Preparation for Adulthood

Information for Parents

At Spaghetti Bridge, we value the vital role parents and carers play in supporting their child’s journey toward adulthood and employment (Community Ready). Our PfA Curriculum is designed to provide clear pathways, practical experiences, and personalised guidance to help every young person build employment skills, confidence and independence. Here you’ll find access to a wide range of PfA and careers resources, as well as links to next-step providers including FE colleges, independent training providers, apprenticeships, and supported internships.

Career Resources & Next Step Providers

National Careers Service’ Job Profiles: Use the following link to access job profiles. Use these profiles to explore your career ideas – National Careers Service

Career Pilot – : Careers information and tools for 11-19 year olds – Career Pilot

Career Pilot for parents– Careerpilot : Parent zone

National Apprenticeship Service: use the following link to search and apply for vacancies – Apprenticeships

Icould: Free access to over 1000 personal video stories, detailed job information, plus practical tips, insight and advice and Labour Market Information – icould – Career

Careers box: National online careers film and video library. You will be able to watch real people doing real jobs to help give you more of an insight – CareersBox

‘Get my first job’: a website to look at Apprenticeships and Traineeships – GetMyFirstJob

NHS careers: NHS Careers 

Careers in Sport: Sport England 

Construction Industry:  Go Construct

Engineering Industry Training Board: ECITB

Careers in law: AllAboutLaw 

Apprenticeships in the Motor Vehicle Trade: Remit Training

Future Morph- Science and maths careers: www.futuremorph.org

Public Services: 

The Local Authority that a student lives in has a duty to publish potential intended destinations (including FE, HE and local colleges) on their Local Offer. This is regularly reviewed and updated by the LA. The links to the Local Offers in the area are here:

SEND Local Offer – Plymouth Online Directory

Devon’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Local Offer

Apprentices are employees, paid to work and follow a course of study to become qualified at their job.

Apprenticeships are an excellent way of gaining qualifications and workplace experience at the same time. As an employee, you can earn as you learn and you gain practical skills from the workplace.

Apprenticeship training is offered by FE colleges and other training providers, often on a day release basis.

All apprenticeships offer a package of qualifications which are vocational (practical), knowledge-based (theoretical) and include literacy and numeracy skills. Many also include IT or communication skills.

Visit the Apprenticeships website where you will find lots of information about what apprenticeships are available, how to find an apprenticeship as well as the real-life experiences of young people who have already followed this route.

Higher education (HE) may be an option from age 18 if you have already achieved A Levels or a Level 3 qualification.

If you want to get into higher education, there are different options available. It’s not necessarily about getting A levels – you can study full time for work-related qualifications or for an apprenticeship. You may also be able to take an Advanced Diploma qualification.

There are universities across the United Kingdom or even overseas where you could apply to study. Please see some of our local universities below:

Universities and colleges set their own entry requirements, so they vary from course to course. When you’re choosing what you need to do at 16, it’s important to find out what qualifications and grades you’re likely to need for the type of higher education course you want to do.

For full time courses, you can look up entry requirements on the UCAS website

A traineeship is a course with work experience that gets you ready for work or an apprenticeship. It can last from 6 weeks up to 1 year, though most traineeships last for less than 6 months.

You will receive:

  • help with getting work, such as writing a CV and finding a job
  • a work placement of 70 hours or more
  • help with the skills you’ll need for an apprenticeship or job in the area you want to work in
  • a job interview or feedback from an employer
  • help with English, maths and basic digital skills (if you need it)

You won’t be paid, but you may be given expenses for things like travel and meals.

If you are interested in finding a traineeship please click the following link – Traineeships

Supported internships are a structured, work-based study programme for 16 to 24-year-olds, who have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The core aim of a supported internship study programme is a substantial work placement, facilitated by the support of an expert job coach.

Supported interns are enrolled and supported by a learning provider, for example, a school or college, but spend most of their learning time – typically around 70% – in a workplace.

The internships provide the opportunity for young people to achieve sustained, paid employment by equipping them with the skills they need for work, through learning in the workplace.

Supported interns are in full-time education and their supported internship work placements are part of their course. There is no legal requirement or expectation that the supported intern will be paid.  Supported internships last for a minimum of 6 months, and up to a year.

The supported internship should contribute to the long-term career goals of the young person and match their capabilities. Alongside their time with the employer, supported interns complete a personalised study programme delivered by the college, which includes the chance to study for relevant qualifications, if appropriate, and English and Maths at an appropriate level.

Every young person is supported in the work placement by a trained job coach, put in place by their education provider. The job coach provides in-work support that tapers off, if appropriate, as the supported intern becomes familiar with their role. Job coaches also work with employers, increasing their confidence in employing individuals with additional needs and helping them to create and support a diverse workforce.

The aim of supported internships is to support young people with EHC plans to gain paid employment by:

  • supporting them to develop the skills valued by employers
  • enabling them to demonstrate their value in the workplace
  • developing confidence in their own abilities to perform successfully at work.

