All students are provided with ‘vocational’ lessons that immerse them in the world of work. These lessons are provided at the start of each day to provide students with positive experiences at the beginning of the day and a further, enjoyable, incentive to come to school.
We offer several vocational options at the beginning of each day. These include ‘Gardening’, ‘Cooking’, ‘Duke of Edinburgh Certificate’, ‘ICT with Internet Safety’& ‘Trade Skills’.
Although these courses are experiential-based and do not follow an established curriculum, all the courses have highlighted ‘key skills’ that they aim to impart on students whilst they are being studied. We aim to provide students with a ‘Pine Green – Certificate of Competency’ in each of the students they access.
More details on the Key Skills on each vocational option can be found by clicking on the links below.
“Vocational education programs have made a real difference in the lives of countless young people nationwide; they build self-confidence and leadership skills by allowing students to utilize their unique gifts and talents”
In Key Stage 3 we offer the following subjects...
Gardening
Gardening is a healthy and interesting way for children to learn and have fun at home, school or the allotment. Research such as Gardener (1998) indicates that some students learn best through being involved in the natural world. Gardening also presents students with an opportunity to perform better at school if they’re involved with gardening and many will develop a greater interest in healthy eating if they get to grow their own veg. In Gardening we aim to foster this enjoyment and allow students to grow and look after their own plants and vegetables.
Trade Skills
“It is important to teach trades because it can help students get a feel for what they potentially want to do in the future.” At Pine Green we actively encourage students to get involved in a variety of trade skills. We teach elements of brick work, carpentry, electrics and engineering. This allows students to get a flavour or potential trades and increase their engagement in school.
ICT with Internet Safety
Many of our students arrive Pine Green with exceptionally low ICT skills. Our Vocational-based ICT course allows for students to access an ICT curriculum which is relevant to needs and focuses highly upon being safe in online forums and how to be respectful to others online. - Cooking - By teaching our children to cook they are more likely to grow up to be healthy adults because they have a better knowledge of cooking techniques, preparing food and new tastes. At Pine Green, we aim to teach students basic cooking skills so that they’re able live independent and healthy lives. - Gym o Many of our students don’t like team sports but have yet to develop healthy exercise habits. By teaching them how to use exercise equipment, we aim to encourage students to exercise and experience the benefits of exercise in controlling and regulating their emotions.
In Key Stage 4 we offer the following subjects...
Trade Skills
“It is important to teach trades because it can help students get a feel for what they potentially want to do in the future.” At Pine Green we actively encourage students to get involved in a variety of trade skills. We teach elements of brick work, carpentry, electrics and engineering. This allows students to get a flavour or potential trades and increase their engagement in school.
D of E
Taking part in a DofE journey will give you skills, confidence, and something to talk about when you apply for college, university or a job. Beyond your academic achievements, universities want to see evidence of “soft skills” that you have developed through extra-curricular activities, such as communication, commitment, leadership and teamwork. Your DofE Award is a fantastic way to demonstrate and evidence these skills in practice: Self-belief and self-confidence, A sense of identity, Initiative and a sense of responsibility, A real awareness of their strengths, New talents and abilities, The ability to plan and use time effectively, Learning from and giving to others in the community, Forming new friendships, Problem solving, presentation and communication skills, Leadership and teamworking skills.