Vocational Studies
Intent
The intent behind life skills lessons is to equip young individuals with the knowledge, understanding, and practical abilities needed to navigate daily life, build healthy relationships, and achieve personal and social well-being.
The lessons aim to foster self-awareness, empathy, critical thinking, communication skills, and the ability to make responsible decisions, as well as problem-solving abilities among youth and young adults to navigate through daily challenges more easily.
Ultimately, life skills education prepares individuals for future success in various aspects of life, including education, employment, and personal relationships.
We focus on four areas for the assessments however there are many aspects to develop in each of the four areas. This is done within the classroom learning environment as well as in real life scenarios, through trips and visits.
Further information
Key Stage 4
Students will gain valuable life skills and experiences through a variety of different topic areas. This leads to the development of transferrable skills which lead directly to employment. As a result, the students work in this course will be focused upon the development of these skills in real world scenarios. Examples of these skills include communication, working with others, problem solving, managing and presenting information and self-management and development.
Year 10
Unit 4 – preparing a meal for others.
Students will learn the important and skills of independent living. They will choose what they are going to cook for others and what dietary requirements the people they are cooking for have. The students will then select appropriate ingredients, equipment and utensils and prepare the meals using safe procedures. The skills learned in this unit will include, planning a meal, participating in the preparation of a meal for others and preparing a simple meal safely. This also includes the students sitting down together and eating their meal as a group and the importance of this.
Unit 20 – Using public transport
Students will learn to build their confidence and enhance their independence by developing these skills and then putting them into practice by using public transport to go on an outing with others in their group. The students will plan to use public transport and then participate in a group outing using public transport to reach an agreed destination. This will be combined with a visit to a cultural destination, for example The Box in Plymouth.
Year 11
Unit 3 - Handling Money transactions
There are different situations when you may be handling money belonging to other people. The students get to experience and discuss when these situations occur and what they would do in these scenarios. In this unit, the students learn the value of coins and notes, how to handle money you receive from others and how to keep it safe. As part of this, they will find out how to handle money transactions responsibly. Following on from this, they will carry out money transactions when handling others’ money. The students will also understand the skills for paying or receiving others’ money for purchases. This will be discussed and put in a real-life scenario for example shopping in a supermarket.
Unit 1 – Adapting to new situations
Students will explore changes you experience in life and how personal feelings are affected in new situations. This could be situations such as having left school, moved home, found new friends or perhaps moved to a new town. The students will explore what new situations you may encounter in your personal life and situations you may experience in your learning centre or at work. You will develop skills to help you adapt to new situations successfully.
Curriculum Plans
Curriculum time allocation
KS4 - 6 hours a fortnight (option)
SEND Learner Experience in Vocational Studies
Planning
When planning in lessons we consider the cognitive load and development of learning. In a practical context modelling is used to reinforce key skills and how to develop these. During the modelling there will be narration of what is expected in the task and the consistency of this during lessons. These core skills are built upon each year, helping students prepare for that specific lesson content as well as to build upon previous learning. In a theoretical setting the resources planned also consider cognitive load and expectations during tasks. The lesson power points show learning journeys, so the students are aware of the current lesson content. This will also indicate the previous learning and what is upcoming in that topic area. There will also be modelling planned for with examples shown of how to complete and expectations around written work.
In PAVE directorate meetings, as well as link leadership meetings the team discuss pupils with SEND and how to respond effectively with their needs. This also includes checking for progress, whether this is the form of data, lesson drop-ins or looking at student work. This will indicate if we need to adapt and adjust in terms of planning and strategies around this or relevant CPD.
In terms of teacher planning, we will complete class plans for the teaching groups including the use of ILP’s and ECHP’s this will form the use of different strategies to support the student’s learning. The plans are referred to by the teacher but also reviewed by the PAVE leadership team and in co-ordination with the SEND team.