You can apply for supported internships through your local colleges and independent training providers

Working as a volunteer can be unpaid work in a workplace; this is useful if you are unemployed and looking to get work experience, stay engaged and remain in the habit of working. 

Volunteering can also be for a charity or on a project of some kind. Volunteering projects are always looking for more people to help them out.

You can volunteer alongside education or training or it can be something you do full time or away from home. You can also do a range of different voluntary projects in different settings.

It can be something you do to gain experience while looking for employment or simply to add to your skills, for example, team working or communication.

Volunteering is suitable for all young people, regardless of ability; there are many different opportunities that can match your particular skills and interest.  Volunteering can give you the edge at a college, university or job interview. 

You need to decide if volunteering full time or part time suits you better in order to plan whether or not you will need to apply for something else as well. Researching the different options available will allow you to make a better choice.

You can approach organisations direct or go through national volunteering organisations that support your application process.

  • V – is a volunteering charity who support young people in volunteering on local projects
    www.vinspired.com
  • National Citizen Service provides summer opportunities for 16 and 17 year olds
    nationalcitizenservice.direct.gov.uk
  • GoVo is a digital volunteering platform in the UK (England, Scotland & Wales) that connects people who want to volunteer with charities and community groups needing support GoVo

The government has increased the age to which all young people in England are required to continue in education or training meaning that you now have to combine this with work until at least your 18th birthday. Find out more about Raising the participation age.

The following government link provides a range of information on how to find a job, including a job search function – GOV.UK: Finding a job

You may have a great business idea and want to set up your own business. There is plenty of advice and support out there for you to research and decide if this is for you. Big businesses do this before they start a project so you don’t need to go it alone. Look at these websites as a start:

Accredited Learning

In addition to GCSEs and Functional Skills exams, Spaghetti Bridge students are offered a number of accredited occupational qualifications. These include NCFE Enterprise Skills, Business and Enterprise, and Occupational Studies for the Workplace qualifications and AQA Project Qualifications

Preparation for and Pathways to Adulthood

The unique nature of Enterprise Learning, with its focus on real-world learning through a project-oriented curriculum that includes community activities, Industry Experts, and experience of work-environments, means that students are prepared for life beyond school throughout their time at a Spaghetti Bridge school. All students are also provided with Independent Advice and Guidance throughout their Spaghetti Bridge journey.

However, as they approach the time of their transition to a post school destination, it is important that our students’ curriculum begins to focus more on deciding and preparation for a specific post-school destination through our “Pathways to Adulthood” programme. While each student’s wider curriculum continues, an interwoven Pathways to Adulthood programme focuses on students’ development of specific skills and knowledge in the areas of Continuing Education and Employment and Independent Living. At this stage, each student also has a transition plan that details the steps needed to successfully transition to their life after leaving school.

PSHE, SMSC, RSE and FBV

The Spaghetti Bridge Three Phase curriculum and our Relational Approach ensures that PSHE, SMSC, RSE, and FBV are integrated throughout each student’s curriculum in an individualised and student-centred manner. In addition, we have developed a yearly PSHE and RSE curriculum, consisting of termly and weekly themes, a bespoke target cache, and group and individual sessions.

In order to ensure that our students develop their cultural capital, each school has a cultural calendar which links PSHE and SMSC themes to events and activities in their community.

Mathematics

Mathematics is about so much more than simply getting the answer right. Instead, we believe that mathematics can facilitate a new perspective on the world and foster creative and analytical thinking, a growth mindset, and confidence in one’s ability to learn. Therefore, our mathematics curriculum contains three areas: mathematical content, mathematical thinking, and mathematical mindset.

Mathematical content consists of the twelve areas of learning that form the conceptual structure of a mathematics curriculum.

Mathematical mindset is about how students relate to mathematics, are resilient in the face of mathematical challenges, view themselves as capable of mathematics, and see mathematics in a positive light.

Mathematical thinking is the way in which students use logic, reason, and divergent thinking to solve mathematical problems and how they apply their mathematical learning across the wider curriculum.

Spaghetti Bridge schools deliver mathematics both as part of Enterprise Projects and through discrete mathematics sessions. We believe in teaching mathematics across the curriculum as a key part of all subjects.

Spaghetti Bridge schools do not follow the National Curriculum in literacy, but instead have adapted this curriculum into our Mathematics Pillar, which allows us to assess, plan, scaffold and sequence each student’s individualised curriculum.

All students have the opportunity to pursue accredited mathematics outcomes, including GCSE and Functional Skills exams.

Spaghetti Bridge has developed our approach to mathematics through collaboration with the Jurassic Maths Hub.

Literacy

At Spaghetti Bridge, we want our students to have a love of reading, the ability to understand and manage information, and communicate effectively. Our literacy curriculum contains content in five distinct areas: comprehension, word recognition, speaking and listening, spelling, punctuation and grammar, and writing. These content areas are supported by a vibrant reading culture and the fostering of a learning mindset.  Literacy is delivered throughout the curriculum, is embedded in Enterprise Projects and is integrated into all subject areas.

