14-19

Atlantis

Atlantis is one of the five 14-19 classes and is part of Pathway 3 within the Academy.  There are 10 students in the group, whose ages range from 14 to 18 years old.

The students in Atlantis are working within the following ranges:

• English: Entry Level 2 - Level 1.
• Maths: Entry Level 2 - Level 1.

Science: AQA Entry Level Single Science & AQA Single Science Chemistry GCSE

Students in the class have a range of learning needs. These include needs relating to communication, social interaction, self-regulation, and anxiety.  Many of the class have a diagnosis of autism.  The students in Atlantis have a lovely mix of personalities and a variety of interests which include TV shows, art, Lego, dogs, horses, gaming, music, building and fixing, and Warhammer. The students are engaging and fun. They like to share their experiences and knowledge with each other.

There are 2 members of staff in Atlantis.  They are Andrew Craze (Teacher) and Tracey Wood (Teaching Assistant).

The students access the curriculum in various areas of the Academy.  The timetabled lessons include Maths, English, Science, Computing, E-safety, Art, Music, and P.E. In addition, they also access a Preparing for Adulthood curriculum which develops skills, knowledge, and understanding within Employment, Community, Independence, and Health. In Employment lessons, students are either working on landscaping, catering, supporting the community, or the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Our reward system is based on developing character strengths and encourages intrinsic motivation. 

The first half hour of every day is tutor time.  As students arrive they check in using Zones of Regulation so staff know how they are feeling and can identify if students need to talk. During the rest of the session, there are activities that support students’ reading, SRE, humanities subjects, numeracy, social skills, or knowledge of the world around them.  These activities help students work towards the targets set at their last EHCP review meeting.  On Monday mornings Atlantis participates in an assembly.

Students in Atlantis are currently working hard towards accreditations in the core subjects, and many are considering their future.  They are supported in this with both internal and external career advice.  Students often move on to college or to a supported internship.  At present, some of our students are involved in a work experience program that runs parallel to their classroom lessons.

We work closely with a range of other professionals, including an Occupational Therapist, a Speech and Language Therapist, CAMHS therapists, and a physiotherapist who visit Foxwood.  Communication between home and the Academy is encouraged: students’ planners are checked each morning for parental messages and, at times, a note is written by staff to inform parents of any important or interesting issues.  Staff are always available for parents to talk to about any concerns relating to their child.

Discovery

Discovery is a 14-19 class and is part of Pathway 2 within the academy, it has 4 staff members Maxine Williams (Class teacher), Karen Toon and Anji Bonser (Teaching assistants). At present there are 12 students within the group who are aged between 14-17 years.  

The students in Discovery are a friendly group of students, who all work hard to promote a happy cooperative learning environment.  

There is a varied mix of characters within the group, who all bring something interesting and unique to the groups dynamic. Special interests of the students include horse-riding, climbing, football, IT and maths. 

The students within Discovery are working in the following academic ranges: 

• Maths: Entry level 2/3 
• English: Entry level 2 
• Science: Entry level 2/3 
• Art and Creative studies: level 2/3 
• IT: Entry level 2/3 

The students follow a varied curriculum which includes subject specific academic lessons as well as a Preparing for Adulthood curriculum which focuses on Community, Independence, Employment and Health. These lessons are a mix of task specific life skills and academic skills within real life contexts, so students can practice English and Maths in meaningful contexts. 

 The students usually use the Academy’s facilities for their various subjects for example the Science room, ICT suite, art room, PE in the hall and outside, kitchen and go out of the Academy for community and independence lessons. In employment lessons students are either working on landscaping, catering, undertaking an animal care course at a local college or working towards their Duke of Edinburgh award. 

Communication between home and the Academy is especially important via email and phone. Students’ planners are checked each morning and a note is written whenever it is needed.  

When our pupils leave Foxwood, many choose to move on to a local college to further develop their skills and employment opportunities. They are supported in this transition by careers advisors. 

Enterprise

Enterprise is one of our 14-19 classes and is part of Pathway 2 within the Academy.

Enterprise are a vibrant group of students, who are engaged and inquisitive. They enjoy learning through hands-on experiences and applying new skills in the wider community. All learners within the class have a range of complex learning needs related to communication, interpersonal, and emotional needs; most of the class have a diagnosis of ASC or ADHD.

