Construction Skills
Each term, students will learn a different construction skill, beginning with the very basics to build confidence, then moving to more difficult tasks with some fun activities in the mix and projects they can take home.
During each module students will learn about pricing and budgeting, career paths, and organisation. Each term we finish with a site visit relevant to that particular trade to see what we have been learning in practice.
If a student enjoys a particular skill and shows interest in taking it further we will offer guidance on how this can develop into a future career. Another aspect to this is the site maintenance, We will be practicing skills learned around the school site, encouraging students to have pride in their environment.
Woodwork/Carpentry
Alongside individual woodwork projects which students may take home, we will be supporting each other in group tasks. There will be opportunities to learn basic hand tool skills which students will then be able to take further in projects of their own. We will be using a variety of tools and equipment, with gradually increasing levels of difficulty, there are mock rooms to enable students to practice skills such as fitting flooring, architraves, skirting boards and even hanging a door.
Tiling
Drill skills/DIY skills
Decorating
Gardening
Bricklaying
The four walls we live in need to be a happy place, having pride in your home affects your wellbeing. In this section we are teaching students the art of creating a pleasant environment through filling, painting and wallpapering projects. This can also be focussed on as a future career although is just as valuable as a life skill, saving money on home improvements and giving a sense of satisfaction.
The confidence gained from learning how to tackle every day DIY jobs is invaluable, not only can it save money on tradespersons, but it gives a sense of satisfaction and pride.
Learning skills such as safe use of drill/drivers, basic plumbing, replacing sealant around sinks, and many more , students will see growth in transferable skills that will be used in other areas of life as well as in other topics in build a skill.
Being outdoors and helping plants to flourish, landscaping and transforming outdoor spaces has a therapeutic value as well as learning where our food comes from, the science behind plants, commerce and the feeling of satisfaction from the whole process.
This can also link in with future careers in landscape gardening, garden design, horticulture and growing/farming.
There will be opportunities to work on the school site, adding respect for the environment and practicing other skills such as woodwork, bricklaying and drill skills to help build an environment for the school community.
Students will have their own area where they can experiment with basic bricklaying. Once they have learned the skills and have the confidence, they can partake in group projects while simulating worksite conditions. Helping to build and develop social areas in our community such as building a raised bed, gives the experience of success and is a positive focal point, respect for environment is being built here as well as walls!
We will show students the process of tiling and how the skill can grow from making an intricate personal mosaic design that will be proudly taken home or displayed in our provision to upscaling this to household tiling. Learning how to prepare the wall, measure and plan tiles, Apply paste and tiles, grout and clean are all skills transferable to other trades.
Site maintainence
Students often forget over time that school is a community, and as such we all have a responsability to take care of it.
By taking on maintainence and improvement projects around the school, students begin to understand what goes into the day to day running and repairing of the site, thus having more respect for their environment to the point of even helping to encourage their peers to do the same, with pride in the work they have undertaken.
