Our Specialist Provision

At Pelton Community Primary School, we are proud of our inclusive approach and our commitment to meeting the needs of every learner, whatever their level of need. We adapt both the curriculum and the learning environment to ensure pupils with SEND can access learning in a way that works best for them.

All children are supported to follow the National Curriculum or Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework at a level and pace that reflects their individual strengths and needs. Where appropriate, we make thoughtful adjustments to the curriculum to ensure it remains meaningful, engaging, and achievable.

To ensure that all pupils make measurable progress, we carefully track learning and development using a range of assessment tools. These include the EYFS Developmental Journal, the Engagement Model for pupils working below the National Curriculum, and Progression Steps for our most complex learners. These tools allow us to monitor academic, social, and communication development and to tailor support to each child’s individual needs.

Some children may benefit from a more personalised pathway. For these pupils, we offer tailored support through one of our specialist provisions, each designed to meet specific areas of need:

• EYFS Cocoon Provision
• Stepping Stones
• Pathways

At Pelton Community Primary School, our specialist provision represents a transformational approach to supporting our most complex pupils. External professionals have been highly complementary about our model, praising it as innovative, highly effective, and ahead of the curve in meeting diverse needs.

Established six years ago initially as Stepping Stones, our specialist provisions have evolved and expanded to meet continuing and diverse needs, reducing over-reliance on 1:1 support and enabling children to benefit from collaborative learning, teamwork, and social interaction - all within a safe, nurturing, and highly structured environment.

We work holistically, tailoring support to each child’s academic, social, emotional, and sensory needs. This approach helps pupils thrive, feel fully included in their school community, and develop independence and confidence while receiving personalised support matched to their unique strengths and challenges.

Our expertise extends beyond our own school, as we regularly support other schools in the local authority and trust, sharing our approach and best practice. Local specialist schools have visited our provisions and provided extremely favourable feedback, and we will continue to visit other schools to learn, refine, and shape our practice.

Each specialist provision is carefully planned to ensure children can access learning in a way that is meaningful, engaging, and appropriate to their abilities, while promoting independence, confidence, and progress.

 

EYFS Cocoon Provision (EYFS) 

At Pelton Community Primary School, our Cocoon Provision supports children in EYFS with SEND who benefit from a smaller, highly structured, and nurturing environment. Pupils are identified through close collaboration between nursery staff, parents, and external professionals, including health visitors and specialist agencies.

The majority of children accessing Cocoon have additional funding, either through an EHCP or Early Years Funding (EY1), although this is not a requirement for entry. All children receive tailored support to meet their individual needs.

Children in Cocoon can move flexibly between Cocoon and mainstream EYFS sessions, with participation tailored to their needs and readiness to maximise learning and confidence. Some children join mainstream classes for motivating parts of the day, such as snack time, and all have opportunities to mix with peers during outdoor learning, helping to foster friendships and social inclusion. The Cocoon room is always available for extra support or a calmer space when needed. This adaptive approach ensures every child can engage, build confidence, and make meaningful progress in both environments.

Staff support children as they move between both environments, helping them build connections and foster strong relationships. Key adults spend dedicated time in Cocoon delivering phonics, early reading, early mark making, and early maths at a level tailored to each child’s needs. Our staff are highly responsive to each child’s needs and bring extensive expertise, supported by ongoing bespoke professional development, ensuring we deliver the most effective, up-to-date approaches to SEND and early years support. Families are closely involved in planning and reviewing learning, ensuring consistency between home and school.

Our environment is calm and carefully designed to help children feel safe, confident, and ready to learn. Features include:

• Smaller, structured indoor and outdoor spaces
• Dedicated breakout areas, sensory rooms, and soft play
• Higher staff-to-child ratios for personalised attention
• A dedicated regulation station, fully equipped with occupational therapy resources, accessible at all times for independent use or supported co-regulation with an adult
• Family-style breakfast & lunch routines, promoting social interaction, independence, and positive mealtime experiences in a calm, supportive setting
• Purposeful community links within the school: children explore the wider school environment with 1:1 support for practical tasks or short, purposeful visits, helping them build familiarity and confidence in different settings. They also enjoy enriching experiences in our bespoke soft play and sensory rooms, the EYFS outdoor yard and bike area, and our extensive field and Forest School spaces—providing safe, stimulating opportunities for exploration, social interaction, and hands-on learning.

