Students at the earliest stages of development are on the St Christopher's Pre formal curriculum pathway. This pathway meets the needs of those with ‘Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) and complex learning difficulties and disabilities (CLDD) including health needs.

On this pathway the student’s needs are central to the planning and provision that is provided. Each day's activities are built around the individual learning needs of the student. Each student has a termly plan which includes their priority learning and therapy targets. We call this the ‘Pick and Mix’ approach.

On the St Christopher’s Pre formal Pathway we use a range of learning strategies and approaches that benefit students with PMLD and they are listed below, however this is not an exhaustive list

Remember that a ‘pick n mix’ style should be taken as what is suitable for one student may not be for another, and each child will access the curriculum offer that best meets their individual needs.

Things you may see in action on The Pre formal Pathway at St Christopher’s School.

• Attention autism https://ginadavies.co.uk/
• Sensory Stories (Joanna Grace, 2017) and (Flo Longhorn 1984, 2005) http://www.thesensoryprojects.co.uk/ 
• Low and High Tech Multi-sensory approaches https://hirstwood.com/ 
• TAC PAC https://tacpac.co.uk/  
• Bag Books http://www.bagbooks.org/
• Sherborne Movement https://www.sherbornemovementuk.org/about/sherborne-developmental-movement/ 
• MOVE programme http://www.complexneeds.org.uk/modules/Module-2.1-Planning-to-meet-needs/All/m05p115c.html 
• Rebound Therapy https://www.reboundtherapy.org/
• Sensory Cooking
• Sensory Play
• Sensory Maths Les Staves http://veryspecialmaths.co.uk/
• Story Telling and Call and Response – Keith Parks https://www.routledge.com/Interactive-Storytelling-Developing-Inclusive-Stories-for-Children-and/Park/p/book/9780863888199
• Hanging Out Programme Sheridan Forster https://sheridanforster.com.au/passions/hanging-out-program-hop /
• Intensive Interaction https://www.intensiveinteraction.org/
• Story Massage https://www.storymassage.co.uk/
• Songs and Rhymes
• Sensory Rooms, Individual sensory spaces, Sensory Umbrellas and A frames
• Cause and Effect and switch based activities https://www.ianbean.co.uk/
• Sensory Art
• PECS https://pecs-unitedkingdom.com/pecs/
• Total Communication and the Fundamentals of Communication https://www.totalcommunication.org.uk/objects-of-reference/ 
• Drama Approaches (Bamazoole and Frozen light) https://bamboozletheatre.co.uk/ 
• Music Drumming, Resonance boards, singing, sound beam https://soundsofintent.org/

The Online Learning Journal Tapestry is used to inform families of their child’s progress and provides visual evidence of progression using, videos, photos and witness statements from the class team. All students have priority personalised learning intentions (PLI’s) and progress against the targets is monitored and shared.

Fun, engagement and enjoyment are at the heart of the Preformal Pathway. Student’s interests and motivators are incorporated in learning wherever possible.