Ready For Life  

2022 -2023

“Working together to do our best”

Department Aims:

• All students to be challenged to achieve the required qualifications for their next destination.
• All students to experience a range of workplace opportunities, environments, and employee encounters, to gain the skills needed to progress onto the next stage of their lives.
• All students to learn life skills to empower them to become as independent as possible and be valued members of society.
• All students to learn valuable strategies to equip them to become healthy individuals with positive mental health and wellbeing, self-confidence and good self-esteem.

Curriculum

Learning Breadth:

• Maths
• English
• ICT
• PSHE including Relationship and Sex Education
• Protective Behaviours
• Life Skills
• Careers and Employability

Curriculum Overview

Accreditation achieved by the end of Key stage:

• Maths Functional Skills Entry Level or Level 1
• English Functional Skills Entry Level or Level 1
• ICT Functional Skills Entry Level or Level 1
• Diploma in Further Learning and Employment or Diploma in Personal Progress

Work Experience and Supported Internships:

All students will have the opportunity to complete work-based tasks. Students will experience being involved in business enterprise projects, completing tasks from start to finish and buying and selling to our local community. Some young people have the opportunity to complete supported internships, whilst others can experience work placements within the local community.

The Next Steps Programme

Ready for Life students will spend 1 term accessing the Next Steps Programme. The aim of the Next Steps programme is to provide a wide range of learning opportunities to support our young people in building a personal profile of interests and ambitions. We aim to inspire all of our young people to be curious about their future options and provide the foundation that each individual needs to achieve their next steps in life.

• Students will arrive each morning to the Hub as usual.
• Students will be registered and then spend each day out in the community with their class staff accessing opportunities based around independence and their next steps.

• Students will need a packed lunch during the term. (If this is going to be difficult please contact Hannah on Dojo so we can problem solve this together).
• Students will return to the Hub before the end of the day to travel home as usual.

Some of the opportunities that students will access are:

• Transition sessions at Stratford College
• Sessions at Moreton Morrell College
• Group work experience
• Gardening sessions in the community
• Travel Training
• Running a café at main site
• Accessing local leisure facilities

Careers Curriculum

At Welcombe Hills a key focus of our curriculum offer is to prepare students for their next steps in life.

Careers and Employability Skills:

Within Ready for Life we enable our students to experience different work environments, meet a variety of people within our local community and learn the valuable life skills needed within a workplace. We work closely with local companies, colleges and educational establishments ensuring our students experience a smooth transition to the next stage of their education or employment. As soon as our students come through our doors we open up a variety of work opportunities, careers and employability links to enable our students to build positive relationships and introduce them to the world of work and community involvement.

Careers and Transitions Advise

(including planning for college)

Melanie Adams is our independent school Careers Adviser who offers advice and guidance to students and their families. This includes making sure you are aware of all of the options available, for example colleges, work, training and volunteering. Working across both the main site and the 16-19 hub, Mel welcomes families to get in touch and arrange a meeting to discuss options at a mutually convenient time. You can get in touch with Mel via your child's class teacher or by contacting her directly on email at; melanie.mills2@aol.co.uk.

Hannah Gibson (Assistant Headteacher) now oversees the Hub and transitions at Welcombe Hills. If you have any questions about your child’s next steps, please get in touch via the school office or email: gibson.h@welearn365.com.

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development

We support our students spiritually, morally, socially and culturally through our open, honest and supportive ethos. We actively listen to our students and encourage a supportive relationship between each other. We respect and value our student’s thoughts and opinions. This is apparent through gathering their thoughts and feelings in school projects and developments, being involved in the interview process of new staff and taking on the responsibility of our community café and shop, as well as supporting them daily with any problems or issues that may occur. At the Hub we discuss current affairs on a daily basis and encourage conversations about what is happening in the world around us.

Interventions and Therapies

At Welcombe Hills we believe in a holistic and pupil centred approach to learning and offer a range of therapies and interventions. Interventions and therapies are allocated through a referral process. When a referral is made these are analysed and then an intervention is decided. Unfortunately, not all students will necessarily access a therapy or intervention.

Therapies we currently offer are;

• Play Therapy
• Music Therapy
• Sensory Occupational Therapy
• Drumming Therapy
• Art Therapy
• Lifespace

Department Aims:

• Creative Arts enable our unique pupils to shine, where they are not being judged for their academic skills but where everyone has the ability to make a valuable contribution.
• It provides a practical approach to learning and many pupils learn best when they are active participants and developing our students’ confidence and self-esteem.
• We will provide a broad and enriching curriculum that is appropriate to pupils’ age, level of understanding and needs. The process of becoming creative is often more important than the finished piece.
• We offer exciting opportunities and experiences for our students to work with a variety of Artists during their time at school. 
• We aim to create an understanding and appreciation of the Arts that will last a life time

Within Ready for Life students creative arts lessons work towards accredited units for their diplomas.

The Day to Day

Timings:

The school day starts: 8.55am

Lunch time: 12pm – 1 pm

The school day ends: 3.20pm

(Finalised timings to be confirmed summer 2022)

Lunch arrangements:

School dinners cost:  £3.05 per day.

Cook your own lunch option: Our young people have the opportunity to bring in healthy, easy to prepare lunches from home.

What do I need each day?

• Coat
• Wellington boots (to stay in school)
• Change of clothes
• Waterproofs
• Hygiene supplies
• P.E kit on P.E days
• Snack and water bottle

Students will be provided with a locker to store valuables in throughout their day.

What to wear

At the Hub students do not have to wear a uniform. Clothing should be smart / casual.

We recognise that all of our pupils are individuals and should be treated as such. We realise that our pupils may not always have the same opportunity to experiment with make-up, nail varnish etc. with their peers outside of school. Therefore, if your secondary age child wishes to experiment with hair colour, nail colour or make up we ask that you discuss this with us so we can work together on what is acceptable and appropriate.  

 PE Kit:

• Shorts or tracksuit bottoms 
• A change of t-shirt 
• Plimsolls (for indoor use) or trainers 
• Spare pair of socks