At LINK19, although we are a small provision with 37 learners, we ensure that all learners are exposed to the Skills Builder framework in an equal and consistent way from the very beginning of their journey with us. Learners are introduced to the skills as soon as they join the college, starting in the classroom as their first point of contact. This introduction begins even earlier through learner tours, July induction, and transition days, where both learners and parents/carers are introduced to the Skills Builder framework and the importance of these essential skills. The skills are also visible on our website and brochure, meaning learners and their families can begin to develop awareness of them before learners officially start. We support learners at different stages by using a highly inclusive and accessible approach. Visual representations of the skills are a key strength, particularly for learners who benefit from pictorial support. Having the skills clearly displayed around the college makes them visible, familiar, and easy to understand for all learners. This visibility is reinforced during tours and induction activities, ensuring early and repeated exposure. To ensure continuity, the skills are consistently referred to across all lessons and activities. Staff regularly link learning tasks back to the Skills Builder skills, helping learners recognise how they are developing them over time. Staff also use tools such as flashcards, which link key words with images, to reinforce understanding and provide additional support where needed. Our inclusive approach ensures that every learner, regardless of ability or starting point, can access and engage with the skills. Regular communication with parents and carers helps them understand the skills their young people are developing, enabling reinforcement beyond the college environment. Repetition, visual support, and consistent language help learners to build confidence and understanding as they progress. Best practice we would share is to introduce the skills early, including during tours, transition events, and induction days; make them highly visible; and involve parents and carers from the outset. Revisiting the skills regularly in different contexts, alongside using visuals, consistent language, and practical examples, helps learners to make connections and ensures the skills are embedded over time.

At LINK19 College, assessment takes place in a range of meaningful and practical ways. Staff use ongoing observation and questioning during lessons and activities to identify when learners are demonstrating specific skills. This allows assessment to be embedded naturally within everyday learning, rather than being seen as a separate task. We also place a strong emphasis on reflection and portfolio building, particularly through work placement logs. After each shift, learners reflect on which skills they have used and how they have supported them in the workplace. This not only helps track progress over time but also encourages learners to recognise the real-life value of these skills. Progress is formally recognised and celebrated during termly assemblies, where staff highlight learners who have demonstrated particular skills or made significant progress. This celebration motivates learners and reinforces the importance of developing these essential skills. Our approach combines observation, questioning, and reflective practice, which works well for our setting and supports our learners’ needs. This ensures that assessment is inclusive, continuous, and meaningful. Best practice we would share is to embed assessment into everyday activities, use real-life contexts such as work placements to support reflection, and celebrate progress regularly. This creates a positive culture where learners can clearly see their growth and understand the importance of their skills development over time.

At LINK19 College, we ensure that essential skills are taught directly as well as reinforced through everyday activities. We make time within lessons to focus specifically on skills, using clear explanations, modelling, and structured activities that help learners understand what each skill looks like and how to use it. Direct teaching takes place within the classroom as the first point of contact, where staff explicitly introduce and break down each skill in a simple and accessible way. These skills are then revisited regularly through planned activities in our schemes of work, ensuring that learners have repeated opportunities to practise and develop them. To ensure all learners receive teaching at the right level, we use a highly inclusive approach, supported by visual aids such as skill icons, classroom displays, and flashcards. These resources help learners, particularly those who benefit from pictorial support, to understand and engage with the skills. Staff adapt their teaching by modelling the skills, using consistent language, and linking learning to real-life situations, including social interactions and work placements. Direct teaching is also strengthened by linking skills to real experiences. For example, before or during activities, staff will explicitly highlight the focus skill (such as Teamwork or Listening), explain what success looks like, and then revisit it afterwards to reflect on how it was used. Best practice we would share is to make direct teaching simple, consistent, and visible. Use clear language, break skills down into manageable steps, and support learning with visuals and modelling. Embedding skills into schemes of work and revisiting them regularly ensures that all learners, regardless of ability, can access, practise, and build confidence over time.

At LINK19 College, we ensure that learners have regular and meaningful opportunities to practise essential skills across all areas of college life. These opportunities are built deliberately into different subject areas, social activities, and work placements, so that skills are continuously reinforced in a range of contexts, including enrichment activities such as our residential at Low Grange Park and our Community Day at New Ash Green. We link practice to all subject areas by embedding the Skills Builder framework into our schemes of work and lesson planning. Staff consistently highlight and revisit key skills during activities - for example, developing Teamwork through group tasks, Listening during instructions, or Problem Solving in practical sessions. This ensures that practising the skills becomes a natural part of everyday learning. Beyond the classroom, learners have additional opportunities to practise their skills through work placements, where they apply them in real-life settings and reflect on them in their work placement logs. Social times and interactions across the college also provide valuable opportunities for learners to practise communication, teamwork, and self-management in a more informal way. Enrichment experiences, such as the residential, provide extended opportunities for learners to develop independence, teamwork, and resilience in a new environment, while the Community Day allows learners to engage with the wider community and practise communication and collaboration in a real-world context. We have also organised a dedicated Skills Builder Day, which is a key highlight. This event gives learners the chance to focus specifically on practising a range of essential skills through targeted activities, helping to consolidate their understanding and build confidence in a fun, engaging environment. Our approach is supported by consistent visual prompts, such as displays and flashcards, which staff use to reinforce skills and encourage learners to recognise when they are using them. This repetition across different settings helps learners understand that these skills are transferable and essential in all areas of life. Best practice we would share is to provide frequent, varied, and deliberate opportunities for learners to practise skills across all contexts - not just in lessons. Embedding skills into schemes of work, using real-life experiences like work placements and enrichment activities such as residentials and community events, and creating focused opportunities such as Skills Builder Days helps ensure that learners can apply, develop, and retain these essential skills over time.

At LINK19 College, we bring essential skills to life by ensuring learners apply them in real, meaningful contexts with clear outcomes. Learners complete a Skills Builder day linked to enrichment activities, allowing them to practise and demonstrate their skills in purposeful and engaging ways. A key feature of our approach is our dedicated Skills Builder Week, where learners take part in a range of focused activities designed to develop and apply essential skills. This provides an opportunity to celebrate the skills while giving learners practical experiences that build confidence and understanding. We strongly connect classroom learning to the wider community and employers through work placements, where skills are embedded into day-to-day tasks. Learners apply skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving in real workplace environments, helping them understand their importance and relevance for employment. They also reflect on these skills in their work placement logs, reinforcing the connection between learning and real-world application. This consistent approach ensures learners see that the skills they develop in the classroom are directly transferable to real-life situations, including employment and community engagement. Best practice we would share is to create real-life opportunities for learners to apply their skills, such as work placements, enrichment activities, and themed events like Skills Builder Week. Linking learning to real outcomes helps learners understand the value of essential skills and prepares them effectively for life beyond education.