Life Skills
Curriculum Aim
At Kingfisher Academy, we have developed a Life Skills curriculum to further develop the independence of our children and young people (CYP). The aim of this is exactly ‘what it says on the tin’; to dedicate time to the development of skills that CYP will need in the real world, both now and in the future.
Context
Our Life skills teaching team will always take into account the individual needs of our CYP, and we are always ready to welcome those joining Becton throughout the year. As a result, classes may not follow the life skills curriculum in the order in which it is written. This may also be due to opportunities for the work CYP complete in life skills lessons to contribute to wider school life. For example, CYP often complete community projects to be showcased at our Christmas fair. The flexibility of the life skills curriculum allows our CYP to get the most out of their life skills lessons, whilst also being part of who we are and what we do as a school.
Key concepts, skills and knowledge
The 5 topic areas within life skills are delivered cyclically. These are:
- Home management
- Basic food preparation
- Using shopping facilities
- Travelling in my community
- Participating in a community project
Within life skills lessons, our CYP also have opportunities to develop attributes such as their teamwork skills, communication and planning skills. The structure of our life skills curriculum enables CYP to revisit knowledge and skills in different contexts, building and reflecting on their progress as they go. We also offer the opportunity for CYP to gain AQA unit awards in related areas, if appropriate.
Curriculum Overview
In life skills lessons, students will learn about the following:
Home management
- Be able to use a domestic appliance
- Be able to participate in completing household tasks
Basic food preparation
- Know the basic hygiene rules of the kitchen
- Know how to use basic equipment safely
- Be able to select and prepare ingredients to make a simple dish
Using shopping facilities
- Know what types of shops are available
- Be able to participate in a shopping trip
Travelling in my community
- Be able to recognise modes of transport in the local area
- Travel within their local community
Participating in a community project
- Be able to contribute to planning a community project
- Be able to participate in a community project
Our bespoke Life Skills curriculum has been devised using CEA Entry Level Specification in Life Skills and Sheffield Support Grid – Sheffield City Council.