Purpose of the pathway
The KS1 Engage Pathway is intended to support any pupil who;
- has been identified by a school to have persistent poor punctuality and/or attendance
- are attending a mainstream setting but their presenting behaviour is becoming a barrier to them accessing learning
Timescales
The intention is that pupils will be supported to access their mainstream school for up to 12 weeks, with four, 2-hour sessions each week. Ideally, these sessions are two morning sessions and two afternoon sessions. The placement length is 12 weeks. Pathway placement begins after an initial 2-week induction. However, this may vary dependant on the pupil and ongoing assessment of their progress on the pathway.
Curriculum
The curriculum offer is the mainstream offer. Outreach sessions will consist of in-class support to enable pupils to access input and learning tasks, delivered by their mainstream teacher, alongside their peers. Gaps teaching sessions will be used to target gaps in learning or specific needs identified; these will be co-constructed with the home school SENCo. These sessions may also be used for pre-teaching or providing challenge. During each outreach session, pupils will access the Raedwald Trust Readers for Life curriculum. These sessions will work alongside Phonics and reading delivered in mainstream, these sessions have a focus on developing fluency and increasing pupils’ vocabulary, language structures and verbal reasoning skills.
A Thrive session will be delivered during each outreach session. Pupils will be assessed 6-weekly, and staff will work from individual Thrive action plans. These sessions include a key mainstream adult to support positive relationship building in school.
Assessment
During the induction period, staff work in collaboration with the Raedwald Trust Assessment Centre to gather baseline information, including the identification of barriers to engagement and learning. This baseline helps to shape the support as it may identify unknown barriers/triggers that are impacting the pupil’s attendance or engagement with learning.
All pupils have a Student Support Plan (SSP) in place, which acts as the central document for recording assessment data, targets, and interventions. The SSP is structured around the Assess–Plan–Do–Review (APDR) cycle, ensuring a consistent, evidence-informed, and responsive approach to support.
Gaps identified through early assessment will be used to plan personalised gaps teaching sessions which will be delivered during Outreach sessions. During induction we will gain a clear understanding of the pupil’s timetable and which aspects they successfully access. We will discuss progress and attainment data across the curriculum and set targets for the placement in collaboration with the home school.
SSPs are reviewed and updated weekly, providing a clear and continuous narrative of progress over time. All assessment data, including baseline measures and ongoing CISS (Coping in Schools Scale) outcomes are recorded within the SSP. Progress is formally reviewed on a six-weekly cycle, combining CISS data with academic and engagement measures. These reviews are shared with home schools and, where appropriate, parents/carers and external professionals. Review meetings will occur 6-weekly.
CPD
As part of the First Base Engage pathway, schools have access to a 1-hour CPD session to be delivered by Raedwald Trust staff on the home school site towards the end of the pupil’s placement. CPD session options are:
- ”Supporting Positive Behaviour Change”
- “High Aspirations and Adaptations”