Life Skills

Life Skills Introduction

The Life Skills course will also introduce you to topics that will help you in later life, when you are in employment and running a household. These include cookery skills, budgeting, understanding finances, health and safety and how to maintain good physical and mental health.

In addition, you will have the opportunity to experience lots of taster sessions in practical areas that you might one day be interested in working in. For example, you will learn how to operate safely in a kitchen, how to decorate a cake, how to plan and cook a meal from scratch, how to administer first aid, how to be a journalist or podcaster and how to design and create a practical project.

You will also receive lots of help, advice and support in planning your career path. This will include careers interviews, help with CV writing, interview practise and help finding work experience placements.

The tasks that you complete will go towards achieving your Personal Development Award. This is a way of recognising all of the hard work you have completed throughout Year 10 and 11. A Bronze certificate is awarded for 6 credits, a Silver certificate for 12 credits and a Gold certificate for 18 credits. You can see how many credits each task is worth on the medium term plan you have been given. There is no exam for this certificate; instead, you will keep a folder of evidence to showcase the tasks you have completed.

In addition to this, you will also study for certificates in Health and Safety in the Workplace, Basic Food Hygiene and First Aid.

Many of you will also take Functional Skills examinations in English and Maths at Level 1 and/or Level 2 in Year 11, alongside your other GCSEs.

Your interests and hobbies outside of school can also be included in your evidence folder. If you regularly play a sport, play a musical instrument, complete DofE or volunteer, for example, these can all be used to achieve credits for your Personal Development Award.

We hope you enjoy the course!