Lifestyles and Careers

At the Ridgeway School, the Lifestyles and Careers curriculum is part of the PSHE & C curriculum and is incorporated in all curriculum subjects and developed through Thinking Skills. We offer a person centred approach to Lifestyles and Careers education through all age phases. The whole-school teaching and learning focuses on the relevance of subjects to Communication & Self-Advocacy, Independence & Life Skills, Social & Emotional Mental Health.  Differentiated opportunities across the curriculum are provided to develop prerequisite and transferable life and social skills that support leisure, careers, employability and enterprise. These include the development of skills such as Thinking Skills, communication, self-advocacy, negotiation, decision-making, resilience, mental health and wellbeing, relationship and transition skills. Key Stage 4 run a mini enterprise tuck shop and recycling service and Key Stage 5 pupils are annually offered to access a supported work experience placement through Employability. All pupils have an Annual Review, One Page Profile and regular parental contact to provide opportunities for pupils and teachers/ parents/ carers (to be advocates for pupils) and explore aspirations and plan how these can be achieved.

The curriculum takes into account each pupil’s age, developmental stage and learning styles. For more information about how we meet The Gatsby Benchmarks please see appendix 1 below.

Through the PSHE & C curriculum and Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural (SMSC) aspects of learning, including British Values we aim to support the development of the skills, attitudes, values and patterns of behaviour to live a healthy, safe, fulfilling and responsible life within a community.

The Lifestyles and Careers curriculum provides opportunities to develop Engagement (deeper learning) and Thinking Skills (independent learning).

PSHE & C which includes Lifestyles and Careers is part of the Creative Arts Faculty which holds a focus week annually. Once a term we have a whole school Independence Day which develops and consolidates Thinking Skills related to independence.

Assessment of PSHE & C, which includes Lifestyles and Careers at Ridgeway is achieved through our online Assessment tool: COMPAS, which records pupils’ Linear Milestones, Thinking Skills and Engagement Steps.

PDF -> Lifestyle and Careers Curriculum Plan 2020

PDF -> Appendix 1 - How The Ridgeway Meets the Gatsby Benchmarks