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At Bright Minds (BCMA) we cater to a cohort of learners with special educational needs and differences, some of which might cause some of our learners to miss essential social cues that contribute to skills that will be transferable in their personal development moving forward. Skills Builder provides a practical intervention to bridge a lot of the gaps some of our learners may have so that they can transition successfully and thrive throughout and after their time with us.
Overall impact
The essential skills highlighted throughout the Skills Builder programme have made the key terms that each of our learners know and use quite regularly much less abstract. By using visual reminders around the building and weaving the essential skills into key parts of our policies, learners themselves are able to recognise what these essential skills look like in practice and how they might perform these individually.
Keep it simple
At BCMA we have embedded Skills Builder as part of our Personal Development programme to be completed during tutor time. Classrooms have the essential skills displayed around the room to remind them about the discussions they have had with their tutors throughout the day. Learners have 2 key areas for development to work on identified on their Individual Classroom Plans (ICP) each term, which are informed by the essential skills framework and their progress with these skills is reviewed as part of a termly academic report, sent home to and discussed with parents.
Start early, keep going
The essential skills that make up the framework, also form part of our behaviour and and assessment policy here at BCMA. Learners are reminded by support staff and teachers about their key areas each day on a daily achievement sheet. Their progress in lessons against their 2 key areas is incentivised to keep the motivated to in achieving these.
Measure it
Learner progress on achievement sheets are tallied up, with learners being rewarded for their effort at the end of each term. Learners with the help of their tutor teams are then encouraged review and update their skill steps at least each term or as they deem necessary to ensure that the building of these skills is continuous and progressive.
Focus tightly
As part of our delivery, teaching staff are now required to cater to SMSC in their planning for Schemes of Learning and assessment. This means that opportunities for learners to demonstrate progress in these essential skills are embedded within the curriculum and personalised for each of our learners.
Keep practising
Our delivery for Personal Development at BMCA includes curriculum based trips and visits that give our learners the chance to work as a team, listen carefully and be creative; as well as Student Parliament which promotes the importance of speaking up and taking the lead in on important issues and areas of concern within the school.
Bring it to life
Planning is currently being put in place within the career's provision which will include a work experience programme for next year's year 10 cohort to demonstrate the transferable skills necessary for work informed by the essential skills framework. Here, we expect that our learners will have the chance to demonstrate their ability to work in a team, stay positive, problem solve in a work based context and listen carefully to instructions that will form part of their work remit.
What's next
In the next academic year, we plan to give our learners the opportunities to demonstrate these essential skills outside of the classroom and start the process of reflection and self assessment of these key skills in a work place setting. We want our learners to consider how these skills can be transferred to their work experience placements.
