Teaching curriculum

Art | Child Development | Citizenship | Drama | English | Food and Nutrition | ICT | Maths | Parenting | P.E | PSHE | Preparation for Working Life | Science

Below is a summary of the main teaching curriculum.

Art 

In our Art lessons, we enable students to pursue personal interests and to sit G.C.S.E. Art and Design or develop vocational studies, where appropriate. Lessons are friendly, constructive and experimental. Students are actively encouraged to produce interesting and varied coursework or vocational work in a wide range of media and resources.

Child Development

The aim of the course is for students to gain a better understanding of issues very relevant to their situations.

These include: 

• Pregnancy
• Care of newborn
• Feeding and weaning
• Development
• Child care issues.

This informative course gives students plenty of opportunity to research and present topics that interest them and much of this will contribute to the essential coursework component.

There is the opportunity to take GCSE Child Development for those students who are able to cover sufficient course requirements. 

Citizenship 

This subject is taught for just one period a week but it is possible to get a short course GCSE if all the course requirements are covered.

The course curriculum falls into three topics: 

• School, work and the local community
• National and European citizenship
• Global citizenship

Discussion about a range of issues is always encouraged, as the aim of the course is to get students thinking about what makes an active citizen, and about roles and responsibilities in many areas of life. Students working towards GCSE have to complete a piece of coursework which involves them planning and undertaking an activity in the community.

Drama

Drama is a powerful tool to improve imagination skills and communication skills. Lessons are fun, experimental and students are encouraged to join in with all activities and just have a go. We use a lot of interesting stimuli, these include media, social, music and personal beliefs to name but a few. 

English 

Students will be able to carry on and improve and achieve English and English Literature GCSEs. Students have the chance to catch up on course work and orals if they are behind.

Sometimes we watch television programmes that relate to a studied subject. We also provide books, magazines and newspaper articles to read as well as discussing our work.

Small classes means students will get more individual attention and the atmosphere is informal, relaxed and friendly.

Food and Nutrition 

The aim of this course is to help students gain knowledge and understand the importance of making good choices when it comes to eating snacks and meals. We all want the best for our children so we share with students the best way of achieving this when feeding yourself and your baby.

One of the most important things you can do for your child is to encourage them to eat well balanced meals. To do this, you need to gain some knowledge in nutrition. The best way of learning all these things is by actually preparing and cooking food and then sitting together and eating it for lunch.

ICT 

Students come to us with all different experiences of computers. Therefore, to start with, everyone has a go at getting a Stage One pass at New CLAiT (Computer Literacy And Information Technology).

This is a modular course and students choose which modules to study, including Internet, Computer Art and Desktop Publishing. Some students go on to study GCSE ICT or CLAiT Plus depending on length of stay and ability.

We recently purchased a lot of amazing new equipment with the move into our new building.

Maths 

Maths lessons will be set at an appropriate level for individual students. It is our aim to make lessons fun with a variety of teaching resources. Most students will take GCSE Maths at either Higher or Foundation. We use either the OCR Modular scheme or the straight exam course depending when students join us. Coursework has finished for those students entering Year 10 in September 2007 and later. 

Parenting 

At the request of students, the weekly parenting sessions provide opportunities for students and their babies to get involved in a range of craft and play based activities. While students are pregnant there are opportunities to make things such as memory boxes. Our dedicated nursery nurses will also take time out with each student to explore issues and ideas around parenting skills. These sessions will be supported by our nursery staff and health visitors who offer relevant and stimulating activities.

P.E

In order to comply with the 'Healthy Schools' initiative we run compulsory weekly P.E lessons for all of our students. The sessions can include any kind of activity, many of which are chosen by the students themselves and currently range from table tennis, boxercise and weight training to yoga and relaxation classes!

All of the sessions are led by a qualified ante and postnatal exercise teacher and the needs of the students are always taken into careful consideration. One-to-one consultations are also offered giving the students an opportunity to focus on their own personal exercise programme and any problem areas they feel they may have.

Recently members of staff have taken to joining in with the sessions in order to keep up with the students.

Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE)

While students are at the Centre they join in weekly PSHE sessions that cover all sorts of topics from sexual health and relationships to drugs and decision making. Students will have lots of opportunity for discussion and asking questions if they want to. All the lessons are aimed at: 

• Developing confidence and responsibility and making the most of your abilities
• Developing a healthy, safer lifestyle
• Developing good relationships and respecting the differences between people

These lessons are well supported by a range of health professionals who can provide students with the most up-to-date information and many can offer further support and advice outside of lesson time should they need it.

Preparation for Working Life 

This is an accreditation course for life after school. It covers information about life in Britain today, details of budgeting, banking and pay. Also included is help writing CVs, job applications, interview techniques and a whole lot more.  

Science

Whatever a student's level of science knowledge, we can offer a science course to meet their needs. Students can work towards a GCSE in Science (OCR Gateway) where they will study six key topics, carry out a variety of short practical skills and produce a piece of coursework called 'Science in the News'. Exams for this qualification are available in January and June. Students might follow the Entry Level Science course which enables them to cover a wide variety of topics in smaller units with a short test at the end of each. This course enables students to accumulate points and gain certificates as they progress through it. There also AQA Unit Awards which can be completed in a range of science topics.

During the lessons you will be able to join in class activities and discussions, have fun carrying out practical work, use ICT to produce impressive pieces of display and course work.