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Thomasson Memorial School is a day school for deaf children, providing a nurturing and inclusive environment for students aged 2 to 16.
Overall impact
By embedding essential skills into the curriculum, extracurricular activities and work experience, we have been able to demonstrate that these skills are not a 'bolt-on' but something we use all the time. We have also been able to develop a shared language for students and staff to articulate their skill strengths and areas for development. A particular highlight this year has been the tenner challenge, where students were able to apply their essential skills to an exciting enterprise project. Students planned a spring fair with a variety of stalls, and managed to raise over £200!
Keep it simple
This year we have successfully built a common language for students and staff to talk about essential skills. We have done this by putting up posters in classrooms, handing out skills certificates in assembly and sending out half-termly Skills Builder reminders to staff. We have brought parents on board with essential skills by sharing weekly Homezone challenges on Twitter. Essential skills are also referenced in teaching and learning policy, our display policy and our careers policy to ensure long-term impact.
Start early, keep going
This year we have focused on consolidating our work in our secondary provision. In Summer 2 we launched Skills Builder with our primary staff and look forward to embedding essential skills within our primary provision.
Measure it
Our staff monitor student progress using an assessment spreadsheet made for us by our Education Associate. The spreadsheet is saved centrally, and allows us to identify student strengths and areas for development within the essential skills. Staff are given time to update their assessments during staff meetings.
Focus tightly
Our staff use resources and Projects on the Hub to teach essential skills, pitching them at the appropriate level for students. For KS3 students, this teaching takes place during weekly enterprise sessions. For KS4, this focused teaching takes place in form time. As we look to roll out further into our primary provision, we will involve staff in the discussion around when focused teaching should take place. Next year we are considering implementing drop-down days to build essential skills.
Keep practising
We have provided students with additional opportunities to practise the essential skills by embedding them into the curriculum and extracurricular activities. For example, in secondary lessons teachers refer to the skills posters and incorporate the skills icons into their Powerpoints. We have mapped the skills to some schemes of work, and onto the list of extracurricular activities that is shared with staff.
Bring it to life
This year we have brought the skills to life for students by participating in Careers Insights Sessions, where students learnt why the essential skills are important in different job roles. Our support staff have also been using the Projects on Skills Builder Hub with our KS3 students, and KS4 students have been reflecting on the skills they used during their work experience placements. Students have also been reflecting on how the essential skills helped them in the Tenner Challenge.
What's next
Next year, we our keen to continue our roll-out into our primary provision. We are also excited to embed the essential skills into our alternate curriculum.
