The Skills Academy Course Guide 2019/20

Course Guide 20/21

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Welcome 4 Meet the team

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10 reasons to choose The Skills Academy

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Our courses

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Creative Arts & Media

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Construction Skills

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Digital Media

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Foundation Skills

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Hairdressing & Beauty Therapy

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Information Technology

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Latest news

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What’s in it for you?

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A day in the life

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How we’ll support you

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English and maths

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Testimonials 31

CREDITS Photography - Rachael Eland and Livia Douse Graphic Design - Rachael Eland

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Everyone in this guide is either a student, staff member or friend of The Skills Academy. Our thanks to all involved.

Welcome to The Skills Academy

Download the Milo’s World App from Google Play and the App Store

WHAT DOES THIS MARKER MEAN? Throughout this guide you will see markers across the course pages that look like the one here. Scan these with the app, Milo’s World, to view creative animations! Our robot mascot Milo will take you through the different courses we offer. The app is available for download on both the App Store and Google Play. Simply search for Milo’s World to download.

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WELCOME Offering a range of introductory level courses, The Skills Academy is the ideal choice if you prefer to learn in a smaller environment. It provides another option for those aged 14 to 18 who may be looking for a different kind of learning experience.

With a focus on practical learning, lessons are delivered in a calm and friendly environment, helping you to build the skills and the confidence you need to succeed.

All courses at The Skills Academy are delivered

by Stockton Riverside College.

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MEET THE TEAM Marie Clay

Skills Academy Manager Hello and welcome to The Skills Academy! We offer a wide range of courses that are designed to help learners who are anxious, vulnerable or disengaged from school to gain qualifications that will enable them to progress onto further college courses, apprenticeships or employment.

Lee Pink

Skills Academy Administrator Hi! My main job here at The Skills Academy is to complete all administration duties for the College. I’m also responsible for organising tours of the Academy, attending school career days and events, employment and enrichment.

And keep an eye out for...

Tracey Laycock 14-16 Manager

Mark Shaw

Progress Coach 14-16 The Skills Academy Prospectus 20/21

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10 REASONS TO CHOOSE THE SKILLS ACADEMY:

Small and friendly college.

Classes are small to help focus on one-toone support and each individuals’ needs.

Teaching staff are knowledgeable and have great industry experience.

We are a close knit college where people feel like a family.

Practical and hands on with industry standard equipment in our classrooms.

We have great progression and pass rates.

We have learning support and youth workers on hand to help with any of your needs.

Whether that is in or out of the classroom, our team are here to support you.

Trips out! Including Yorkshire Sculpture Park, York Dungeons, York Minster and London.

You can take part in our Enterprise programme.

We have social areas where you can relax between lessons.

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Tel: 01642 607 464

Email: info@stockton.ac.uk

As a college we offer FREE travel*, print credits, wifi and meals*.

Subject to change.

OUR COURSES Collage page

The Skills Academy Prospectus 20/21

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CREATIVE ARTS & MEDIA Extended Certificate in Exploring Creative Arts and Media Level 1 award – one year

What will I do?

You will develop a range of creative skills including art and design, media and performing arts, which will help you decide the direction you would like to take.

Enterprise

As part of their studying, students have been taking part in our enterprise programme to sell their goods. The Academy of Arts has been making jewellery, wire decorations, origami flowers and cards to sell at enterprise fairs at the College.

You need: An interest in learning more about the creative arts, including design, media, and performing arts.

What’s next?

You could move on to a relevant level 2 course, specialising in art and design, creative media, film production, production arts or performing arts.

Exhibition visit

Students also take part in a range of trips during the course which can include day trips to Yorkshire Sculpture Park, the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art in Newcastle and also a residential trip to London.

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Tel: 01642 607 464

Email: info@stockton.ac.uk

Download the Milo’s World App from Google Play and the App Store

If you are creative and you have a passion for art, then we can offer you the chance to explore your interests and develop your creative skills.

Gain experience from our range of trips and exhibitions

SUCCESS NAME: Mikie COURSE: Creative Arts & Media Mikie is progressing well on his course and has even had his work featured at the Stockton Riverside College Art Show 2019!

CONSTRUCTION SKILLS Construction Skills Certificate Level 1 award – one year

What will I do?

You will get an introduction to basic skills in joinery, painting and decorating, decorative effects, health and safety, along with an introduction to construction, construction projects and enrichment activities.

You need: An interest in learning a variety of construction skills.

What’s next?

You could continue your studies in a particular trade or apprenticeship.

