At On Track Education Westbury, our curriculum is shaped around the individual needs of each young person. We support pupils with a range of additional and complex needs, including social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs, autism, ADHD and behavioural needs.
We combine academic learning with practical experiences and personalised support, enabling pupils to make meaningful progress at their own pace. Our dedicated staff team create a calm, structured and nurturing environment where pupils can achieve, grow in confidence and develop the skills they need for future success.
Our Curriculum Vision
Our mission is to inspire students to build positive habits that lead to success, enabling them to become confident, resilient, and well‑rounded individuals. We provide meaningful and engaging learning experiences tailored to each student’s unique aspirations and strengths, preparing them effectively for life beyond school.
Our vision is simple:
“Empowering every student to become the best version of themselves.”
Everything we do, from lesson design to qualification pathways, is built around safety, emotional well-being, kindness, collaboration, and positive engagement. This enables students to reflect and celebrate our Track values.
Trust - Resilience - Ambition - Community - Kindness
Our Curriculum Approach
Ambitious, Inclusive and Personalised
Our curriculum is designed to meet the needs of every learner, including those with SEND, SEMH needs, or disrupted educational journeys. We ensure:
- Full access to an ambitious curriculum for all students
- Adaptive teaching, not lowered expectations
- Clear qualification pathways linked to future careers
- Strong alignment with each student’s PLP and EHCP
- A safe, supportive environment where students can thrive
We use a wide range of assessment information, including PASS, CAT4, Thrive, reading-age data, and baseline assessments to shape learning and ensure every student receives the right support at the right time.
How Learning Works at OTW
Key Learning Question (KLQ)
Every lesson begins with a Key Learning Question. This helps students understand the purpose of the lesson and gives them a clear opportunity to demonstrate their learning at the end.
DO NOW Activities
Each lesson starts with a short ‘Do Now’ task designed to activate prior knowledge through:
- Retrieval
- Rehearsal
- Application
This supports memory, confidence and long‑term retention.
Learner Progress Sheets
Students complete a Learner Progress Sheet in lessons, allowing them to:
- Reflect on their learning
- Show progress over time
- Identify misconceptions
- Build independence and metacognition
These sheets form part of our evidence of impact and support the “Golden Thread” between planning, teaching and learning.
Curriculum Structure
Qualification Pathways
Our timetable is aligned to accredited qualification routes that support:
- Future employment
- College progression
- Vocational interests
- Personal aspirations
Students access a broad and balanced curriculum, including:
- English
- Maths
- Science
- Humanities
- ICT/Computing
- PSHE/RSHE
- PE
- Outdoor Education, Sustainability & Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme
- Art & Design
- Design Technology
- Cooking (including Patisserie)
Each pathway is linked to a benchmark or qualification - personalised to ensure it meets the needs identified in the individual student’s EHCP (Education Health Care Plan) and PLP (Personal Learning Plan).
Assess, Plan, Do, Review
Our curriculum planning follows a clear Assess → Plan → Do → Review cycle:
- Assess: Baseline data, reading age, PASS, CAT4, Thrive
- Plan: Adaptive teaching, scaffolds, vocabulary, sequencing
- Do: High‑quality teaching using KLQs, modelling, retrieval
- Review: Work scrutiny, learner progress sheets, student voice, formative assessment
This ensures coherence, consistency and strong progress for every learner.
Inclusion at the Heart of the Curriculum
In line with the 2026 Ofsted framework, Inclusion is a standalone judgement. At OTW:
- We do not narrow the curriculum for SEND or disadvantaged students
- We provide scaffolding, not simplification
- We build foundational knowledge to support long‑term success
- We ensure every student experiences cultural capital opportunities
- We prioritise emotional wellbeing and positive relationships
Preparing Students for Life Beyond School
Our curriculum is designed to build:
- Confidence
- Resilience
- Communication skills
- Leadership opportunities
- Independence
- Healthy & safe habits
- Career aspirations
- The celebration of success
We work closely with families, external agencies and employers to ensure students leave OTW ready for the next stage of their lives.
music
Our Music provision allows pupils to explore creativity, build confidence and develop practical music skills in a supportive and engaging environment. Led by experienced music practitioner Deej Dhariwal, students can take part in activities including songwriting, composition, recording and music production using industry-standard equipment. The document below provides further information about our approach to music and the opportunities available to pupils.
