Pathfinder
Located on the Solihull Academy main site, the Pathfinder Centre has a short stay (two terms) and long stay pathway which caters for some of the most vulnerable 11–13 year olds (Years 7 and 8) across the borough and wider.
Student referrals come from either the local authority or partner schools and include students that are either at risk of exclusion or are unable to access their current provision.
Pathfinder reflects all the core practices and principles of Solihull Academy, such as small class sizes, relational approaches to learning and restorative practice, but is unique in its delivery of the curriculum.
Pathfinder offers a flexible individualised curriculum of therapeutic and academic support to prevent students from becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) and helps them to surpass their baseline assessment (academic and otherwise). The Pathfinder curriculum teaches students to build resilience, form positive relationships and harmonise into the communities that they belong to.
Safeguarding is our top priority! We aim to keep staff and students safe, whilst preparing students to keep themselves safe inside and outside of the Academy.
Mission
Support transition, build positive relationships and provide a high nurture environment for students to make progress against academic and social goals. This happens through a blend of traditional and therapeutic subjects complemented by personalised interventions.
Vision
Provide a therapeutic and supportive environment that reconnects disengaged students with learning, make accelerated progress and prepare students for successful onward transition.
Values
Successful Pathfinder students will have developed the ABCD Pathfinder Values:
- ATTITUDE: a positive and passionate approach to executing tasks.
- BELIEF: a grounded acceptance of the limitless successes that can be achieved by all of us.
- COURAGE: the moral integrity and persistence through adversity to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.
- DESIRE: the passionate wanting to persistently improve and move towards our goals.
Our Curriculum Intent
Prior to accessing the Pathfinder provision, students, parents and referring academies/schools/authorities take part in a comprehensive baseline assessment to determine students therapeutic and curricular needs and identify prior attainment.
Whilst most of the content is drawn from the National Curriculum, the broad and balanced curriculum also contains therapeutic programmes such as:
- Positive Psychology
- Life Skills
- Restorative Practice
- Thrive (CBT)
- Mindfulness
to support some of the most vulnerable students across the borough.
The National Curriculum content is packaged differently and includes the following disciplines: English, Maths, Life Skills (Community, Cultural Capital, Careers, Random Acts of Kindness, Mental Fitness and Resilience), STEM, Creative Audio and Visual Skills, Passion Project and Health & Wellbeing.
Where possible, themes reflect student's personal aspirations and interests.
The curriculum aims help students to improve wellbeing, close gaps and prepare students academically, socially, emotionally and morally for their next destination. Pathfinder also reflects the wider aims of the Academy which include the prevention of permanent exclusion, suspension or becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) whilst beating baseline and/ or KS2 predicted attainment.
