Full Time Essential Skills

Essential Skills

Why should I study Essential Skills?
To help you to develop your social and life skills

• At the end of the course you will be able to do more things for yourself and make more decisions about what you want in your life.
• You can progress to a higher level Essential Skills course or a Vocational Options course if that is right for you.

You will learn skills to assist in independent living - healthy lifestyle choices, cooking skills, managing money, independent travel, speaking up for yourself, citizenship, keeping safe and creative arts.

What will be studied on the course?
A range of subjects which can include:

• Daily Living Skills - cookery, healthy choices, food hygiene, shopping, health and safety.
• Personal Skills - self care, self advocacy, citizenship and personal safety
• Literacy and Numeracy
• Creative Arts
• Sports activities
• Enrichment
• Enterprise activities

When does the course start and how long does it last?
The courses start at the beginning of September and continue for 30 weeks.

What qualifications are needed to do the course?
There are no formal entry requirements but you need to be positive about developing your independence and keen to learn new things.

Where is the course based?
The Consett campus - specialist classrooms and other areas throughout the college.

How will the learner be assessed?
The course is based around three levels: Award, Certificate and Diploma. You will work to individual targets and progress throughout the course is assessed and used to determine future course requirements.

There is an initial assessment which will be used produce your individual learning plan. This will include personal and academic targets. Your progress towards these targets will be monitored in tutorial and in your lessons.

We will assess how well you are doing by observation, video, audio tape, photographs and witness statements. You can also tell us how well you think you are doing.

How much will the course cost?
There will be £1:50 per week to pay if there is cookery on your timetable.

What progression routes are available?
Progression may be to another Essential Skills course or Vocational Options and then a mainstream course.