The Cocoon curriculum is rooted in the EYFS Framework but enhanced with specialist approaches such as Intensive Interaction, Attention Autism, Core Word Programme, Occupational Therapy input, and sensory-based strategies. Learning is highly personalised, allowing each child to progress at their own pace, gain independence, and develop self-assurance. Cocoon supports the whole child, nurturing academic, social, emotional, and physical development from the earliest years.

We provide soft starts and gentle exits each day, ensuring smooth transitions and emotional security. As children grow in confidence, we carefully plan their next steps—either gradually reintegrating them further into mainstream EYFS or supporting a transition to our Stepping Stones Provision in Key Stage 1.

Through Cocoon, children receive the support, structure, and opportunities they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally in a safe and nurturing environment.

For a closer look at our Cocoon provision and how we support your child, please see pages 8–11 of our SEN brochure.

Stepping Stones (KS1)

At Pelton Community Primary School, Stepping Stones is a bespoke SEND base with a dedicated team of experienced staff, supporting children in KS1 (Years 1–2) with complex needs. It provides a safe, structured, supportive, and nurturing environment for pupils who may find the mainstream classroom overwhelming, particularly in areas such as social, emotional, speech and language, communication and sensory regulation. Within this highly adapted provision, children are understood, celebrated, and empowered to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. Stepping Stones supports a smooth transition from EYFS to KS1, helping children develop the skills, confidence, and resilience they need to thrive.

Children are identified for Stepping Stones based on their individual needs, through close collaboration between class teachers, parents and carers, and external professionals.

Bespoke Approach

Rooted in a child-centred approach and recognising that every child’s learning journey is unique, Stepping Stones offers a highly personalised, multi-sensory approach informed by external professionals, including Future Steps Occupational Therapy programmes and Speech and Language Therapy (SALT). This includes:

• Engagement Model and Progression Steps to track smaller steps of learning and development, ensuring every child makes meaningful progress
• Individualised support, with learning plans tailored to each child’s strengths, needs, and developmental stage
• Communication-friendly strategies, including WIDGETS, visual timetables, and the Core Word Programme
• Therapeutic and sensory support, Embedded calming strategies, emotional regulation guidance, regulation sessions, sensory circuits, movement breaks, and access to the OT regulation station
• Curiosity Approach, Intensive Interaction, and Attention Autism to promote engagement, interaction, and social development
• Multi-sensory teaching: Lessons using visuals, movement, sounds, and tactile resources.
• Highly adapted 1:1 and small group teaching for literacy, maths, and phonics
• National Curriculum foundation subjects, adapted and delivered through accessible, multi-sensory approaches
• Enrichment activities alongside peers, supporting inclusion across the wider school community
• Community-based learning opportunities, supported by access to the trust minibus, enabling pupils to participate regularly in meaningful, practical, real-world experiences that enrich learning, promote independence, life skills, and enjoyment, and extend pupils’ experiences beyond the classroom.

A bespoke SEMH curriculum is woven throughout the day, supporting children to develop emotional literacy, resilience, confidence, and independence. Staff help children turn barriers and challenges into stepping stones to success, equipping them with the strategies and skills they need to thrive both academically and socially.

Flexible Access & Links with Mainstream

Places in Stepping Stones are highly flexible and tailored to each child. Some children attend for specific afternoons focusing on identified areas of need, while others may access the provision full-time for a term or longer. All children remain part of their mainstream class as much as possible, joining peers for motivating lessons, playtimes, lunchtimes, assemblies, celebrations, enrichment activities, social opportunities and after-school clubs. All KS1 pupils have access to a shared outdoor space, ‘The Quad’, during the day. This approach helps children feel connected, build relationships, and gradually increase their engagement in mainstream learning. Stepping Stones Staff work closely with class teachers to ensure a seamless connection between Stepping Stones and mainstream classrooms, helping children build relationships and feel fully included in the school community.

