Careers
CAREERS
The Village School seeks to maximise the life chances of all our young people and prepare them for life beyond school and college.
Our pupils at The Village School, in their time with us, are served by our multi-faceted curriculum that seeks to give them skills for life. For pupils with SEND, navigating the world through puberty, transitions into adulthood and with as much independence as appropriate to their levels of need – can be a complex process. Accessing the world of work with practised employability skills is their final step towards self-fulfilment and independence while still in our care – and we wish to provide a structured program of support to help meet these needs. Our program is tied into the pupils’ EHCP outcomes, with Preparing for Adulthood Outcomes written for all pupils from the age of 14 and onwards.
Our CEIAG policy with details of our Careers program is available to download from our Statutory Policy page.
Our Aims for our 11-19 pupils are:
- To build on their awareness and life skills throughout their time at The Village School, including for pupils in the Early Years – as guided by our Preparing for Adulthood Framework
- To build their participation in and resilience within the local community, through trips, educational visits, leisure choices, communication choices and skills-practice
- To build in an enriched curriculum that expands their horizons of learning, and challenges their conceptions of learning – including with sensory support
- To give KS3, 4 and 5 pupils access to sensory immersive experiences, employment-related experiences, workplace practice, access to people who work and employ others, as well as chances to put their life skills into action throughout their time at KVS
- To give pupils and their families, especially in Key Stages 4 and 5, access to labour market information as well as technical education and further education guidance to support them with life’s next steps
- To develop the relevant vocational literacy and numeracy, as appropriate to their needs
We deliver these, broadly, through:
- An underlying Preparing for Adulthood skills development framework, incorporated into everyday teaching
- A Vocational Education Offer, spanning key stages and curriculum pathways
- In-School work experience programs
- Access to provision at external providers and in liaison with future colleges
- An enriched curriculum, in partnership with external providers
- Off-site work experience placements as appropriate to their needs
- Engagement with the school Enterprise project, involving work at the school café and in catering, with work building towards an Enterprise Day in the summer term
- Financial literacy and education, with external partners support for finance management and accounts (local NatWest Bank branch)
Below is a snapshot of providers, partnerships and activities that provide scaffolded support across KS3, 4 and 5. The school maintains a class-wise record of provision across the academic year – in keeping with pupils’ targets and development.
|
Further Education Provider Partners |
Supported Employment and Work Opportunities |
Vocational Education Opportunities in School |
Careers Partners |
Enrichment Curriculum Providers |
A Sample of the Current Accreditations Offer in KS4 and 5 |
|
Uxbridge College |
City of Westminster College, and Hammersmith Council - Supported Internships |
Horticulture |
Educational Development Foundation (Enterprise Careers Advisors) |
WAC Arts and the Flux Drama Program |
OCR Life and Living Skills, Numeracy, World of Work |
|
Harrow College, Harrow and Weald Campus |
St Joseph's Charity |
Hair and Beauty |
Speakers for Schools |
Royal Academy of Dance |
OCR Creative Project Development |
|
The Alexandra Centre (Westminster Kingsway College) |
2nd Chance |
Financial Education in concert with the School Shop |
Brent Youth Foundation |
The Ben Salmi Organisation - Creative Book Writing |
OCR Engaging with and Encountering Experiences |
|
Area 51 - John Dewey Specialist College |
Royal Society for Blind Children |
Vocational Drama |
Jobcentre Plus (Department for Work and Pensions) |
Kisharon Noe School Adult Day Services |
OCR Reading, Writing and Communication Skills |
|
Springfields, Oakland College (Barnet) |
Willesden Sports Centre |
Food Technology and Cooking Skills |
Prospects Careers Services (incoming partnership) |
Camden Arts Centre, and Art Depot Projects |
OCR Planning and Preparing Simple Meals |
|
College of Northwest London |
Saracens Rugby Club |
Life Skills and Home Management |
Pertemps Recruitment Agency |
Music Technology Teacher (Spring term) |
AQA Unit Awards in Music and Art/Design |
|
|
Brent Library |
School Enterprise Project (Year 1: Café) |
|
The Duke of Edinburgh Scheme |
Financial Education skills |
|
|
|
Music Technology |
