Our Curriculum

Work Skills Learning has the expertise and facilities to deliver a wide curriculum, helping young people develop effective skills through accredited courses ranging from Entry Level to GCSEs and AS and A Levels, as well as skills-based qualifications. All our programmes are designed to give learners the best possible chance of gaining recognised qualifications to support their next steps in life.

Work Skills Learning offers a range of programmes to build essential skills for education, work, and independent living, including:

  • Entry-Level Qualifications: Foundation courses focused on developing core competencies in literacy, numeracy, and communication.
  • Functional Skills: Practical courses in English, Maths, and ICT, emphasising real-world applications to enhance employability and daily living.
  • GCSE and A-Level: Academic programmes tailored for learners aiming for higher education or specialised career paths, focusing on subjects such as English, Maths, Humanities, Science, and Art and Design.
  • Preparation for Adulthood (Life Skills): Courses designed to support independent living, covering areas like money management, cooking, personal care, and social interaction skills to help learners transition successfully into adult life.

We work closely with local authority SEND departments, who make referrals us, as well as with parents and carers.
Our individualised, personalised courses are tailored to meet the needs of children and young people with a range of special educational needs. We create structured programmes that align with each learner’s strengths and interests, while encouraging them to expand their horizons and embrace positive challenges.

Work Skills Learning supports children and young people to become independent learners and thinkers, ensuring they achieve the highest possible qualifications in subjects such as Maths, English, Sciences, Modern Foreign Languages (MFL), Humanities, Art, Crafts, Music, Design, and ICT.

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Year 9

For pupils whose reading age is behind their chronological age, additional support is also provided through an intervention programme that includes Speech and Language support and extra English lessons where appropriate.

SUBJECTS

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Art
  • Spanish
  • History
  • Health Education (Relationships and Sex Education, Personal Social Health Education)
  • Sports/PE

Years 10-11

In Years 10 and 11 pupils have the opportunity to study subjects up to GCSE level. The common core curriculum studied by all pupils includes:

SUBJECTS

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Art
  • Spanish
  • History
  • Health Education (Relationships and Sex Education, Personal Social Health Education)
  • Sports/PE

Students are offered NCFE accreditation, Entry Level, Functional Skills Level, BTEC and GCSE choices from a broad range of subjects to ensure that pupils are able to achieve at any stage of their learning journey. These include GCSE and equivalent and applied vocational subjects: Art, Spanish, History and PE. We will look to add subjects relevant to specific pupils’ ongoing progress.

Consequently, we devote time and energy to providing good guidance to all pupils and their families. The aim is to ensure that students are challenged academically and motivated by their choices, studying subjects that are likely to ensure long-term success.

Years 12-14

In Years 12, 13 and 14, pupils have the opportunity to review and continue with A Level, GCSE, BTEC and other accredited subjects specific to the learning pathway specific to each young person alongside Health Education and their Career plan.

Pupils are given the opportunity to study a core curriculum of Mathematics, English, and Science (and a Modern Language where appropriate) upon joining Edith Kay. Quite deliberately, the school chooses to maintain a broad academic curriculum to support pupil progression to Post 16+, A Level. There are no predetermined “Option Bands” as our pupils join the school with individually discussed pathways. Pupils work with a clear understanding of the complexities and demands of the professions they are considering and the expectations that are intrinsic in the design and delivery of the curriculum. The school, however, always aims to run any course where there is sufficient demand.

A Levels available in 2025-2026 are:

  • Photography
  • Art
  • English Language
  • Sociology

Preparing for Adulthood

Enriched Curriculum Days and the Tutorial Programme

Enriched learning, alongside the school timetable, takes place at regular times in the year. The school encourages all pupils to use the local gym. There is a termly outing for the whole school, which pupils actively research and organise with the key coordinators. Staff members also organise educational trips such as the Imperial War Museum. Pupils regularly volunteer for a local charity, helping in the charity’s foodbank and community garden. Wembley Stadium (Education Hub) offers the school community a well-developed programme that enriches and broadens pupil learning experience, enabling pupils to develop key life skills and enhance learning in a range of issues.

Examples of topics covered

  • Staying safe, including online safety and drug and alcohol awareness
  • Developing greater resilience and a Growth Mindset attitude
  • Aspects of key values
  • Study skills
  • Healthy living, including mental health, wellbeing
  • Bullying
  • Career planning