Post 16 The Bridge

Post 16 Curriculum 

Talbot Post 16 is based at both The Bridge and Peaks Campus, Sheffield College. The Bridge, is a self-contained building within the school site, which is attended by all Talbot Post 16 students. Our base at Peaks College campus is currently accessed by around half of our students, who spend part of their week at college and the remainder of the week at The Bridge. Students are supported and taught by Talbot staff at both locations.

Students access one of three curriculum pathways. Students access the pathway which best meets their needs. These are:

• Pathway to an Enriched Adult Life
• Pathway to a Supported Adult Life
• Pathway to an Independent Adult Life

Pathway to an Enriched Adult Life

Students accessing Pathway to an Enriched Adult Life are based at The Bridge. They follow a sensory and therapeutic curriculum. Curriculum areas include:

• Communication and Interaction
• Transition
• Engaging in My Community
• PSHE/RSE
• Physical Well-Being and Leisure
• Options

Students are taught through a theme that changes on a termly basis. These link to preparing students for adulthood and include topics such as Our Community and Going Places.   Students also participate in Asdan Lifeskills Challenges such as ‘Experiencing Hobbies’ and ‘Cooking with Our Senses’. The challenges provide an opportunity for our students to get their hard work recognised through accreditation. Students are supported to work on their communication skills across all curriculum areas. Facilitating student voice is part of this and they are supported to make simple choices and indicate preferences throughout their day.

Physical well-being is a key focus for students accessing this curriculum. Students have access to practical and therapeutic support throughout the day. Small group sizes and consistent staff who are supported by onsite therapy professionals, helps to ensure students physical and sensory needs are met. Students also have access to a hydrotherapy pool which further enhances the therapeutic benefits of our holistic curriculum.

Pathway to a Supported and Independent Adult Life

Students accessing both the Pathway to a Supported Adult Life and Pathway to an Independent Adult Life are taught by a Talbot staff team who constantly strive to promote students’ independence, confidence and social skills, enabling each student to reach their full potential.  Where possible, lessons are taught with a practical focus. Sessions include Independent Living Skills, Health and Wellbeing, Citizenship, Work Related Learning, Careers and Enterprise and Sport & Leisure. Functional literacy and numeracy are embedded throughout as is PSHE. Our Independent Pathway students also access timetabled Functional skills sessions. Building student communication skills is a focus throughout the day, including at breaks and lunchtimes. Students are supported to develop their voice and make choices for themselves. As with the Enriched Pathway, students complete fully accredited ASDAN Life-Skills Challenges, thus allowing their hard work and achievements to be formally recognised.

For students accessing Peaks College they have the chance to experience a part-time taste of college life as well as opportunities to easily access the local community, building on the transferrable skills gained in class.

Transition

As well as aiming to provide students with rich and varied day-to-day learning experiences within the classroom, staff are focused on preparing all our students for transition to life after Talbot. For some of our students this means supporting them to manage smaller changes such as learning to tolerate working with a range of staff and students and by experiencing different learning environments. Most of our students will work towards accessing trips into the local community so that they get the chance to apply the skills they have learnt in a range of different settings. For some this may be a trip to a local park or another education provider. For others, it will be building to regular trips to access a range of local facilities. Where relevant to individual needs and with the relevant support, students will practise using a range of public transport.

In the final year, all students will get the chance to visit a range of future education and adult social care providers they may move onto. Our Transitions Lead TA works closely with the young person and their family to ensure that everything is in place for a successful next step into adulthood.