Skills Builder

This content was written by

Brading Church of England Controlled Primary School

Context

Brading CE Primary School is a small, less than one form entry school on the Isle of Wight. We got involved with Skills Builder as we live on a small island and some of the children have low expectations of gaining employment and demonstrated a lack of a work-based skills base.

Overall impact

The children talk about the skills in each lesson and as time has gone on, their discussion is more skills based and shows a good understanding of what the world of work might look like.

Keep it simple

Skills are now referenced within the PSHE policy and form part of all the topic plans for the coming year. Skills are also included within School Evaluation Framework and all PSHE subject development plans. The language is used within collective worship across the school through assembly time. All classroom spaces have skills posters up on display and central display in the hall with quotes from children demonstrating skill use. A corridor display is in place with quotes from the children, weekly skill certificates are awarded and all classes are using Dojo to award skill steps. Skills challenges are incorporated into weekly newsletter.

Start early, keep going

All students and classes from EYFS to Year 6 have weekly opportunities to learn and practice the skills. We plan to extend into resource provision for KS2 to support students with SEMH needs.

Measure it

The majority of staff are using observation to inform when skills and steps focuses are acheived. This is captured easily on the Hub. Baseline assessment and updating of focus skills is occurring regularly as new skills are introduced. The Hub Report has also been useful in this regard.

Focus tightly

Staff have delivered weekly skills sessions based on the focus skill. An example timetable for next year has been shared with staff including Skills Builder. Each skill has been matched to a topic in each Year group to support delivery, as well as a letter from the 'Brading Child' vision. Weekly slot timetabled in for teachers to deliver learning on focus skill, using short lessons on the Hub, either after lunch or during morning work sessions. Skills icons included on visual timetables and planning.

Keep practising

Skills icons are highlighted on weekly planning for Maths, English, Science, Computing and Art. After school wrap around club has activities linked to the skills and these are reinforced by our hall display. Language of the skills is referenced in a range of school activities, e.g. off timetable days, assemblies. Skills icons could be included within lesson slides/notebooks to make explicit links to the essential skills within learning. Skills language is used within enrichment curriculum activities to make links to essential skills within all aspects of the curriculum.

Bring it to life

Students are taking icons with them to support reflective discussions around the skills on trips and visits. Skills used on trips and visits are reflected on and shared in our weekly newsletter afterwards. Teachers have been referencing the skills when on trips and passports are used to support student reflection.

What's next

We are going to carry on with the programme next year using Digital Membership.

South West England

United Kingdom