The teacher Rachel Kelly is supported by Eden Weaver, Jess Williams, and Paige Fitzsimmons who are all very experienced, welcoming, and highly skilled Teaching Assistants.

The students access most of the curriculum in their own classroom space which is a calming and stimulating environment that celebrates their achievements. Full advantage is also taken of the Academy facilities including the kitchen, hall, forest area, talking cabin, ICT suite, and sensory room. The students study English and Maths twice a week with daily reading and phonics sessions taking place across the Academy. They also learn about Science, History, and Geography through a cross-curricular approach.

Opportunities are also taken to explore the wider community and local area, through community visits in the minibus, Throughout the year children also have opportunities to engage in PE, employment skills, and drama experiences. The students explore their creative sides through art, cooking, music, and drama. Our students also engage in our Preparing for Adulthood curriculum which develops the skills, knowledge, and understanding needed to access/promote future employment, community skills, independence, and health.

We communicate with home daily through the use of planners, email, and telephone calls. We love to share the great work our students complete and celebrate their successes!

Endeavour

Endeavour is one of our 14-19 classes and is part of Pathway 1 within the Academy, there are 5 students within the class alongside the class teacher and teaching assistant.

In Endeavour, we strive to apply what students have learned throughout Primary and KS3 in practical situations. This involves following a thematic curriculum that facilitates the development of skills to promote their independence in adulthood.

We like to engage in hands-on activities to prepare us for experiences that we may be involved in as adults, such as; gardening, using tools, upcycling, and visiting local shops.  

As much as possible, we go out into the community to develop the skills needed to safely access different services.

Columbia

Supported Internships and Work Related Learning

One of our work experience students Sean, completed several placements over his time in Columbia. We had amazing feedback from employers. He’s did himself proud and is an   excellent employee. Sean was valued throughout the teams he's been part of. Sean   was also fully independent travelling to and from his work placements.

Sean worked in Maintenance and Housekeeping teams at the Hilton Hotel Nottingham and through that experience gained paid employment, as well as securing a paid apprentice position at Nottingham University in their stores department. 

Another of our interns Paige, completed several successful placements over her time in work experience. Paige loved cooking and being creative so excelled in placements focussed on these areas. 

Paige gained skills and knowledge in all aspects of catering, including food and beverage service, food preparation and health and hygiene whilst working in the Cafe on-site at the Galleries of Justice. She created her own desserts to serve, independently took payments from customers, and used her barista skills to prepare and serve customers. Paige continued to volunteer in this placement post Foxwood as she enjoyed it so much. After gaining experience and skills this gave Paige the confidence to apply for Project Search. Paige secured a place after attending an interview at City Hospital.

Paige also became an independent traveller, an excellent achievement that made her feel so proud.

Across the 14-19 phase students identified as in their final year of education at Foxwood are offered the opportunity to participate in supported internships and undertake work placements as part of their curriculum. This is carefully aligned with their academic studies. The interns are supported to gain work experience in a variety of settings both on and off site. During the first half term they spend time with the tutor/job coach looking at skills, interests and aspirations and when they are assessed as ‘work ready’ are found placements matched to them. 

In addition to their placement, most interns follow a work-related curriculum which is accredited by the Prince’s Trust. This involves creating a portfolio, creating a CV, Health and Safety at work and work-related skills. At the end of their course, they have the skills and knowledge to achieve an Entry 2 qualification. They will also have the opportunity, in some work placements, to gain an extra qualification such as Bike Maintenance at Bikeworks., Health & Hygiene and Barista skills. We will continue to access other  courses that match interns skills and interests.

Throughout their placements, both on and off site, the interns are developing a range of transferable skills, such as communication and teamworking. They develop understanding of how different organisations work and build confidence in interacting with adults and in the community. 

Work experience gently introduces the interns to the world of work. This will inevitably give them an idea of the skills they need to thrive in the workplace and help them identify their own skills and highlight the areas they need to work on. 

Students will be encouraged to become as independent as possible, working at their own individual pace. We follow a TITAN programme that works towards independent travel, This is also followed at there own pace, Students are encouraged to apply for a driving licence to use as ID and for some, driving lessons.

Our main aim of Work Experience is to enable students to be work/college/apprenticeship ready and give them the opportunity to see their own potential and make the right choices for them on their journey post Foxwood.