Enterprise

As part of our course, students take part in enterprise. This means they make products such as wine racks, shelving units, personalised letters, personalised door hooks and driftwood decorations to sell within the College to friends, family and staff. Our enterprise programme helps to build the students’ entrepreneurial skills to prepare them for work. The money they raise goes to their chosen charity.

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Tel: 01642 607 464

Email: info@stockton.ac.uk

Excellent variety of enrichment and enterprise projects

Our Construction Skills course will give you the chance to try a variety of trades and see which you enjoy the most. This is a practical course with an element of theory based sessions.

The phases cover the following trade areas: Phase 1: Generic Units, Bricklaying and Joinery Phase 2: Wall & Floor Tiling, Construction, Operations and Painting & Decorating Phase 3: Carpentry Phase 4: Plastering, Plumbing and Electrical

Our talented students’ work

Download the Milo’s World App from Google Play and the App Store

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Tel: 01642 607 464

Email: info@stockton.ac.uk

The Skills Academy Prospectus 20/21

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DIGITAL MEDIA Introducing you to basic creative digital media practices, skills and techniques, you will work on a variety of projects, experiment with your ideas, and look at the work of media practitioners in areas such as film, digital graphics, animation, web and advertising.

their own company name and brand.

Visits

Students also take part in a range of trips during the course which can include day trips and a residential trip to London.

Diploma in Digital Media Level 1 award – one year

What will I do?

You will cover all aspects of digital media in a practical and exciting way, including how to create animations and advertisements, how to make a short film and how to create a website. You will also learn about research and planning.

You need: To demonstrate a desire and enthusiasm for studying creative media production.

What’s next?

You could move on to a relevant level 2 qualification such as Creative Media Level 2.

Enterprise

The students work on an enterprise project which looks at roles and responsibilities and product design and enables the group to develop 14

Tel: 01642 607 464

Email: info@stockton.ac.uk

Have fun whilst learning in our cutting edge design studios

Download the Milo’s World App from Google Play and the App Store

The Skills Academy Prospectus 20/21

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FOUNDATION SKILLS Skills for Employment Training and Personal Development

Entry Level 3/Level 1 – one year What will I do?

This course offers the opportunity to help you identify your personal goals, improving your employability skills and developing your maths and English. Working in small groups and on supported trips you’ll take part in practical activities to help you achieve your own targets and put the skills you’ve learnt into practice. Your work will be recorded in workbooks, and you’ll also take part in enterprise activities and a work or vocational placement.

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Tel: 01642 607 464

What’s next?

With all of our Employability Skills courses your next move depends on you and your own goals. If you want to go on to further studies you can progress through the Employability Skills courses before moving on to a vocational course, you may achieve a greater level of independent living or you could go on to supported employment or voluntary work.

Email: info@stockton.ac.uk

Download the Milo’s World App from Google Play and the App Store

Whatever your individual goals, we can help you develop the skills you need to achieve.

Whether you want to continue in education, start work or live more independently, our personalised courses can help you build the skills and confidence you need.

Gain an insight into potential vocational areas and identify an appropriate progression route

SUCCESS NAME: Jude COURSE: Foundation Skills “I really enjoy cooking and taking my food home. I also love looking after the animals.� Jude hopes to return to The Skills Academy next year to further his studies and would love to become an environmental officer.

HAIRDRESSING & BEAUTY THERAPY This course will combine technical skills and underpinning knowledge to allow learners to experience and develop life skills whilst introducing them to the hair, beauty and catering industries.

Introduction to the Hair and Beauty Industry Level 1 award – one year

What will I do?

You will take part in both theory and practical sessions to develop technical skills in beauty, hairdressing and catering. You will also attend English and maths lessons, work on My Work Search and take part in enrichment and work experience.

You need: Places on this course will be offered on an individual basis and require a reference from your present educational provider.

What’s next?

You could go on to study a Level 1 Certificate in Beauty Therapy, Level 1 Certificate in Hairdressing.

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Tel: 01642 607 464

Email: info@stockton.ac.uk

Download the Milo’s World App from Google Play and the App Store

Learn in a fun, relaxed and friendly environment

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Everyone needs IT skills whether you are at work, home or even on the move. This course is for those who have a grasp of the basics but want to build on that knowledge.

Guest speakers, work-related projects, live briefs and competitions, e.g. WorldSkills

Introductory Certificate In IT Level 1 – one year

What will I do?

You will learn how to design and build digital products, enabling you to use digital tools as a means to inform, persuade and entertain. It will develop your creativity and independent learning skills.

You need: An Entry Level 3 IT qualification, two GCSEs grade 2/E or an IT assessment.

What’s next?

You could move on to a relevant level 2 course such as the Level 2 Technical Diploma in IT.