|
Kidzania |
|
Our school careers and vocational education offer is underwritten by our Preparing for Adulthood Skills Framework. A snapshot of the skills development taking place across our three curriculum pathways looks as below. Each successive key stage includes and builds on the skills from the ones above:
|
|
Stepping Stones Pathway |
Tracks Pathway |
Lanes Pathway |
|
EYFS |
Acclimating to routines Following sensory cues for transitions Learning to attune to familiar adults Adjusting to medical routines |
Routines and instructions Role Play and drama games Forming relationships with adults and some peers Getting familiar with elements of personal health |
Routines and instructions Role Play and drama games Forming relationships including with peers Learning about health and feelings |
|
KS1 |
Access to elements of learning in the community Exposure to new stimuli in new environments Adults aware of likes and dislikes Ongoing adjustment to medical routines |
Real-world visits Functional numeracy elements Meeting new role models Simple and more complex instructions Identify own likes and dislikes, feelings Tolerance of health processes and appointments |
Real-world visits Functional numeracy elements Meeting new role models Following multi-step instructions Express and act on preferences and feelings Active participation in health processes |
|
KS2 |
Marked anticipation of motivators as appropriate Comfort with transitions Following single step instructions with reduced support if appropriate Able to convey simple feelings to adults Transition EHCP Reviews in Y6 |
Start to build your own sense of interests and wants Participate in an enrichment curriculum that meets mobility needs Functional numeracy and literacy ongoing Learning about personal safety through simple concepts Continued acclimation to health processes Transition EHCP Reviews in Y6 |
Able to clearly identify interests and wants Exposure to enriched curricular activities and the world of work Functional literacy and numeracy ongoing Learning to keep selves safe in multiple contexts Participation in own health needs Transition EHCP Reviews in Y6 |
|
KS3 |
Making choices with AAC Support Showing clear preferences for elements of routine they like and adults they like Acclimation to sounds of the community Immersion in work-related sensory experiences Transition EHCP Reviews in Y9 |
Practising key life skills like cooking and home management Relationships and friendships Introduction to sexual health and sexual safety Ongoing health process participation Transition EHCP Reviews in Y9 |
Exposure to subject options Enrichment curricula Life skills practice in multiple contexts Safety in school and in the community Language and Numeracy to support future accreditations Transition EHCP Reviews in Y9 |
|
KS4 |
Ongoing immersion in work environments within school Following simple routines tied into work-like expectations Practicing choices in new environments Transition EHCP Reviews in Y11 |
Starting to understand basics of vocational profiles Practising basics of personal safety Financial Education, life skills and numeracy Visits and WEX Placement support and Open Day Experiences Transition EHCP Reviews in Y11 |
Building vocational profiles Enhanced understanding of personal and community safety Managing money and financial education Visits and WEX Transition EHCP Reviews in Y11 |
|
KS5 |
Good team understanding of pupils’ motivators Use of inclusive communication approaches consolidated, to express clear preferences and dislikes Support for families around next steps, including transitions to adult care WEX within school and with support Transition EHCP Reviews in Y14 |
Continuing work towards vocational profiles Participation in healthy choices and transitions to adult medical services Consolidation of life skills and practice of personal safety Practice of independent communication where possible, using tools of choice WEX and visits with/to employment experience providers; further education providers Transition EHCP Reviews in Y14 |
Continuing work towards vocational profiles Active choice and voice in medical care and transition to adult services Confident application of life skills to more than one environment Understanding of personal and sexual safety WEX, visits to employment experiences and with further education providers Transition EHCP Reviews in Y14 |
We support our families with Preparing for Adulthood by offering them advice through Brent Council’s own framework for transitions. Please find the school-recommended guidance document here: PfA Support and Advice for Families
We also offer advice and guidance to our prospective partners and employers. A TVS Guide to ‘Working with Us’ can be found here:
TVS-KS345-Prospectus-22-23.pdf
Careers Lead: Aditi Singh.
0300 3030610
