Vocational programmes

h1>Vocational programmes

Aims

To provide pupils with the opportunity to engage in work based learning through a variety of specific and non specific activites.

Courses Offered

In Yrs 7-9 many subject areas incorporate the opportunity to engage in work based learning into their curriculum, for example, estimation in maths, construction in technology and food preparation in food technology.

In Yrs 10-11, we now offer a wide vocational curriculum, providing every pupil with the chance to study a vocational programme at one level or another, these may range from applied GCSEs in subjects like, Health & Social Care, Engineering, Leisure & Tourism, Applied Art & Design, applied Business, to more hands on experiences in hairdressing, Catering, Beauty Care and Motor Vehicle Maintenance, where Edexcel skills for working life, at levels one and two courses are studied as well as other external qualifications in these areas.  These are currently being added to with the introduction of a BTEC Sports qualification from September 2006.  IT offers qualifications at different levels according to pupils abilities, these being IDA, CIDA and DIDA

Teaching and Learning

Teaching and learning takes place through a variety of different methods, these being:-

  • Classroom based learning
  • Project based learning with hands on experience based on visits in Leisure & Tourism, Health & Social Care, Business Studies, Art & Design and Engineering
  • Practical learning in Catering, Hairdressing, Construction (from Sept 2006) and Motor Vehicle maintenance
  • Use of the Internet
  • Visits to work based learning establishments
  • Extra curricular activities such as the Young Enterprise scheme.

Resources

Vocational Education is delivered at a variety of locations which include:

  • In school provision
  • CLCs
  • Blackburn College Workshops
  • Training 2000
  • Digital Camera and Video facilities
  • New computer suites in school
  • Use of Blackburn with Darwen Vocational Centre at Higher Croft