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Tel: 01642 607 464

Email: info@stockton.ac.uk

Download the Milo’s World App from Google Play and the App Store

LATEST NEWS

There is nothing like a spot of pampering to brighten up your day!

That is exactly what residents at Hadrian Park Care Home got when they welcomed hair and beauty students from The Skills Academy.

The learners were there to deliver nail treatments, hone new-found skills and practise some customer care.

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Tel: 01642 607 464

Lecturer Sarah Little said: “This was a great opportunity for the students to get realistic work experience, while also getting out into the community.”

Taking the students out of their comfort zone, she added: “It also offers the students the chance to interact with a different generation with one of the residents they have been working with today being 101.”

Email: info@stockton.ac.uk

The Billingham-based care home offers residential, dementia and respite care for older people. Lifestyle co-ordinator Laura Griffiths said: “The residents love it when the students come in. It is a nice pamper treatment for them and they get to talk to someone new. It is really good for them.”

Skills student Poppy, 15, said: “It is really good practice for us. The residents have visited The Skills Academy, so we have had the chance to meet them before.”

Savanna, 16, added: “I have learnt a lot from visiting the care home. You learn that it isn’t only young people who like to get their nails done.

“It is good for us to work with different clients and nice to have conversations with them.”

The Skills Academy offers an alternate education option for those aged 14 to 18. Introductory courses include construction, hair and beauty, art, IT and employability.

Students get realistic work experience, while also getting out into the community

The Skills Academy Prospectus 20/21

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LATEST NEWS Christmas Fair Students were hard at work last Christmas organising their annual fair.

They prepared sweet treats and decorations to sell, gathered prizes for a raffle and tombola, and played cheer pong (alcohol free of course).

The students made cakes, biscuits, driftwood sculptures, tea light holders, Christmas trees and pom pom hats for bottles.

The youngsters invited in family and friends to show off their work and they were all entertained by a magician. The money they raised went to charities that were chosen by each class.

The Skills Academy Manager, Marie Clay, spoke about how proud she is of all of the students: “The amount of hard work they have put in is amazing and the charities they have all picked are really great.”

She continued: “Everybody pulled together and the quality is brilliant.

They have shown how much they have grown since they first started.”

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Tel: 01642 607 464

Employability student, Tom loved being involved in the festivities: “Our class made cookies to sell and I really enjoyed it. It’s been really good to get into the Christmas spirit and funny seeing everyone dressed up.”

Email: info@stockton.ac.uk

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU? FREE MEALS** Free College meals!

FREE TRAVEL* Travelling to and from college couldn’t be easier, with bus routes available across Teesside. www.stockton.ac.uk

WIFI Stockton Riverside College has free wifi available to all of its students throughout the College.

Speak to our Stockton Riverside College Student Services team about all of our latest offers and discounts!

PRINT CREDITS Just another way we help to make college life easier!

*Subject to change. Conditions may apply. **Subject to eligibility criteria.

Visit the finance section of our website to check your eligibility.

The Skills Academy Prospectus 20/21

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A DAY IN THE LIFE...

Ever wondered what a typical day at The Skills Academy is like? We went to speak to our students to find out.

We went around every classroom to see what activities were going on throughout the day. Our Prince’s Trust Team were learning all about 26

Tel: 01642 607 464

the importance of team building and trust. They demonstrated “the spider of trust” where the students lean on each other to create a spider like figure. If one person falls, the whole group falls.

Next we went into creative arts where students were focusing

Email: info@stockton.ac.uk

on their drawing techniques and were showing off their jam packed portfolios, where each student has created their very own caricature.

We hope they’ll do ours next!

Childcare students were learning all about the importance of English and maths in a childcare setting. They were also creating children’s toys that would be suitable for different age groups so they can understand the development of a child, whilst media were putting their knowledge to the test by doing quizzes on topics they have learnt in class.

Our IT experts were putting together contingency plans for events that are held throughout the year. They were anticipating any problems to make sure that everything will go smoothly.

Students in our Construction department were practising their

painting skills and creating different effects on canvases, as well as learning the basic joints in a joinery demonstration. They were also preparing their driftwood decorations to sell as part of their enterprise programme.

Our Hair, Beauty & Catering team were having a beauty lesson on all of the different bones in the hand.

They created models of the hand to help them understand the purpose of them all and to help when using massaging techniques. The students were also demonstrating their face painting skills by creating a dawn of the dead skull design.

The College is a great place to study if you like to be in a small and friendly atmosphere where the students describe the environment as a family.

The Skills Academy Prospectus 20/21

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HOW WE’LL SUPPORT YOU Health & wellbeing

The College has a team dedicated to your health and wellbeing. If you need information or advice on anything from financial worries to bullying, sexual health or drug and alcohol misuse, our youth workers are available to help.

