in a wide ranging careers programme including enterprise awareness activities
• Visit colleges of further and higher education and training providers
• Have regular opportunities to contribute towards their learning and be involved in decision making that affects the whole school through School Council and House Teams
• Enjoy residential visits
• Experience a range of visits linked to the curriculum

The IMPACT of the school’s curriculum is measured through several means:

• Attendance data
• Engagement in enrichment activities
• Progress and attainment data for current year groups
• Progress towards the Gatsby Benchmark
• Behaviour logs
• Outcomes for learners
• Destinations data

At Braidwood School, we offer academic and vocationally based qualifications in a range of subjects across Key Stage 4 and 5. We tailor our offer to suit the needs of the individual learner and they are encouraged to progress from their starting point up the levels of qualification. The levels continue after Level 2 and go up to Level 8 (Doctorate / Phd) Levels 3 – 8 are qualifications that can be taken after leaving school and can be Academic, Vocationally related or Work-based learning. Levels 3 to 8 are achieved in Further and Higher education, Work place training or from other training providers.Accordion content

It is important that learners know the levels they are studying at and understand next steps and the progression pathways onwards in their learning. Learners are encouraged to keep an up-to-date Curriculum Vitae (CV) recording all the qualifications they have passed and are currently taking. This is especially important when a learner is 16+. We encourage all learners to continue their learning beyond Braidwood School and throughout their lives, be it at College, University or in a work situation. 

Entry Level 1, 2 and 3 qualifications 

Entry Level 1, 2 and 3 qualifications are the starting points for many of our learners. Entry level qualifications can help you build skills, increase your knowledge and boost your confidence. They provide learners with basic knowledge and skills and the ability to apply learning in everyday situations. They are not geared towards specific occupations

They can be 'Awards', ‘Certificates’ or ‘Diplomas’ depending on the number of units studied and are open to anyone interested in gaining a recognised qualification. 

Entry Level qualifications are made up of a number of separately assessed units so your achievements are recognised as you complete each unit. You are assessed on a combination of tests, assignments and tasks which can be written or practical. You will also have to produce a portfolio that shows evidence of what you have achieved. It can contain things like witness statements which are a written account of your performance, video, audio and photographs that are assessed by your teachers.Different subjects and courses will vary in structure, content and the number of units. 

Where they can lead

You can progress from one Entry Level to the next. At Entry 3, the qualifications are designed to help you move on to further qualifications, such as:

• GCSEs

• Key Skills

• Skills for Life

• NVQs

• Level 1 BTEC Awards, Certificates or Diplomas

They can also lead to work-based learning, like a traineeship or straight to a job.

Level 1 Qualifications

The purpose of Level 1 qualifications is to provide the learner with the skills, knowledge and understanding in specific subjects to enable them to apply these in different situations. Level 1 qualifications can be BTec, BTec Firsts, NVQ, City &Guilds, Nationals etc but all are set at the same level of study and achievement. Learners who complete one of these qualifications will develop essential and transferable knowledge and skills to progress into further learning and also employment. Learners who take on one of these qualifications will have a personalised approach to training and development to enable them to overcome barriers and progress successfully.

Like Entry Levels, Level 1 can be 'Awards', ‘Certificates’ or ‘Diplomas’ depending on the number of units studied and are open to anyone interested in gaining a recognised qualification. 

Level 1 qualifications are made up of a number of separately assessed units so your achievements are recognised as you complete each unit. You are assessed on a combination of tests, assignments and tasks which can be written or practical. You will also have to produce a portfolio that shows evidence of what you have achieved. It can contain things like witness statements which are a written account of your performance, video, audio and photographs that are assessed by your teachers.Different subjects and courses will vary in structure, content and the number of units. 

Level 1 qualifications can be taken in all academic subjects as well as vocational areas. Often, they contain elements of both and learners can progress from here up through levels 1 to 8 as appropriate. Level 1 can be taken as a work-based qualification through the Traineeship route.

 

GCSE grades 3 to 1 are considered equivalent to Level 1 qualifications and vice versa.

Where they can lead

You can progress from Level 1 up through the formal levels of qualification. At Level 1, the qualifications are designed to help you move on to further qualifications or work-based learning:

• GCSEs

• Level 2 Courses

• NVQs

• BTec First Diploma

• Intermediate Apprenticeships

• A Job

Level 2 Qualifications

At Braidwood, we can offer Level 2 qualifications in many subject areas as well as some vocational routes, when appropriate to our learners needs. Level 2 is very similar to Level 1 in its structure, just at a higher level of study.

GCSE grades 9 to 4 are considered equivalent to Level 2 qualifications and vice versa.

Once a learner has chosen a career pathway or specific area of interest, they will concentrate their study on this, usually at FE college, or through an apprenticeship / work-based training programme.

Where they can lead

You can progress from Level 1 up through the formal levels of qualification. At Level 1, the qualifications are designed to help you move on to further qualifications or work-based learning:

• A Levels

• Level 3 Courses 

• NVQ 3

• Advanced Apprenticeships

• BTec Level 3 Certificate / Diploma

• A Job