Curriculum at R.A.D.S
Learning at R.A.D.S is hands-on, experiential and deliberately designed around real skills, real tools, real outcomes and real progress.
Our curriculum is built for young people who may not thrive in traditional classroom-based learning, but who engage best when learning feels purposeful, practical and connected to the real world. We combine vocational skills, creative projects, outdoor learning, life skills and personal development to help students build confidence, independence, resilience and employability alongside practical competence.
Our curriculum is also designed around regulation. Through meaningful activity, movement, trusted relationships and predictable routines, students develop the emotional regulation and metacognitive skills needed to become successful learners both at R.A.D.S and beyond.
Most provision is delivered on a 2:1 adult-to-child ratio, providing a balance of specialist teaching and consistent relational support.
Choosing the Right Curriculum
Every young person is different, so every curriculum begins with the referral process.
Working alongside the commissioning body, school, family and—where appropriate—the young person themselves, we consider:
- aspirations and future goals
- interests and strengths
- EHCP outcomes (where applicable)
- barriers to learning
- emotional and social needs
- risk profile
- previous educational experience
- intended next steps
Following this process, students are allocated to one of four curriculum models.
1. Multi-Trade Skills
A structured vocational pathway introducing students to practical construction and trade skills.
2. Outdoor, Rural & Heritage Skills
A curriculum based around practical outdoor learning, environmental understanding and heritage skills.
3. Creative Industries
A practical creative curriculum developing artistic skills, performance, design and creative confidence.
4. Flexible Curriculum Options
Where a standard pathway is not the best fit, students may instead access either:
Multi-Module Programme
Students select individual curriculum modules from different pathways at the beginning of each half term.
For example, they may choose:
- Autumn 1 – Plumbing
- Autumn 2 – Bushcraft
- Spring 1 – Sculpture
- Spring 2 – Chair Making
This option allows students to experience a broader range of vocational and creative opportunities while maintaining a planned and structured curriculum.
Bespoke Programme
Some students require a curriculum designed entirely around their individual profile.
A bespoke programme is created specifically around the student’s:
- interests
- aspirations
- barriers
- EHCP outcomes
- emotional needs
- regulation needs
- intended destinations
This provides maximum flexibility while maintaining clear educational outcomes and progression.
Specialist Teaching
Each curriculum area is delivered by staff with specialist knowledge and experience within that subject.
As curriculum topics change throughout the year, specialist teachers may also change to ensure students always receive high-quality teaching from practitioners with relevant vocational or industry expertise.
Within our standard 2:1 delivery model, we aim to keep the teaching assistant or supporting adult consistent throughout a student’s placement wherever possible.
This consistency allows trusting relationships to develop while students continue to benefit from specialist teaching across a range of curriculum areas.
Adult Ratios and Delivery Model
Most R.A.D.S provision is delivered on a 2:1 adult-to-child ratio.
This model combines specialist curriculum delivery with consistent pastoral and relational support, allowing students to access practical learning safely while building trusted relationships with staff.
Where appropriate we can also provide:
1:1 Provision
Some students require intensive individual support because of their needs profile, emotional presentation or risk assessment.
Commissioned Small Groups
Schools and local authorities may commission small-group programmes.
Groups may consist of learners from one school or may be jointly commissioned by several schools or services to create a suitable cohort.
Group sizes are typically between 4 and 8 students, depending on:
- age
- needs profile
- curriculum being delivered
- staffing requirements
- risk assessment
Groups are carefully planned around compatibility, safeguarding and intended outcomes rather than simply increasing numbers.
Our Curriculum Principles
Everything we teach is designed to achieve more than the finished project.
Whether a student is installing pipework, creating sculpture, building furniture or learning bushcraft, they are simultaneously developing:
- confidence
- resilience
- communication
- teamwork
- independence
- emotional regulation
- health and safety awareness
- problem-solving
- planning and sequencing
- employability skills
- metacognitive learning
We actively teach students to think about how they learn as well as what they learn.
Through practical projects they learn to recognise successful strategies, overcome barriers, solve problems independently and reflect on their own progress.
These transferable skills support future success in education, employment and everyday life.
Multi-Trade Skills
This pathway introduces students to practical construction and vocational skills through real projects and industry-inspired learning.
Modules may include:
- Plumbing
- Tiling
- Chair Making
- Electrics
- Bricklaying
- Dry Stone Walling
- Woodworking
- Tool Skills
- Construction Projects
Students develop practical competence while learning to work safely, plan tasks, measure accurately, solve problems and complete projects to a professional standard.
Outdoor, Rural & Heritage Skills
This pathway uses nature and practical outdoor activity to develop confidence, resilience and transferable life skills.
Modules may include:
- Permaculture
- Heritage Skills
- Rural Skills
- Dry Stone Walling
- Bushcraft
- Survival Skills
- Environmental Projects
- Outdoor Problem Solving
Students learn practical outdoor skills while developing teamwork, emotional regulation, resilience and environmental awareness.
Creative Industries
The Creative Industries pathway allows students to express themselves through practical creative projects while building confidence, communication and identity.
Modules may include:
- Circus
- Personal Brand
- Music Performance
- Music Composition
- Instrument Building
- Sculpture
- Mixed Media
- Painting
- Creative Design
Creative projects encourage experimentation, problem-solving and self-expression while producing meaningful finished outcomes.
Accreditation
Achievement at R.A.D.S is recognised through a range of accredited and certificated outcomes.
These may include:
- AQA Unit Award Scheme
- NUCO Plus First Aid Qualifications
- NOLA Outdoor Learning Accreditation
- Arts Award
- GCSE’s
- Internal Practical Certificates
- Evidence Portfolios
Our curriculum is designed so that students experience regular success through small, achievable milestones while building recognised evidence of their progress.
English, Maths and Academic Learning
R.A.D.S is a vocational alternative provision and does not directly provide English or maths tuition as part of its core offer.
However, literacy, numeracy, communication and problem-solving are embedded throughout practical learning.
Students regularly apply mathematical, communication and literacy skills through authentic vocational tasks.
Where formal academic tuition is required, we work closely with trusted partner tuition providers.
External tutors may also deliver tuition from the R.A.D.S site through our venue hire model, allowing students to receive academic teaching within a familiar, regulated environment while remaining supported by R.A.D.S staff.
Curriculum Planning and Review
Curriculum planning is an ongoing process.
During the first six weeks, students complete a baseline assessment using a carefully selected range of pre-entry and entry-level AQA Unit Award Scheme modules. This provides a holistic picture of their starting point across practical skills, engagement, confidence, communication, independence, emotional regulation and readiness to learn.
Students are reviewed against this baseline every term.
Curriculum reviews draw on:
- baseline assessment
- daily facilitator reports
- AQA Unit Award progress
- attendance
- CPOMS wellbeing, behaviour and safeguarding information
- professional feedback
- student voice
- agreed outcomes
This ensures every student’s curriculum continues to reflect their development, changing needs and future aspirations.
Why Our Curriculum Works
Many of the young people referred to R.A.D.S have experienced disrupted education, repeated failure or long periods of disengagement.
Our curriculum gives students opportunities to experience success through meaningful, practical learning that is relevant to their lives and future aspirations.
By combining specialist teaching, consistent relationships, accredited outcomes and practical achievement, students leave R.A.D.S with increased confidence, recognised evidence of their skills, a better understanding of how they learn and a clearer pathway towards further education, training, employment and independent adult life.