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As leaders of our schools we are passionate that our children get the best opportunities. As a staff, we believe in giving our children a curriculum that is engaging with enriching activities that foster a love of learning, not just for the here and now but for life.
Skills Builder unpins all our values and this is embedded throughout the school, to our parents and children and also represented in our Towers Logo.
Overall impact
Careers week was a massive success for us. I also think with the skills embedded on the log - this makes a big difference. Learners are able to recognise and talk about their skills, and whole school events like skills builder week really bring everyone together.
Keep it simple
We consistently undertake staff CPD training, for all staff, covering how to set up a class assessment, and map skills to the curriculum. This year, our Education Associate made Oracy and SEND specific training sessions as part of our flexible support. Essential skills are mapped across the federation, with our school logo showing the skills. This ensures skills are shared across our school network, with parents, and the local community. Our careers week is purely focused on Skills Builder and the worksheets reflect that. We also celebrate skills in our newsletters and social media.
Start early, keep going
All learners across our Infant and Junior school take part in our Skills Builder weeks - stickers are given out for showing skills, and with displays in the classroom, we constantly refer back to what the skills are and how we use them through a number of themed weeks over the year.
Measure it
We regularly use the dashboard and the Hub, in Skills Builder week staff choose what skills they want to focus on that they feel is a weakness in their class. The assessments are helpful for understanding what skills children are finding difficult. ELSA groups help support children and their communication skills, adapting - skills builder is referred to during these sessions.
Focus tightly
Children are given regular opportunities to build their essential skills through skills builder week and curriculum planning. All children also take part in challenge days and projects, which we use during skills builder weeks to teach skills directly.
Keep practising
Skills are all across the curriculum - skills slides shown to the children continually reflect what skills are being used in specific lessons. We also bring skills into school events, for example maths week, geography day, enterprise - Y5 children which involves all the skills and involvement in the summer fete, cookery classes.
Bring it to life
We work with a number of employers for careers week, with real life discussions so they understand what they need to do after education. We also enjoy the challenge days and projects - this year all children took part in Level Up, developing their essential skills as they create their own video game!
What's next
Continue to grow the knowledge of skills builder and continue to embed a range of careers within our curriculum using skills builder as the driving force.
