The Ashington Learning Partnership (ALP) consists of two large Primary Schools (Bothal Primary School and Central Primary School) in Northumberland. Across four sites, the ALP collectively caters for 1,500 pupils from age 2-11 - serving an area of significant deprivation. The ALP currently holds the Skills Builder Gold Award and looks forward to gaining Flagship Status during the Summer of 2022. With Flagship Status, the ALP looks forward to developing a leading role in sharing, promoting and developing practice for Essential Skills and participating in cutting-edge research. This year, we were proud to represent Skills Builder, nationally - as part of the Partnership Event in London and WISE Award. Across 15 years, and in conjunction with both local and major employers, the ALP Trust has developed, embedded and refined 'Skills for Life' (resilience, communication, team-working, being safe, problem solving and self-motivation) as an intrinsic part of our organisation. As these Essential Skills resonated with the Skills Builder Essential Skills - we embraced the Skills Builder approach in 2020. As important as any subject area - from the age of 2 - the ALP has set ambitious age-related expectations for Essential Skills, setting a trajectory for our pupils for success in Secondary Education, Further Education/Training, Higher Education, the workplace and life. As part of our routine practice, the Essential Skills are explicitly taught and practiced across subject areas and the wider curriculum. Outcomes are systematically and robustly assessed, data forensically/quantitatively analysed and used to inform practice, target skills/children/gaps identified and targeted and case studies developed for our most vulnerable groups of children. The Essential Skills are intrinsic to everything we do and ensure our children are fully equipped to 'Be the best they can be' This case study can only capture a fraction of what we do - we would love to discuss our work with you.

The Essential Skills are intrinsic to everything we do. Skills development is embedded and refined - for example, through our school development plans, curriculum intent, planning, pupil/staff books, planners - and is celebrated by our community. Our Teaching and Learning profile details the delivery of Essential Skills through the science of learning. Professional development meetings afford opportunities for staff to use deliberate practice to refine their teaching of Essential Skills. Parent meetings have an Essential Skills focus. Our action/development plan for Essential Skills is set out over three years and is closely monitored by a lead governor.

As important as any subject area - from the age of 2 - ambitious age-related expectations have been developed for Essential Skills, setting a trajectory for our pupils for success in Secondary Education, Further Education/Training, Higher Education, the workplace and life. Outcomes (and progress) are systematically and robustly assessed, data forensically/quantitatively analysed and used to inform practice, target children/gaps identified and targeted and case studies developed for our most vulnerable groups of children (inc. PP and SEND). Each term, we collect the career aspirations of all pupils - this is tracked/monitored across their journey through our schools. Essential Skills undertake a systematic cycle of monitoring, review, reporting, moderation and improvement.

The ALP Trust holds the Career Mark for our work with careers and Essential Skills. Progressive opportunities are built into the curriculum for children to apply the Essential Skills they are developing. With Skills Builder, opportunities have included - Challenge Day events, employer Q and A sessions and Virtual Visits. These opportunities have proven outstanding in drawing explicit links between Essential Skills and Careers. Our Trust works with a wide range of employers, including - Arup, BMW, AkzoNobel, Wild About Adventure, Primary Engineer and the Challenger Space centre. Our outdoor provision has been developed to compliment this offer - including the recent development of an enchanted garden and STEM shed.