Education & Development
Learning for Life operates across two sites, Herbert Street in Consett, County Durham is home to education and social care and our new site at The John Marley Centre in Newcastle is also home to both Education and Social Care provisions.
The Education Centre provides accredited and bespoke programmes of learning for all attendees. The learners are taught in small groups by highly trained and qualified tutors and staff who understand the needs, emotions and behaviours of our learners.
All of our learners’ education is planned with set targets and personalised to their individual and unique needs. We ensure that each learner gains confidence, develops maturity and increases their knowledge and skills in a safe environment, which also promotes equality of opportunity in the classroom.
This is achieved through learning, practical activities and a range of tasks. Learners are guided through our bespoke study programmes that are designed to enable them to achieve accreditation and certificates of achievement in a number of valuable course areas. Every learner has access to embedded functional skills, which includes literacy and numeracy. Learners will have the opportunity to achieve a nationally recognised qualification, namely in ASDAN or City and Guilds. The qualification offers flexibility, enabling learners to study modules from a range of Entry Levels as appropriate. During their time in College, learners will access 9 different curricular areas, linked to the government Preparing for Adulthood agenda (PfA):
- Functional skills in Literacy/Numeracy/ICT
- Creative (art, drama, music)
- Enterprise
- PSHE
- Sport & Leisure
- Food technology
- Travel training
- Work placement & skills
This diverse and innovative approach allows our learners to experience a wide range of activities from Outdoor Education through to more formal structured literacy and numeracy lessons. Our aim is for our learners to develop practical skills, which will help them in life, whilst having fun and being involved in activities that they may not have the chance to experience elsewhere. Throughout College we are lucky enough to experience Physical Education activities with Newcastle United Football Foundation, as well as using the church hall at Consett St. Patrick’s. Here we get the opportunity to learn about movement, team work and sports techniques from our on-site college Wellbeing Coach.
Throughout the academic year, we come together to enjoy shared experiences with the other groups within the College. This requires the development of planning and organisational skills, which is carried out by our learners, as they are actively involved in arranging and preparing for these events. It also promotes and enhances all of our learners’ social skills and provides an opportunity for them to communicate with people they know, as well as make new friends. It is also a special time for the learners to relax and enjoy themselves with their peers and support staff.
Our Consett Centre
Consett learners are working well towards gaining a beneficial selection of ASDAN units for their Personal Progress certificate. The learners all enjoy College life and their studies and they are making good progress through a variety of structured weekly lessons, which include key elements of literacy, numeracy
and communication.
During their studies the learners also enjoy time at Haystax Inclusive Farm Experience near Knitsley, Consett.
The learners are gaining skills in preparation for work, community action, managing money and personal safety in the home and community, as well as learning more about their likes and dislikes through craft and literacy sessions, centred around the subject of self-discovery.
Makaton is taught to our learners and used to enable better communication with other learners and with staff members. Every Wednesday the learners participate in the Makaton choir, which involves learning a song to ‘sing and sign’, which they then have the opportunity to perform at one of our functions.
Throughout the year, learners are engaged in enterprise projects to raise funds for learner activities, alongside subjects promoting essential aspects of self-awareness and life skills. We know that learners flourish in our pleasant and friendly classroom, as they are keen to work hard and learn new skills. It is a pleasure to teach these adults and watch their remarkable and amazing personal progress from month-to-month.
Learners from the surrounding areas of Newcastle will attend our new education provision at The John Marley Centre (Newcastle). We follow a life and living skills curriculum and learners will be awarded an ASDAN qualification upon completion of their course.
Our Newcastle Centre
