Skills Builder

This content was written by

Manor Green School

Context

Manor Green is an Special Educational Needs School for students aged 2-19. Our project-based enterprise curriculum aims to prepare students for life beyond Manor Green and is further enriched by our unique philosophy of the ACE Model, which places equal importance on each of the three components of successful learning: Academic progress (we are a school first and foremost), Care and therapeutic learning support (we are a special school)and Enrichment and life skills development (education is for life!). Skills Builder fits perfectly with our student-centred, dynamic classroom approach, allowing our to students acquire a deeper knowledge through active exploration of real-world challenges and problems, gaining knowledge and transferable skills by working on a termly Skills Builder project. As a result, they develop deep content subject knowledge as well as critical thinking, creativity and communication skills.

Overall impact

The programme has had a really good impact on students and the teachers enjoy teaching it.

Keep it simple

We have embedded the essential skills into our curriculum, so the language used is a common theme throughout the day and in all lessons.

Start early, keep going

Our students learn transferable skills which, alongside the essential skills are built on as they progress through the school. Parents are aware of the skills and are invited into school at the end of the topics each term.

Measure it

We have the essential skills on Earwig, our assessment tool. Teachers are able to 'tag' skills alongside academic or Education Health Care Plan targets. It is helpful to see how the skills are embedded across the curriculum.