All students at ACE follow an individual timetable that is based around their needs, interests and longer term aspirations. All timetables cover core academic and behavioural skills and all involve basic elements of personal development, life skills and employability skills.
Students are however placed onto one of two distinct pathways according to planned destination points. These are kept under constant review and may change according to circumstances.

Route Mainstream
For students that are working towards returning to their original school or making a fresh start in a new school, the emphasis of their curriculum at ACE is to work on basic academic skills, personal and behavioural skills they need to address any issues that have occurred in the past and make sure that a return to school is a positive and successful experience.
Students will normally spend time at ACE focusing on basic learning skills via a wide range of different subject areas, in improving their levels of attendance / punctuality / effort and in meeting the key personal skills; what we call the ACE Skills for Success:

• Emotional Self Control
• Task Performance
• Open Mindedness
• Engagement with others
• Collaboration
• Time Management

As students develop these skills we will talk to students and parent / carers about planning for a gradual transition back into full time school and offering support before, during and after the move to give it the maximum chance of being successful.

Route 19
For students who are unlikely to return to mainstream school, then the main focus is on identifying a post ACE destination and ensuring that students have the skills, qualifications and personal qualities required to make sure that this move is successful.

Whilst the emphasis is on GCSE and other nationally recognised qualifications, some of which will be delivered at ACE and others through the use of specialist alternative provisions, there is an understanding that students also need support with the social, emotional and life-skills elements of their education. An important part of this is making sure all students get access to a high quality Careers education and guidance program so they can make informed decisions about what they want to go on and do after ACE.

The aim of the curriculum is to provide a broad and balanced range of academic, life skill and job related courses that will allow students the maximum choice and opportunity to move on to further education, employment or training successfully. This curriculum and the qualifications are designed around conversations with the students and parent / carers in order to ensure that it is as individualised and relevant as possible and that students are learning the right skills and taking the right courses to get to where they want to be. Alternative providers are used to add specialised job related qualifications to what ACE can offer and more choice for students.

Students are given individual guidance and support in looking at their post Year 11 options, in visiting and applying for local colleges, jobs, apprenticeship and training provisions and through the application and interview process. ACE then keeps contact with students at the start of the following academic year to provide any additional help in case plans have changed over the summer holiday or as a result of actual qualification results.