Curriculum

Stepping Stones delivers the full KS1 curriculum at a pace suited to each child, with adaptations and scaffolding where needed. The curriculum focuses on academic, social, and emotional development, ensuring children gain independence, resilience, and confidence alongside essential learning skills. Children access:

• Phonics and multi-sensory literacy in small groups or 1:1 sessions
• Active Maths and foundation subjects adapted from mainstream planning
• Emotional regulation activities, including Zones of Regulation
• Forest School and POP (Purposeful outdoor play) outdoor learning experiences

Preparing for Adulthood & Enrichment

Even in KS1, we build the foundations for lifelong skills. Children develop independence, self-esteem, and social confidence in a supportive environment. They are fully included in enrichment activities such as school assemblies, trips, sports, and creative projects. Every child is celebrated for their achievements, however small, and supported to reach their potential.

Next Steps

Transitions are carefully managed. Children gradually increase participation in mainstream classes as they develop confidence and skills, or may move on to Pathways Provision for continued highly personalised support. Throughout, parents are actively involved in celebrating successes, participating in lessons, and supporting their child’s progress.

Stepping Stones builds on children’s foundational skills and prepares them for the next stage of learning and later life, ensuring they leave with the skills, strategies, and self-assurance to flourish in all aspects of school life.

For more information on Stepping Stones and the support we offer, please see pages 12–18 of our SEN brochure.

Stepping Stones

We Love Stepping Stones Song 

Pathways Provision (KS2) 

At Pelton Community Primary School, Pathways is our bespoke KS2 SEND provision for children in Years 3–6 who benefit from a smaller, highly structured, and nurturing environment. Many pupils accessing Pathways have additional needs, including social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs, communication differences, and developmental needs.

Pathways provides a calm, therapeutic space where children feel safe, valued, and understood, enabling them to build confidence, resilience, and a positive relationship with learning. Our approach supports the whole child, balancing emotional wellbeing with strong academic progress and preparation for life beyond primary school.

Bespoke Approach

Rooted in child-centred and trauma-informed practice, Pathways offers a highly personalised approach to learning and support. A dedicated staff team with experience in SEMH, inclusive curriculum design, and emotional regulation works closely with families and external professionals, including behaviour specialists, CAMHS, and family support services, to ensure consistent, joined-up support.

Each day is carefully structured to provide predictability, calm, and creativity:

• Mornings focus on core learning, including reading, writing, phonics, and numeracy, adapted to individual ability and learning style
• Afternoons support emotional wellbeing, social skills, and topic-based learning
• Daily regulation opportunities are available as needed, including mindfulness, sensory play, movement breaks, and access to calming spaces and sensory regulation support

Weekly enrichment opportunities, such as Forest School and sports/well-being sessions, promote physical wellbeing, confidence, teamwork, and positive peer relationships. Forest School sessions are carefully planned, including a Monday morning session to support a soft and supportive transition back into school after the weekend.

Curriculum

In Pathways, every child follows the National Curriculum, carefully adapted to ensure learning is:

• Accessible – through differentiated materials, visual supports, simplified language, and scaffolded tasks, often tailored to each child’s interests to increase motivation and engagement.
• Relevant – by connecting learning to children’s interests and real-life experiences.
• Achievable – by breaking tasks into small, manageable steps with clear success criteria.
• Supportive – with embedded emotional regulation strategies, movement breaks, and sensory tools throughout the day.
• Multi-sensory and personalised – children access lessons in small groups or 1:1 settings, with teaching adapted to meet individual learning styles, including practical, hands-on, and experiential activities.

Core texts are thoughtfully selected to support emotional literacy, while sessions are planned to meet National Curriculum objectives.

Mathematics is taught actively and practically, with learning linked to real-life contexts wherever possible.

