Skills Builder Global

This content was written by

Katherine Warington School

Context

Katherine Warington School in Harpenden opened to pupils in Year 7 in September 2019 and we now have students from Y7-10. In the future, we will also have a Sixth Form. The ethos of our school is aimed at enabling every student to make outstanding progress, whatever their starting point. We offer traditional academic values with an innovative, technology rich approach, providing high-quality education for young people within their local community. Central to our vision for the school is the shared belief that young people have the right to a transformational educational experience. Our school fosters a learning culture that rewards effort, inspires learning and engenders a shared belief amongst all members of the school community that they are equipped to thrive in a changing world. We got involved in the Skills Builder Accelerator programme as we wanted to develop the students as a whole, beyond the classroom, so that they are ready for the world of work once they leave us.

Overall impact

All students are now aware that you don't just need good grades to be ready for the world of work and to be considered for employment. Many of them also realise the benefit in developing these skills to their everyday school life.

Keep it simple

Skills Builder has been launched to all year groups with an assembly at the start of the academic year. Following this assembly, every form group in each year group spent one form time per week participating in one of the Skills Builder short lessons. These lessons were directed by the Careers Lead, so that all students across the year group were completing the same session. Skills Builder posters were displayed in all classrooms and referred to in lessons.

Start early, keep going

All students in school, from Y7-10 have one session per week in form time. Training was also given to the SEN team on how they may use the resources to support their 1-1 or small group sessions with students.

Measure it

Students have used the Benchmark tool to evaluate their own skill level in each of the skills and form tutors have assessed progress on the Skills Builder Hub. All students and form tutors completed a final assessment of skills towards the end of the academic year.

Focus tightly

The weekly form time sessions for Skills Builder give students regular opportunity to build their essential skills. The session resources on the Hub are used to deliver this.

Keep practising

Students are encouraged to use their skills during drop down days, for example, the Y9 "Dragons Den" day. They were also asked to consider the skills used prior to, and following, work experience through pre and post work experience lessons. We also have something called P7 at the end of every day, which is 30 minutes compulsory extra curricular activities. Students are encouraged to reflect on the skills that they are developing during these sessions.

Bring it to life

When employers come into school to do talks, we provide them with the prompt sheet detailing the essential skills and we ask them to embed this into their talks.

What's next

Embedding Skills Builder into the curriculum was challenging this year. More training for subject teachers would be needed to move forward with this.