Learning support

Our Learning Support Team are dedicated to making sure our learners receive the support they need. We can arrange a support interview and make sure the appropriate support is put in place.

Our aim is to make sure our learners are respected and cared for as individuals and are encouraged and supported to reach their potential at all times. Learning Support services include support for students who are visually impaired, have a hearing impairment, those with mobility issues, dyslexia, autism or any learning or physical difficulty and/or disability.

Safeguarding

Across the College we have a safeguarding and welfare team with dedicated safeguarding roles at each site to prioritise your safety at all 28

Tel: 01642 607 464

times. We can offer advice, support and ensure that help from other agencies external to College can be sought to enable the best outcomes for our students’ safety and overall well-being. If you should feel unsafe or feel you need to access support we are here to make sure you are heard and safe at all times.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We value the diversity of our college community and promote inclusion for all. We make sure that all of our students receive the same provision and access to our services. We encourage a culture of respect and commit to tackling prejudice at all levels. By encouraging students and staff to share their own experiences, we aim to promote mutual understanding.

Student bursary

You will be invited to fill out a bursary application form when you come for an interview at the College, or apply online www.stockton.ac.uk. This will determine whether you are eligible for support with travel, childcare, meals or equipment*. *Subject to change.

Email: info@stockton.ac.uk

English and maths

You may not always realise it but English and maths play a part in everything we do, they are also skills that mean a lot to employers. That is why, alongside your lessons, our team will help you to build on these essential skills. Turn over for more information on English and Maths.

SEN/EHCP

We are committed to supporting you to meet your individual goals and aspirations. We welcome applications from students with special education needs, learning disabilities/difficulties and or other support needs. We will work with you to provide you with the right resources, support and services

to meet your needs. To ensure we can provide the best support we will ask to see a copy of your Education and Health Care Plan or SEN (Special Educational Needs) Support Plan.

This will allow us to understand your support needs and provide appropriate support.

We will work with you, your family, your current Provider and any other professionals involved, to put in place a transition plan to help you settle into and adjust to college life. We work closely with the local authorities to adhere to the special educational needs code of practice (SEND) to meet the needs of our students.

The Skills Academy Prospectus 20/21

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ENGLISH & MATHS These are skills that we can all take for granted, but we all use English and maths every day, often without even thinking about it.

Government requirement that you keep working towards these essential GCSEs, if you haven’t already achieved grade 9-4/A*-C.

At The Skills Academy we know how important these skills are to your future success and that is why we want to help all of our students develop their basic knowledge and pick up the qualifications to match.

For students under 19, it is a

At The Skills Academy, if you haven’t already achieved, we will help you work towards these important qualifications and continue to develop your knowledge alongside your full-time course. We want to help you make the grade!

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Tel: 01642 607 464

Email: info@stockton.ac.uk

TESTIMONIALS Thanks to you and your staff, our family now have a much happier, strong-minded and forward-looking young learner.

Thank you for all your support and patience. It’s clear that the hard work, time and understanding you and your staff put in is a “life-saver” for many young people and their families.

Teresa Home School Mentor

The learner I supported was very reluctant to engage in learning but over the past few weeks I have seen him grow more confident, he’s willing to listen to advice, instructions and socialise. I know how daunting going to a new place must have been, but the transformation of this young man over a short period of time is down to everyone at The Skills Academy.

I would not hesitate in recommending The Skills Academy to any parent/carer or student. So well done, keep up the good work and thank you.

Yvonne Support Worker Hartlepool Virtual School

The Skills Academy Prospectus 20/21

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Join us in our efforts to go green and play your part in helping to protect the planet. At The Skills Academy we have made a pledge to reduce our carbon footprint, improve sustainability, increase recycling, and cut back on our general waste. That’s why, when you have finished with this guide we are asking you to pass it on to a friend or family member, recycle it, or return it to us at the freepost address below.

You can find us off Marsh House Avenue in Billingham, near Bede Sixth Form.

The Skills Academy Marsh House Avenue, Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, TS23 3ET

Freepost RTGX-KLYB-JYJS Stockton Riverside College Harvard Avenue Thornaby STOCKTON-ON-TEES TS17 6FB

MARSH HOUSE AVENUE

RIEVAULX AVENUE

BEDE SIXTH FORM

WOLVISTON ROAD

A19 N All the information in this guide is correct at the time of going to print.

We reserve the right to make any necessary changes or withdraw courses.

Tel: 01642 607 464

Email: marie.clay@stockton.ac.uk or lee.pink@stockton.ac.uk