Yellow Pathway

Our Yellow pathway is designed for pupils with complex learning difficulties whose needs are less profound than those in our Blue, Green and Purple pathways, and who are ready to engage in a more formal curriculum.

It provides an adapted version of the National Curriculum alongside a strong focus on independence, confidence and preparation for adult life. Pupils access subject-specific teaching with appropriate adaptations, allowing them to develop deeper understanding and apply their learning in meaningful ways.

The aim of this pathway is to develop knowledge, skills, a love of learning and readiness for life beyond school. Pupils study a broad range of subjects and work towards recognised qualifications. Progress is measured against Yellow pathway curriculum targets and EHCP outcomes using Evidence for Learning.

Who is on the Yellow pathway?

Yellow hla

The Yellow pathway runs from Year 7 to Year 11. Pupils usually move on to further education or training at a local college in Year 12.

Learners on this pathway typically:

  • Can communicate and interact with others, but may lack depth, clarity or understanding

  • May experience physical and/or emotional wellbeing difficulties

  • Are several years behind age-related expectations in learning

  • May be behind their peers in independence and social confidence

  • Can find complex concepts difficult to understand

They access subject-specific teaching with appropriate adaptations, and learning is taught in depth to support understanding and progress.

KS3 Yellow Pathway

The KS3 curriculum is set out in a similar way to a mainstream secondary curriculum. Please see our current annual plan below:

KS3 Annual Plan

Lessons are subject specific but are usually interlinked and cross-curricular. 

Exemplar KS3 Timetable

KS4 Yellow Pathway

In KS4, the focus moves increasingly towards:

  • Preparation for Further Education

  • Life skills and independence

  • Pathways into future careers

Alongside core subjects such as English, Maths, Science and Humanities, pupils access a range of wider learning opportunities.

Careers and Work Experience

Our Yellow pathway allows pupils to gain a valuable understanding of the world of work. It aims to help them overcome any barriers they may face when trying to enter the workplace. We measure the impact of our careers curriculum in a number of ways, from assessing pupils' understanding of theory work to how well they perform in work experience placements. 

Where possible we track our pupils' destinations post-Highfield to establish how many have entered the workplace. We support our teaching with ‘Talentino’.

Qualifications

Over their time in KS4, learners will complete work for English and Maths at Entry 1-3 with exams being sat with Pearson/Edexcel. It is also possible for pupils to sit Functional Skills Levels 1 and 2 in English and Maths where appropriate.

Impact

We know from feedback from students, parents/carers, further education providers and employers that our Yellow pathway has the following impacts:

  • learners are more confident, often having worked through anxieties around self-perceived failures in learning and gaining qualifications
  • students are able to access the world around them because they have developed the knowledge and skills to do so. This could be linked to reading, speaking and listening, improvements in their ability to self-regulate behaviour, being able to tell the time, travel independently and much more
  • our young people are regular attenders - whether at an FE college or in a place of work
  • pupils are willing and more likely to try new experiences as they have had so many opportunities to do so during their time in school

Moving on from the Yellow pathway

Learners in the Yellow pathway usually stay on roll until the end of Year 11. Discussions on moving on begin from the year 9 annual review and are complemented with other guidance including careers interviews and Moving On events. 

Nearly all Yellow pathway learners will transition to a local further education provider to study specialist college courses at an appropriate level. The programmes of study at college include Maths and English alongside a range of vocational options that they can in turn take into employment. A small minority leave Highfield and gain training or employment without accessing college first.