Assessment is based on each child’s individual starting points, EHCP outcomes, and age-related expectations where appropriate. Phonics progress is monitored termly using the RWI Fresh Start assessment tool. For certain pupils, smaller steps of learning and development are tracked using the Engagement Model and Progression Steps, ensuring personalised progress is carefully monitored and supported.

A strong emphasis is placed on PSED and emotional literacy, ensuring children are emotionally ready to learn and succeed.

Children access a broad and meaningful curriculum through:

• Small group and 1:1 teaching personalised to need
• Visual supports and scaffolded learning, including life skills elements
• Focused teaching on emotional regulation, relationships, and self-esteem
• Preparing for Adulthood themes, including independence, teamwork, problem-solving, and communication 

Links with Mainstream

Although based in Pathways, pupils remain an active part of the wider school community. Inclusion is supported through:

• Participation in whole-school activities, trips, residential experiences, and celebrations
• Opportunities for shared play and team-building activities
• Gradual and supported integration into mainstream lessons where appropriate
• Staff work closely across Pathways and mainstream classes, reviewing each child’s readiness in a flexible and responsive way, to ensure pupils are supported to access mainstream learning and experiences whenever this is appropriate and beneficial.
• Representation on the School Council, ensuring the Pathways pupil voice is heard

Being part of Pathways does not mean being apart — it means being supported differently, while still belonging.

Preparing for Adulthood & Enrichment

At Pelton Community Primary School, Pathways begins building the foundations for lifelong skills, helping pupils develop independence, resilience, and confidence while equipping them with skills and strategies for future learning, social interactions, and life beyond school.

Children in Pathways have access to a wide range of enrichment opportunities designed to make learning meaningful, engaging, and enjoyable. These include:

• Forest Schools and outdoor learning, promoting practical skills, teamwork, confidence, and problem-solving
• Physical activities such as sports coaching, kickboxing, strength and fitness, and structured play
• Creative projects, including arts, music, and design activities
• Participation in school assemblies, trips, residential experiences, and celebrations alongside their mainstream peers
• Community-based learning supported by the school’s minibus, enabling pupils to take part in practical, real-world experiences beyond the classroom that develop life skills, independence, and enjoyment

Our bespoke SEMH curriculum is woven throughout the day, helping children develop emotional literacy, self-regulation, and social confidence. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their learning, celebrate successes, and develop strategies to manage challenges, ensuring they are ready for the next stage of education.

Pathways staff work closely with parents and external professionals to support each child’s development. By combining academic, social, and emotional support with enriching, real-world experiences, Pathways ensures that every child leaves KS2 with the skills, confidence, and self-assurance to thrive in secondary school and beyond.

The Learning Environment

The Pathways classroom is:

• Calm, structured, and emotionally safe
• Equipped with sensory tools, regulation spaces, and visual routines
• A place where children learn academic skills alongside strategies to cope, communicate, and thrive

Children are supported with personal visual timetables and ‘now and next’ boards, helping them feel prepared for transitions and changes throughout the day.

Next Steps and Transitions

Each child’s journey through Pathways is personalised. Support may include:

• Partial or full reintegration into mainstream, with carefully planned timetables and emotional preparation
• Preparation for Key Stage 3, with a strong focus on independence, resilience, and real-world skills

Robust secondary school transition is a key focus. We work proactively with secondary providers, inviting secondary staff into Pathways to meet pupils and begin transition support earlier than usual, helping them feel familiar, confident, and ready for the next stage of their education.

Parents and carers are actively involved throughout, working in partnership with school to celebrate progress and plan successful transitions.

To learn more about Pathways and how we help children thrive, please see pages 19–23 of our SEN brochure.

Stepping Stones Nativity

 

Beamish Museum

Stepping Stones visited Beamish Museum. They had great fun learning about the past, visiting the farm, dentist and bank and playing in the 1950's park. The tram and old bus rides were exciting and the children even found some of Santa's elves in the forest. 

 

Festive Fun

The children in Stepping Stones have been having some festive fun. They have been very creative painting Christmas tree toast for snack, enjoyed getting messy with melted snowman gloop and even made sticky pictures of melted snowmen.

 

 Stepping Stones Nativity