Whole Child Curriculum
Our Engagement Curriculum
At Goldwyn, we recognise that for many of our students, disengagement from education is not a choice but a presentation of need. As an SEMH school, we understand that pupils may experience barriers such as emotional distress, anxiety, Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), disrupted routines, and difficulties trusting education systems following trauma.
We are clear that these needs are protected under equality legislation. The Equality Act 2010 places a legal duty on schools to make reasonable adjustments for pupils with disabilities, including mental health needs, and the Children and Families Act 2014 reinforces our responsibility to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND. In this context, we acknowledge that traditional approaches to attendance and compliance are often ineffective and, at times, counterproductive.
A Trauma-Informed, Relationship-Led Approach
Our Engagement Curriculum is rooted in care, compassion and trauma-informed practice. We work from a deep understanding of how adverse experiences, anxiety and unmet needs can impact a child’s ability to attend school consistently and engage with learning.
We have specialist expertise in Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA) — a presentation where a child is unable to attend school due to overwhelming emotional distress. EBSA is not truancy or defiance; it is a complex anxiety-based response that requires skilled, sensitive and coordinated support. Our approach focuses on reducing threat, rebuilding trust and restoring a sense of safety and belonging.
Flexible, Tailored Pathways Back Into Learning
Our programmes are shaped around:
- individual readiness
- emotional regulation
- predictable routines
- gradual exposure to learning and school environments
- meaningful connection with trusted adults
Specialist Engagement Officers
Our Specialist Engagement Officers are a significant and integral part of our school offer and a core element of our Inclusion Team. They work proactively with students and families in homes and communities, building relationships, reducing barriers and supporting young people to “slide into” school-shaped programmes in a way that feels achievable and safe.
This outreach work enables us to meet students where they are, both emotionally and physically, and to build bridges back into education.
Early Intervention and Attendance as Inclusion
We place early intervention at the heart of our Engagement Curriculum. By identifying disengagement early and responding with the right environment, the right adults and the right support, we prevent long-term absence from becoming entrenched.
Attendance is not viewed as a punitive measure, but as a core inclusion priority. Our attendance initiatives are embedded within our wider SEMH and wellbeing offer, ensuring that school becomes a place students want to attend, feel safe in, and can succeed within.
At Goldwyn, engagement is not an add-on — it is a carefully designed curriculum, underpinned by expertise, compassion and an unwavering belief that every child can re-engage with learning when the right conditions are in place.