Each student has an individualised Reading Plan linked to their relationship to reading.

Our literacy programme is supported by a comprehensive phonics programme based on the Ruth Miskin Trust Fresh Start programme. For students on a phonics programme, their phonics is delivered through a bespoke curriculum, which may consist of 1:1 sessions or be integrated into their wider learning.

Each school has a termly reading curriculum that is linked to the wider curriculum map with links to the PSHE curriculum and the Driving Question for the term.

The Spaghetti Bridge literacy curriculum provides opportunities for accredited learning, including GCSE and Functional Skills exams.

Spaghetti Bridge schools do not follow the National Curriculum in literacy, but instead have adapted this curriculum into our Literacy Pillar, which allows us to assess, plan, scaffold and sequence each student’s individualised curriculum.

Spaghetti Bridge has developed our literacy curriculum in collaboration with the Cornerstones English Hub and the Right to Read Programme.

EHCP Outcomes

Every student at Spaghetti Bridge Schools has an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) and this forms an integral part of their curriculum. Our schools take a student’s EHCP outcomes and break these down into achievable termly targets as part of each student’s Individual Learning Plan. These targets are then integrated into the student’s projects and wider curriculum and assessed on a termly basis.

A Knowledge Rich Curriculum

Children and young people today have inherited a world in which they have access to more knowledge than ever before; however, the knowledge curriculum is often delivered without context or sense of purpose. We have instead designed our knowledge-rich curriculum using Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy to support students to not just gain but apply and create knowledge. Our curriculum map covers the subjects of science, human and social, creative and aesthetic, physical, and technology and design education, with termly topics in each area. The curriculum spirals every three years, ensuring that students revisit and build on prior learning through a sequence of three progressive tiers of knowledge for each topic.

This curriculum structure allows us to build individualised pathways for each student that support ambitious progress across the curriculum in line with their individual strengths and needs.

Skills and Understandings

In addition to our knowledge curriculum, our pillars also focus on skills and understandings. Skills are specific abilities that are linked to a particular subject and understandings concern the role that a specific subject plays in our world. Our skills and understandings are sequenced vertically and horizontally as part of our curriculum map and built into Enterprise Projects.

Enterprise Projects

As much as possible, our curriculum is delivered in the form of Enterprise Projects.  In these projects, each student creates a piece of Beautiful Work of which they are proud.  The projects are oriented around a shared Driving Question, which makes them meaningful, and will have a real-world meaning, skill or focus. Project Steps, (such as brainstorming, making a draft, field work, and presentation) form the backbone for completion of projects, and provide the structure of enquiry for the students to progress and gain both the Subject Pillars and transferable life skills (timekeeping, budgeting, communication of ideas etc).  Projects are supported through collaboration with Industry Experts, who are professionals within a particular field and support our students to complete their Beautiful Work according to industry standards.

It is helpful to look at Enterprise Projects as the vehicle through which learning is delivered.  For example, in designing and building a garden, students can learn any number of topics, such as botany, engineering, mathematics, etc. Where possible, Reading and Maths are woven into projects through interconnected sessions that work towards the Driving Question and completion of the Beautiful Work. Projects also enable students to work toward their EHCP outcomes by enabling any number of areas of learning, such as teamwork and cooperation, emotional resilience, executive functioning, and creative thinking.

Enterprise Projects give students a sense of purpose in their learning and build strong connections with their community, both within and outside the school.

The Three Phase Process

Our curriculum is structured by the Three Phase Process, which allows us to adapt each student’s programme to their current level of need and sequence all future learning.

Overcoming Barriers – students develop their sense of trust, belonging, self-image as a student, and sense of their own potential.  

21st Century Skills – each student’s curriculum broadens to focus more on the skills, knowledge and understandings that will enable them to thrive in the 21st century. 

Community Ready – the student’s curriculum prioritises more the steps that need to be taken in order to successfully transition to their life beyond school.

The Three Phases Process ensures that each student’s curriculum is individualised and ambitious and that they are supported and challenged at the appropriate level on the way to becoming themselves and changing the world.

The Three Phase Process

Our curriculum is structured by the Three Phase Process, which allows us to adapt each student’s programme to their current level of need and sequence all future learning.

Overcoming Barriers – students develop their sense of trust, belonging, self-image as a student, and sense of their own potential.  

21st Century Skills – each student’s curriculum broadens to focus more on the skills, knowledge and understandings that will enable them to thrive in the 21st century. 

Becoming Community Ready – the student’s curriculum prioritises more the steps that need to be taken in order to successfully transition to their life beyond school.

The Three Phases Process ensures that each student’s curriculum is individualised and ambitious and that they are supported and challenged at the appropriate level on the way to becoming themselves and changing the world.