Before each lesson
The individual needs of the students are checked by the team and any changes will be reviewed in terms of strategies being employed in their teaching. There will be a set seating plan and grouping plan used by the teachers and reflected on their knowledge of the students and specific SEND needs within a group.
As part of this seating plans in theory settings and groupings in a practical setting will also be reviewed by the team and adjustments made when necessary. The use of updates from Arbor
We regularly check Arbor to check for changes to individual needs and refresh our knowledge of required strategies.
Entry routine
The entry routines in Vocational Studies are consistent and have a focus of meeting and greeting the students in a positive way. The teacher will meet the students by the classroom door and welcome them. This enables the team to support any student’s issues or concerns promptly at the start of the lesson and to support in a positive way. In terms of routines thresholding is used where students are met with a positive and warm welcome. This will be at the classroom door for theory lessons or outside practical areas such as the cooking room. It is important to build positive relationships, and this warm and positive approach encourages this.
The students will transition into entry routines which will start with retrieval tasks. This takes place both in theory and practical settings these routines focus on previous learning whether this is recent recall or spaced practice. In a practical environment this will be part of a practical starter to give the students time to think about the question posed. These will be available to see in theory lessons and verbally posed in practical lessons. This may take many forms including individually in silence or in group situations encouraging debate and discussion.
During teaching
During Vocational Studies lessons the staff team will use a variety of teaching and learning strategies using the framework for learning. This will included direct instruction where the students will experience new ideas and concepts and new vocabulary around this. These ideas will be modelled live both in a theory or practical setting to enable to students to get a visual template of how to complete the task. In guided learning tasks the students will through the task with the food and nutrition staff, this is narrated to show the students the thought process at that moment of time. When the students are working independently, they have the opportunity work on their own to practice mastering the specific task. At this time the teachers will circulate consistently, looking for misconceptions or any individual support. This will enable the team to see the work being produced and any gaps that occur. The use of short marking in theory lessons will support this. The use of feedback will also be consistent, so there are opportunities for the students to gain feedback on how to take their work to the next level. This can be through targeted questioning or short marking. There is also the opportunity for instant feedback when the students are performing both individually or in a group environment. This will check for understanding and give the information required to improve that piece of work. There will be a series of questioning techniques being used and when using cold call strategies there is a prompt or time for identified students to check for accurate responses. Having the confidence to share ideas and views are important, and a positive learning environment will support this.
When there is a TA present, the teacher will communicate with them on how they can best support the learning in that lesson. This will be accompanied by the TA knowledge of the specific students and what works well in different situations. It is important, particularly in practical lessons for the TAs to be involved in the doing part and this is shown in their lessons through positive working relationships.
To ensure consistency in behaviour, the College’s STAR behaviours system is used. This is narrated to the students with the expectations around this explained. This is done in a positive and warm way and sets consistency in both theory and practical lessons.
At the end of the lesson exit routines will be consistently used to finish the lesson in an appropriate way and set the standards to continue for the next lesson. This will include reinforcing expectations but also being positive about the day ahead and finishing the lesson in a positive way. As a result, thresholding will take when the lesson finishes.
After each lesson
After the lesson the teachers will review the lesson and consider how to move forward in line with the sequencing of lessons already set. If misconceptions are evident for SEND students in a lesson this is reviewed and could lead to adapting lesson content moving forward. Any misconceptions can also be addressed in retrieval tasks, both from recent previous learning and spaced practice to reinforce previous misconceptions. Any feedback, whether verbal or written will be clear and concise, considering how misconceptions or targets can be addressed, therefore enabling students to extend their work. If there are any concerns about specific learning experiences for students there is a positive relationship between the staff members and the SEND team, communicating and working together to resolve these issues.
After each assessment
Any feedback, whether verbal or written will be clear and concise, considering how misconceptions or targets can be addressed, therefore students are given developmental areas to work on too. Key areas of misconceptions are also retaught after assessments.
Reading and literacy in Vocational Studies
Subject contact
Shaun Hulbert