Pathfinder
Located on the Solihull Academy main site, the Pathfinder Centre is a short stay, alternative provision for 11–13 year-olds (Year 7 and 8) that caters for some of the most vulnerable students from across the borough..
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 Statement?
Every child, that has aspirations and chooses to pursue them, will be coached and taught the skills and knowledge that they need to make progress towards their academic and personal goals. This will happen through a blend of core skills, thematic learning and therapeutic activities and will prepare students for the next step of their learning journey.
Vision
Transform disengaged students into ambitious and engaged people, empowered to make a positive contribution to society.
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 and parents 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,
- Philosophy for Children (P4C),
- Restorative Practice,
- Thrive (CBT) and
- Mindfulness
to support some of the most vulnerable students across the borough.
The National Curriculum content is packaged differently and includes the following disciplines: Communication Literacy, Working Mathematically & Functional Numeracy, Community, STEM, Creative and Health, Mindfulness & Wellbeing. The table below shows how these disciplines map across to traditional subject areas:
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Pathfinder Disciplines
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Traditional Subjects
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Communication Literacy
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English Language, English Literature, Drama, Visual Arts.
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Working Mathematically &
Functional Numeracy
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Maths, Engineering, Science, Technology.
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Core Projects
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Practical Application of Communication Literacy.
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Community
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Citizenship, Religious Education, PSHE.
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STEM
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Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths.
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Creative
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Art, Music, Engineering.
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Health, Wellbeing & Mindfulness
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Physical Education
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The content is linked to themes that draw on multiple disciplines at the same time and includes skills from one of the four Pathfinder Skillsets:
- Live,
- Learn,
- Grow and
- Earn.
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.
