CEIAG (Careers, Education, Information, Advice, Guidance)
Applied Learning forms part of our CEIAG offer (Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance). Applied Learning is a style of learning that equips and prepares our young people for life, learning, volunteering and employment. It is an integral part of the curriculum and is instrumental in many aspects of the Elms Bank College pathways.
The school has an Applied Learning Lead. The flexible curriculum pathways throughout school enable all learners to move at a pace which best suits them and gain the knowledge, skills, experience and accreditation to support their move into further education, community day provision, volunteering or paid employment.
Students have an ‘Excellent for All’ folder, which captures the holistic progress made within the school that does not typically fall under the curriculum, this includes work related learning experiences. Applied Learning challenges include helping out at a lunch club or take a position of responsibility in class. This folder follows the student throughout their academic career at Elms Bank and will challenge them, map their progression and evidence their understanding of the types of different skills, roles and responsibilities linked to employment.
Pupils also have the opportunity to take part in school-based work placements where students get an opportunity to work in different parts of the school such as looking after the school dogs, chickens, rabbits, fish and snails or serving on the tuck shop or salad bar.
Our annual KS3 World of Work Day, allows students to take part in a variety of activities, which celebrates different industries and employers and gives students hands on work experience. Employers, volunteers and members of school staff provide taster sessions such as a car wash, hair and beauty activities, flower arranging and access to the Fire Service.
In our annual KS4 World of Work Week, students experience an enhanced week of employment linked activities in school led by employers and visit local community businesses.
In KS5 our curriculum is designed to develop employability skills. The College Hub is a purpose built vocational college building, which offers a fully fitted hair & beauty salon, an industrial kitchen and a fitness gym. This is enhanced by our Yr14 internship which is a 1 year programme based at Fairfield Hospital, in partnership with Pure Innovations, the purpose of which is to secure paid employment for the students attending this provision.
Applied Learning provides Relevant, Engaging, Active Learning (REAL) opportunities for students, from which they can build their knowledge and understanding of the world in which they live and develop the essential skills to reach their potential. The vast majority of leavers at KS5 go on to employment, training or further college opportunities.
The 5 Steps to Excellence system is used to track our careers programme and to measure success. Our careers information published on our website will be reviewed in September 2022.
If you are a business or an organisation and what to get involved, please contact the Applied Learning Lead for more information:
Sam Bradford: Bradford.s@elmsbank.oaklp.co.uk
Emma Farnworth: Farnworth.E@elmsbank.oaklp.co.uk
Further information on careers can be found at