WestSuffolk1419Partnership

FoundationlearninginactioninWestSuffolk
Practicalandvocationalshortcoursein
constructionskills:casestudy

Providerprofile:

Authorandcontactdetails:

BuryStEdmundsSENPartnership

JanAries,ElizabethHollandand
MickTruman

TheBuryStEdmundsSENPartnershipconsistsofthree
specialschoolsandtheSchoolofFoundationStudiesat
WestSuffolkCollege.ThePartnershipalsoincludesall
fourupperschoolsinthelocality.
ThePartnershipcameintoexistencethroughspecial
schoolsworkingcloselytogetherandthedevelopment
oftheDiplomaPartnershiplocallyinBuryStEdmunds.

01284761934
mick.truman@priory.suffolk.sch.uk

www.hillsidespecial.org.uk

www.riverwalk.suffolk.sch.uk

www.wsc.ac.uk

www.priory.suffolk.sch.uk

WestSuffolk1419Partnership

Foundationlearningcasestudy

1. Projectoutline(intendedoutcomes,etc)
TheBuryStEdmundspartnershipconsistsofthreespecial
schools,PriorySchool,RiverwalkSchoolandHillside
School,andtheSchoolofFoundationStudiesatWest
SuffolkCollege.Theshortpracticalandvocationalcourse
inPaintingandDecorating(P&D)wasdevelopedaspart
ofajointvocationallearningprogrammewhichallows
studentswithawidevarietyofneedstoexperience
specificvocationalskillsinanappropriateprofessional
spacewithavocationaltutor.
MarkAmes,whoalreadyworkswiththePartnershipin
thePaintingandDecoratingunit,wasfirstapproached
butnowDaveWood,fromtheConstructionandBuilding
ServicesofWestSuffolkCollege,hasbecomethetutor
andhasdevelopedarangeofactivitiesdeliveredto
groupsofupto10studentseachThursdaymorningfor2
hourseachweek.Theshortcourselasts6weeksandis
repeatedtoadifferentgroupofstudentseachhalfterm.
Thestudentsparticipateinpracticalactivitieswithaconstructionfocustodevelopan
understandingofsomeoftheskillsneededtoworkinthisfield.Theexperienceswouldleadto
studentsevaluatingtheskillslearnedandmakingconnectionstoeverydaylifeandwork,and
helpthemtoassesswhethertheywouldbeappropriateskillstohelpthemintheirfutures
beyondschooleitherathomeordevelopedfurtherthroughtrainingasaprofession.

2. Projectactivitiesandapproaches
BeguninSeptember2011,thecoursehasevolvedusingthetriedandtestedstructureofthe
PaintingandDecoratingunitwhichhasnowbeenrunningfornearlytwoyears.10students
fromtheSENPartnershiptakepartinasixweekcoursewithconstructionskillsasthefocus.
ThevenueistheSkillsCentreattachedtoSudburyUpperSchoolinSudbury,Suffolk.
Eachweekapracticalactivityisintroducedtothestudentsbythetutorandtheskillsare
practisedbythestudents.Studentsweresupervisedbyschoolstaffduringtheactivitiesand
encouragedtoparticipateasfullyaspossible.Activitieshaveincludedmixingmortar,
preparingandlayingbricks,makingslabs,layingandarrangingpavingslabs,carryingmaterials
safelyandwearingappropriateclothingandprotectiveequipment.

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3. Projectoutcomes
Thelearningformspartofthevocationalprogrammeofferedbyeachschool.Thelearning
wasrecordedandispartoftheaccreditationofferedbyeachschool(ASDANTransition
Challenge,ASDANTowardsIndependenceorCity&GuildsEmployabilityandPersonal
Development)atvariouslevelsfromentrylevel1toentrylevel3.
Eachstudentisrequiredtocompletean
evaluationoftheirexperiencesandlearningat
theendofthesixweeks.Thestudent
evaluationformisintendedforusein
portfoliosofwork,recordinglearning
experiencesandcanbeusedinthestudents
ProgressFiledemonstratinglevelsofsuccess
inpracticalactivities.Wehavebeenusingtwo
differentiatedformstorecordthestudents
assessmentsandhaverecentlyaddeda
furtherdifferentiationbyusingsymbolsand
text.Seeappendixforthesheets.
Theevaluationprocesshasbeendevelopedfurthertoincludeindividualtutorreportsbased
upontheEmployabilityforLifeSuffolkCharteraswellasseparatefeedbackfromschoolsat
meetingsandthroughevaluationformsforthestaffinvolved.

4. Evaluationandimpact
TheuseoftheSkillsCentrehasbeenamajorimprovementinalltheshortpracticaland
vocationalcoursesofferedtothestudentsasitraisesitsprofilefromaschoolbasedactivity
toonewhichhelpsdevelopawiderunderstandingofworkenvironmentsanddemandsa
moreprofessionalattitudefrom
thestudents.
Itimpactsonstudentsinthe
developmentofmaturityskills,
independenceskills,socialskills
andbetterawarenessofothers.
Thishasbeennotedbystaffinthat
thestudentshavebeen
demonstratingbehaviourswhich
havefocussedonwork,awareness
ofskillsbeingdevelopedandsense
ofachievement.
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Therearesomeminorimprovementsneededtotweakthisprovision.Althoughthefacilities
areappropriateforusewithstudentsinwheelchairstherearenochangingfacilities,useofa
hoistforexample,whichmaybeneededforcertainstudents.Oneoftheschoolsrisk
assessmenthasidentifiedotheradjustmentswhichneedtobemadeorcompensatedforby
theschoolstaff.ThesewillbediscussedwiththeSkillsCentre.
Studentevaluationswerepositiveandfeelthattheyhadgoodexperiences.Someexample
comments:

