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The Academy is a small secondary serving the Manhood Peninsula in West Sussex. The school is 20% of students are eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) with some acute poverty mixed in with a population who are financially comfortable but self made rather than university educated. Due to our geography students tend to look for the safe option and lack aspiration. We noticed a real lack of understanding about opportunities but also the type of skills required to be successful. The Skills Builder programme identified 'Teamwork, Aiming High, Staying Positive' as a starting point.
Overall impact
The impact has been huge. We have already seen Year 11 students comment on revisiting essential skills at their 'pre-college' futures interviews. Staff understand the skills, as they use simple, tangible language which can be related to all parts of the curriculum. The CPD for all aspects of Skills Builder is well informed and directed appropriately. From a senior leader's perspective, this has allowed us to approach our external partners with confidence.
Keep it simple
In the first year, we supported all Key Stage 3 students through a tutor program looking at Teamwork, Aiming High, Staying Positive, one skill per term. This, despite COVID has been developed in our second year to support the curriculum, through the skills posters, and via our 3 'futures interviews' which support student discussions with local and national business people. We used the Home Learning Zone to identify tasks available at home during lockdown. Our Year 11 students and parents are working on the Skills Builder Benchmark self-reflection tool during the summer term to plan their next steps.
Start early, keep going
We have looked to engage all ages through the tutor programme. The whole curriculum promotes learning through the Skills Builder approach. This is highlighted in a recent survey (May-June 2021) which showed that 80% of staff and students used Skills Builder skills in lessons. We have also looked to promote the essential skills with our external partners to promote a common language (Futures Interviews, Work Experience for Year 10 and Careers experiences with Year 7 and 8).
Measure it
All students complete an evaluation, for example: "Molly comes across as really a good communicator and a great team player. Think about what you will do if you don't like doing your chosen career path. It was a pleasure to learn more about you and good luck for the future." Another read, "Josh was clear about the skills needed for music production and his planned career choices in the future. Josh identified how his skills from school, and hobbies, would link to a college course and future work, and spoke about how he uses software to extend and perfect his music and editing skills." We survey all stakeholders in May and November. 80% of staff and students used Skills Builder skills in lessons. Our survey has also directed CPD support for middle leaders to plan the curriculum around our school learning cycle.
Focus tightly
Each lesson has a Skills Builder essential skill focus. Whilst this may not refer to the Framework steps, as we would do with Benchmark or tutor time, it has developed the language of skills development. Our Futures Interviews and external partnerships are encouraged to invest in the essential skills. This is extending to our most vulnerable students who will work with the local authority and the West Sussex Fire Service developing skills and self-esteem through a community based project. The Skills Builder approach will underpin this project.
Keep practising
Each day, students use and see the essential skills in lessons (using the skills posters). Discussions about leadership, listening and speaking underpin the behaviour policy. Middle leaders have been asked to identify the essential skills in mid-term planning to ensure these are revisited across the curriculum. This will promote achievement as students link learning to future success and for some make the subject material more relevant as an essential skill is developed alongside knowledge.
Bring it to life
We will be using the essential skills during work experience this year. Our Year 10 students took part in the pilot virtual employer event in December 2020 - students constantly referred to the essential skills as they looked to develop a solutions to a task set by UBS coping with isolation whilst working from home. Our students are starting to report and record essential skills on their online evidence platform. This will support them write CVs and present their abilities at post-16 or post-18 interviews.
What's next
We are looking to relaunch our tutor program in September using the Skills Builder Hub for Years 7-9 and the Benchmark and Launchpad tools with Years 10-11. Following CPD we will look to ensure that 100% of staff are using the essential skills in lessons and middle leaders are confident in identifying the skills matching to the curriculum. We will look to develop a bespoke learning opportunity with vulnerable young people to develop self esteem and high aspirations.
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