Intention

Our Sixth form at Shaftesbury vision is to provide an ambitious and comprehensive curriculum that prepares students for their future next steps through transition to adulthood and adult services.  We personalise learning focusing on individual outcomes identified in students  Education Health Care Plan (EHCPs). 

We do this by: 

1. Offering where possible qualifications in English, Maths and ASDAN as well as AQA unit awards.
2.  Opportunities for work experience and life skills training through our 3 branch Shaftesbury approach. 

The goal is to support students on to their next steps and as much as possible, equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to lead fulfilling and as independent lives as possible. 

As a sixth form we aim to support our young people to understand the collaboration needed between education, transition from children to adult health services and social care services. At this key time of transition into adulthood and adult services, this often involves, for many of our young people,  multiple professionals working with them. We strive in our sixth form to empower our young people to make choices with their families or carers. 

At each annual review we discuss the transition plans including; Education and employment, Health and wellbeing, Friendships, relationships and community and Developing skills for independence. 

Our curriculum is ambitious and varied because we want our students to enjoy their learning and opportunities. We focus on what will support them in having a good quality of life into adulthood and making positive and healthy choices with their time. 

• We do this through our focus on an ambitious and progressive curriculum building on learning in KS4.
• We teach employability skills
• We teach meaningful lifelong learning skills E.G independent living, cooking, budgeting, travel
• We strengthen networks that serve our young people to support students with their independence E.G travel training, opportunities in the community E.G Cedars, the gym, the library, supermarkets, banking as we aim for our students to have meaningful lives with positive community experiences.

We want to create as many opportunities as we can through our ambitious curriculum offer, including opportunities for work experience through our 3 branch approach at SHS:

1. Experience of the place of work E.G Wenzels, Mission Employable
2. Experience of work E.G Horticulture project at Headstone manor, My Yard
3. Work experience  E.G Northwick Park Hospital placement 

Implementation 

Our sixth form vision is Student-Centered. Through a focus on the individual needs and aspirations of each student. Teachers adapt the curriculum to help students work towards their personal goals and targets , whether they are academic, vocational, or life skills.  For example, some of our students have highly personalised timetables which includes additional functional English and maths lessons, or mentoring based on their specific needs and support learners in being able to regulate, and ready to learn. 

As we endeavour to support the holistic development of our students, the sixth form curriculum addresses all aspects of a student's development – academic, social, emotional, and physical. As seen through our varied offer E.G Functional skills English and maths, additional and specific RSE/ PSHE workshops and support from other colleagues E.G Koki, Cathy or ART therapy from Sarah. As well as this, students enjoy enrichment opportunities such as ASDAN linked trips, cooking related to projects, and sports and leisure activities such as CEDARS on a Friday. We have introduced mindfulness and yoga to promote mental well-being, as well as structured social activities and events, encouraging participation in the community. We feel this holistic approach helps students become well-rounded individuals who are prepared for life beyond school. 

We want our students to feel valued and supported and encourage collaboration between teachers, support staff, parents/ carers, and external partners to provide a comprehensive support system for students. We do this through regular weekly communication with parents updating them on what students have been learning and also to ‘check in’ for wellbeing. We also run a ‘welcome to the sixth form’ meeting at the start of the year and share information before the KS4 annual reviews so parents/ carers know what to expect in the sixth form. We have been working on developing our transition process from KS4- KS5 to support a smooth transition and progressive learning opportunities. We use the whole school standardised assessment tool (EFL) for EHCP targets and ‘Icans’. 

We engage with community projects (such as My Yard)  and lead on social activities (such as Macmillan coffee morning) which helps build  students’ confidence and social skills. Students have the opportunity to work in ‘Coffee on the Quad’ on parents evening to develop their employability and communication skills. Our weekly breakfast club on a Friday is also another example, which also supports transition from KS4.  

Impact 

We aim for our students to leave Shaftesbury confident for their next steps. Through a comprehensive and supportive transition process for all students. Some of our students will leave with functional skills qualifications which will enable them to access specific college courses. Some of our students will leave with ASDAN accreditations. All of our students will have had work experience opportunities through our 3 branch approach to have an understanding about the world of work and skills needed for employability. Some of our students will leave with work experience opportunities that enable them to apply for supported internships applying these skills learned. 

Students this year have successfully completed their work experience at Northwick Park hospital, as part of a supported pre- internship. 

Curriculum 

Our curriculum focuses on developing skills in the 4 key areas of Preparing for Further Education / Employment, Preparing for Independent Living, Being As Healthy As Possible in Adult Life and Preparing for Participation in Society, outlined in ‘The Preparation for Adulthood’ section of the EHCP.

Preparation for Further Education / Employment

Students will have the opportunity to explore work experience and have this as part of their personal timetables in line with ‘work experience at SHS’. 

Students will work towards accreditations at Shaftesbury Sixth Form. These include: Functional Skills in English and Maths, ASDAN Life Skills Challenges and AQA Unit Awards. We review the curriculum on an annual basis to consider how to meet the needs of the cohort. We are considering pilot opportunities such as ‘inclusive working’ to support specific qualifications particular to a certain employment opportunity such as food hygiene or specific work related CPD’s.

Students can meet with Renu, our  independent SEND careers adviser. As part of the current Sixth Form SIP we are refining what Work Experience means at SHS. This includes how we offer enterprise opportunities, as part of our ‘ready for life, ready for work’ vision, developing skills supporting work and adult life, as well as engagement with the community and social experience. 

Preparation for Independent Living

The sixth form curriculum at SHS seeks to promote student independence through choice making and learning skills they will need to use in adult life. For example, travel training, skills for supported or independent living such as looking after the home and cooking skills. Alongside this, we consider social and leisure choice making and skill development and understanding emotional regulation and resilience.  This is further supported by educating students out in the local community as part of their timetables, and through enrichment activities such as residential trips (Hereford) where students can apply the skills of being able to live more independently in a novel setting.

Being as healthy as possible in adult life

In our sixth form, we support our students in becoming increasingly independent in managing their own physical and mental health and wellbeing. Students learn about healthy lifestyles and are encouraged to exercise during the lunchtime activities as well as accessing CEDARS on a Friday. Students also engage with yoga and mindfulness as part of their learning timetables. 

Students are timetabled for personal Social Health Education (PSHE) as well as Relationship and Sex Education (RSE). In addition to this students access further social and emotional development sessions through specific groups E.G girls group, assemblies, wellbeing mornings etc. 

Students can access the outdoor gym equipment, as well as sporting facilities and nature walks in the local area as part of  enrichment and community. Sixth Formers undertake sport and cooking sessions on their timetables which promote physical health. 

Preparation for participation in society 

In our Sixth form we model a strong sense of community. Students  access many local community facilities in Harrow including arts centres, cafes, restaurants, cinemas, libraries and outdoor spaces. 

We build relationships with local businesses to enhance our work placement opportunities (E.G Car garage, nail salon). We teach our students to become actively involved in their communities and we regularly support charities including GOSH through a recent sponsored walk and a local food bank charity ‘My Yard’ through donations and support. We have also worked closely with this organisation who have worked with our sixth formers on a recent photography project. 

We involve our community in celebrating cultural events and special occasions. We also believe it is important to support our students to develop their social groups so we support students and families to create networks.  

Once students complete Year 14 at SHS (or after Year 12 or 13) many go on to a course at our local FE college’s. 

6th form Curriculum: An overview 

Curriculum subjects 

ASDAN

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3