Usingashovelandworkingwithbrick
(arenewskills)
MichaelYear11student

Ienjoyedpushingthesackbarrow.Its
goodfunandhardwork.
JackYear11student

Roryenjoyedallaspectsofconstruction
fromlayingbrickstoplasteringawall
Year11student

Tutorcommentshaveincluded:

Motivatedtojoininwithdifferenttasksandotherstudents

Improvedlevelsofengagementandconcentrationintheactivities

Brittanyhaslearnttotryandlistentoinstructionsbeforerushingoff

Stafffeedbackfromtheschoolswasagainpositiveanditwasnotedthatstudentshadenjoyed
thelearningandpracticalexperiencesaswellasdevelopingpracticalskills.

Thestudentshavedevelopedanunderstandingaboutkeepingsafewhendoingnew
activities.

Thegradualintroductionofmorecomplexskillsworkedverywell.

(Thetutor)createdproblemsolvingsituationsandencouragedourstudentstowork
togethertoresolvethese

5. Nextstepstosustainability
TheBurySENPartnershiphasbeenseekingfundstohelppayforthetutorcostsbuthave
beenpayingtheirowntransportandstaffingcostsaswellashireoftheSkillsCentre
workshop.

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ParticipationbyWestSuffolkCollegestudentsandstudentnumberstoincreaseto12to
spreadthecostsbetween4partnersthusreducingtheamounteachpartnerhastopay.

6. Conclusions/keymessages
Studentenjoymentwashighonthelistofsuccessesandthestaffinvolvedindeliveringthe
programmeofferedopportunitiesofahighcalibre.AsaPartnership,wecouldhaveprovided
trainingtothestaffatWestSuffolkCollegetopreparethembetterforthestudentsneeds
andabilities.DaveWoodmanagesthesessionsverywellwithappropriatetasksandactivities
despitethislackofinformationandtrainingbeforehand.
Challengeforthestudentsisinstrumentalinthesuccessandenjoyment.Theprofessionaland
purposefulenvironmenthasledtohighexpectationofbehaviourandapproachtothetasks
onthestudentsbehalfwhichinturnhasresultedinsuccessfulbehaviourfrommore
challengingstudents.
AwarenessofappropriateclothingandPPE,heighteneddevelopmentofhealthandsafety
issuesforthestudentshasbeenareward.Thesenseofachievementforstudentsand
awarenessofdevelopmentofworktowardsafinalresult.
Thedynamicsbetweentheschoolshasbeenverypositivestaffandstudentsalikeand
handledinasharingandprofessionalmanner.

Appendix:
Examplereviewandassessmentsheetsdevelopedforthispracticalandvocationalcourse

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Evaluationoflearnerexperiences

Participatingschool:

Staff

Coursetitle:

ConstructionskillsBurySENPartnership

Date:

Pleasecommentonyourexperiencesworkingwiththestudentsinthiscourse.
Commentonsuitabilityofthevenue,contentpresentedinanappropriateway,effectivenessof
priorcommunication,organisationandplanningasappropriate.
1.Whatwentwell?

2.Whatdidnotgosowell?

3.Evenbetterif?

Signed:................................................................................. Date:...................................................

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Studentname:

Homeschool:

Coursetitle:

Completiondate:

Nameoftutor:

Foundationlearningcasestudy

Deliveringcentre:

Employability 4 Life
Suffolk Charter
1.Attendanceandpunctuality

2.Appearance

3.Communication

4.Motivation

5.Professionalconduct

Signedbytutor:................................................................... Date:...................................................
Signedbystudent:............................................................... Date:...................................................

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Vocational education unit review

Students name:
1. How do you feel about the work you have been doing?
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................

2. What new skills have you learned?

.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................

3. Where could you use these new skills?

.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
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4. Have you learned how to stay safe when doing this work?
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................

5. Would you like to do more of this work?

.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................

Signed: .................................................................

Date: ........................................

Tutor comments:
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
Signed: .................................................................

Date: ........................................

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Vocational education unit review

Students name:
1. How do you feel about the work you have been doing?

I have enjoyed
this

Tutor comment

I did not like this

2. Have you learned new skills?

Yes

Tutor comment

No

3. Where could you use these new skills?

Home
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School/College

Work
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WestSuffolk1419Partnership

Foundationlearningcasestudy

4. Have you learned how to stay safe when doing this work?

Yes

Tutor comment

No

5. Would you like to do more of this work?

Yes

Tutor comment

No

Additional comments/information:
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................
.........................................................................................................................................

Signed: .................................................................

Date: ........................................

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WestSuffolk1419Partnership

Name:

1.

How

do

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feel

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2.

Have

you

learned

3.

Where

could

you

use

these

4.

Have

you

learned

how

to

5.

Would

you

Signed:

like

new

the

to

work

you

have been

doing?

skills?

do

new

stay

more

skills?

safe

of

when

this

doing

work?

this

work?