At Abbot’s Lea School, our Behaviour Curriculum forms an important part of our wider Personal Development Offer. It is designed to help students develop an understanding of themselves, their behaviour, their relationships with others and the strategies they can use to communicate their needs, manage emotions and feel successful in school and the wider community.

Our Behaviour Curriculum recognises that behaviour communicates something important. Students are supported to understand why behaviour happens, recognise their own needs and develop positive ways to communicate, self-regulate and seek support. This includes learning about the different functions of behaviour, sensory needs, emotional regulation and the importance of trusted adults and appropriate support.

A key focus of the curriculum is developing students’ self-awareness, confidence, self-esteem and sense of belonging. Students are supported to recognise their strengths, understand their individual differences and appreciate that everyone has a valuable place within their school and wider community.

For our autistic students, the curriculum also provides opportunities to develop a positive understanding of autism and individual identity. Students learn that autism presents differently for everyone and that needing support is not a weakness. Our key message is “Autism = Different, Not Less”, promoting self-understanding, self-advocacy, respect and pride in individual strengths and differences.

The curriculum also addresses the social situations students may encounter as they grow, including friendships, communication, managing difficult feelings, responding when others receive attention or achieve success, and understanding concepts such as banter, choice, consent and comfort.

Introducing our Behaviour Curriculum documents

The documents below provide an overview of the key Behaviour Curriculum strands taught at Abbot’s Lea School. They include information for families and students alongside collective reflection and teaching outcomes, showing both what we want students to understand and the incremental skills we are working towards.

The documents demonstrate how our Behaviour Curriculum supports students to develop the skills, understanding and confidence needed to understand themselves, communicate their needs, build positive relationships, manage emotions, make safe choices and participate successfully within their communities. Our approach is adapted to reflect the individual developmental needs of our students, ensuring that personal development is meaningful, accessible and relevant to them.