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Vega College is an exciting new alternative provision for Key Stage 4 students in Doncaster. Students are identified through Triage and Inclusion Panel with Doncaster Council. Each student will have a clear plan which tracks progress towards qualifications and the work place, whilst also ensuring that students become increasingly independent in their work, learning, travel etc. Students will access a flexible blend of provision which will also include Skills Builder. Skills Builder is essential for Vega College students as we focus on essential skills that will prepare them for further education and the workplace. Our students have been working on listening and speaking skills and also creativity skills this year.
Overall impact
One of our main successes as a college is seeing our students succeed on their work placements. Staff members have visited students on placements and seen them excel in their speaking and listening skills. As teaching staff, it makes us extremely proud of our students contributing to the wider community and improving their employability skills. A lot of our students have struggled to succeed in mainstream settings, and it is rewarding to see them improve their essential skills which will help them in their future careers.
Keep it simple
Skills Builder is an important part of the curriculum at Vega College and is running throughout the year. When learners have their initial welcome meeting at Vega College they have a meeting with our head teacher, their family, and a representative from their mainstream school. During this meeting Vega college?s unique provision is discussed such as how learners will be supported with work placements and how they are supported in this process by following the Skills Builder framework. When new students begin at Vega they are baselined and are provided a Skills Builder Target to focus on within that term. Students are given a visual reminder of their target at the front of their working folder so they can clearly see which target they are working when they open their file. At the end of each term Leger Trust will give one student studying at Vega College a trust value award. In deciding which learner deserves this trust value award their contributions to Skills Builder is considered.
Start early, keep going
When students start at Vega College, they are designed a unique personal learning plan. On this plan it includes their full educational provision. This PLP includes short term, medium term, and long-term targets. These targets set out for the year and highlight what learners are expected to achieve in Maths, English, Science, Work Placement and Skills Builder. There is also evidence on these plans of the activity?s students complete to help achieve their Skills Builder target. On the PLP students can express their opinion of their provision and to express any concerns or issues. Additionally, parents can also contribute their voice to help involve them in the Skills Builder Process. Additional information on what Skills Builder is can be found on the Vega College website for parents to read further on what students are working towards.
Measure it
To measure the progress of Skills Builder, I have continued to update each students Personal Learning Plan of the activities they have completed throughout the year. Additionally, to help highlight students' individual Skills Builder successes, I have created a Skills Builder evidence sheet that is filed in the students' files. This evidence sheet provides information on the activity the student has completed and how it is linked to their Skills Builder Target. These sheets have made it easier to track students' progress as it clearly shows them and staff what they have learned. I have also physically highlighted on the sheets the essential skills they have achieved to make it clearer how they have progressing in the year.
Focus tightly
Skills building is integrated within our long-term planning at Vega. This means students have regular opportunities to build their essential skills during their weekly Maths, English and Science Lessons. Each topic we discuss for these core subjects will have a link to learner's Skills Builder targets they are working towards. Skills Builder will also be present through extra curriculum activities such as trips and team building sessions.
Keep practising
To achieve Skills Building targets Vega College creates extra-curricular activities for students to experience new opportunities. For example, to help with listening skills we invited in the reptile man to come and talk about handling exotic animals. During this activity the students had to show they had confident listening skills as they had to be careful interacting with snakes and tarantulas and to follow instructions carefully. We have also been on various trips outside of college such as visiting a local aircraft museum. Trips give students the opportunity to witness new things and interact with different types of people. This also gives learners an authentic experience to help improve their listening speaking skills. Additionally, Skills Building essential skills are embedded throughout the curriculum. These can be seen in our everyday subjects such as group discussions on the Holocaust and Diwali in English which has improved our learners their communication skills.
Bring it to life
One of the main draws of our Alternative Provision is the opportunity for learners to experience work experience one day a week. As a provision we are aware that work experience can be extremely dauting and more stressful than typical student life. The Skills Builder program is essential in building student's confidence before sending students out on work experience. We have spent a big proportion the year focusing on speaking and listening to prepare them for the transition of work experience and interacting outside of school. Alternatively in experiencing a working environment our learners have gained crucial real world understanding on how to communicate appropriately in a professional manner. A couple of our learners have secured future jobs from their work experience as they have demonstrated to be reliable workers to their employers.
What's next
The Skills Builder Partnerships provides a sound base starting point in improving learners' essential skills. In designing and planning our Skills Builder programme, we had to take into account our own students vocabulary, level and personal learning plans. This means we planned skills building activities which are more appropriate for our learners' skill level whilst still achieving the specific skills builder targets.