Admissions
Choosing a school that can meet your child’s needs is an important step, and at On Track Westbury we aim to make the admissions process as straightforward and supportive as possible. Most placements are arranged through the local authority, and pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) can be considered following a request made to the relevant SEND team.
We welcome new pupils at different points throughout the year, allowing transitions to be carefully planned and tailored to each individual. When a referral is received, families are invited to visit the school, meet the staff and experience our calm and supportive environment. This provides an opportunity for parents, carers and pupils to understand how we work and decide whether our provision is the right fit.
For more information, please visit our Admissions & Referrals page.
Subject-SPECIFIC Learning
Our subject-specific learning journeys are designed to provide a clear and structured pathway for each pupil’s development. These journeys outline how knowledge, skills and understanding are built over time within each subject, ensuring progression is purposeful and achievable. By adapting these pathways to meet individual needs, we support pupils to engage with learning at the right level, build confidence in their abilities and recognise their own progress as they move towards meaningful outcomes.
Click here or below to find out more about the subject learning journeys we offer at On Track Westbury.
british values
British Values are embedded throughout school life and underpin our TRACK values of Trust, Resilience, Ambition, Community and Kindness. Through our curriculum, relationships and daily routines, we support students to develop into confident, respectful and responsible young people who are prepared for life in modern Britain. The document below outlines how British Values are promoted across our school community and how they form an important part of our ethos and approach.
SMSC
We place a strong emphasis on the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development of our pupils. We believe that education should support the whole child, helping young people to develop character, confidence and a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.
Through our values-led approach, pupils are encouraged to make positive choices, build respectful relationships and develop the awareness and skills needed to thrive in wider society. SMSC is embedded across our curriculum and school life, ensuring pupils are well prepared for life beyond school.
Thrive
We use the Thrive Approach to support the social and emotional development of our pupils. Thrive is a structured, research-informed approach that helps identify emotional development needs early, allowing staff to put the right support in place quickly and effectively.
By focusing on emotional development, Thrive helps build resilience, confidence and emotional well-being. This approach supports pupils who may be at risk of disengagement or underachievement, helping them to remain in education and re-engage positively with learning.
Thrive provides age-appropriate, personalised activities tailored to each pupil. These are used to inform our teaching and support strategies, helping pupils to develop stronger emotional literacy, social skills and self-awareness.
The approach also enables us to better understand behaviour as a form of communication. Through consistent use of Thrive, we have seen improvements in pupils’ attitudes to learning, relationships with peers and overall engagement in school life.
Integrative Counselling
Our integrative counsellor, Jo Cooper, is a registered member of the BACP (British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists).
I offer a therapeutic space for students to explore their feelings and needs in a non-judgmental and empathic way. This can be just talking or through more creative ways, such as using imagery and mindfulness. The sessions can include the use of creative tools and art, play, or going for ‘walk and talks’ in the local environment.
The sessions are confidential and student-led, allowing students to bring what is important to them into the sessions.
Art Therapy
Our Art therapist, Steph Tanner, is there to guide and support, offering space when it is needed and a bridge to feeling understood.
Art therapy uses image making and creative expression as the primary means of communication, using various creative, play and sensory materials, depending on age and inclination of the individual. It facilitates a safe, non-judgemental space where feelings and thoughts may emerge, in which exploration, understanding and reflection may occur. It is an alternative approach for young people who may feel overwhelmed and dysregulated at times, or who struggle to find words to express themselves.
Student Resources
Our Student Resources area provides a range of helpful tools and materials to support pupils both in school and at home. From learning resources to wellbeing support and useful links, this section is designed to help students stay organised, build confidence and continue their learning journey beyond the classroom.