Education and Welfare

Introduction

Young people are referred to the provision for a variety of reasons, and as such we understand that one method of learning is not appropriate for all. At CAST, we deliver a broad and balanced curriculum that enables young people to develop their key numeracy and literacy skills, develop their wider learning skills, and experience a range of exciting curriculum opportunities. We utilise differentiated resources to facilitate learning for all young people in a therapeutic learning environment of combined classroom and outdoor sessions.

With this in mind, we aim to:

Provide a supportive and differentiated learning environment that encourages the academic and personal development of all.
Empower learners to be successful members of our community by enhancing their abilities to respect, communicate, build positive relationships, and overcome boundaries/barriers that they may face.
Prepare learners, where appropriate, for re-integration into mainstream education, further education, or the world of work.
Reinforce each young person's confidence, self-esteem, and integrity.
Encourage young people to understand and positively advocate fundamental British values.

Accreditations

BTEC Qualifications

To compliment and/or supplement schooling efforts, CAST offers a number of BTEC qualifications that provide young people with the opportunities to move into further education or employment. Such sessions are facilitated through timetabled sessions that encompass a mixture of theoretical and practical work. The courses that have been or are currently offered at the provision are:

BTEC Level Entry 3 in Entry to Vocational Study.
BTEC Level 1 in Introduction to Land-Based Studies.
BTEC Level 1 in Introduction to Construction.
BTEC Level 1 in Introduction to Vocational Studies.
BTEC Level 2 in Countryside and Environment.

In the academic year of 2021-2022, 80% of learners achieved a Diploma in their relevant BTEC qualification, of which 69% of learners achieved two Diploma qualifications. Accreditation and success, however, is dependent on each young person's attendance and willingness to engage.

Personal Development

SMSC

Embedded into the culture of the provision, we deliver a range of social, moral, spiritual, and cultural (SMSC) sessions as a core entitlement for all young people to maximise personal development. The SMSC delivered at CAST incorporates elements of PSHE (personal, social, health education) and SRE (sex and relationship education). Such sessions are conveyed in all aspects of the day and educational work. At CAST, we cover a range of topics that are specific to young person's behaviour, interests, and pressures, such as:

British values – equality and diversity.
Further education and employment.
Mental, physical, and sexual wellbeing.
Substance awareness and abuse.
Climate change and the natural environment.
Personal finance.

We believe that schooling should be a preparation for life, and as such we actively focus on supporting the development of attributes and life skills that young people require to thrive in their future working lives.

Pastoral Support

Promoting Individual Welfare

Individual pastoral support is offered and available to all young people that attend the provision. Within such sessions, young people can have confidential conversations with trained staff regarding their academic and/or personal lives.

The young people are also given termly interpersonal and academic targets in line with their and their placing authorities expectations.

Regular contact is maintained with parents, caregivers, and outside agencies involved in young people's welfare to provide the greatest possible level of support and protection.

Post-16

Supporting Young People Aged 16-18

Beginning in the academic year of 2022/23, CAST now provides a bespoke post-16 course for young people aged 16-18 that is designed to improve their educational and employability prospects. The course is delivered in small groups of approximately 5 learners and offers the following accredited qualifications:

BTEC Level 2 Certificate in WorkSkills.
BTEC Level 2 Tech Award in Enterprise.
BTEC Level 1 Introductory Diploma in Construction.

The course is focused on enabling learners to develop an understanding of the workplace environment and what the expectations placed upon them will be. It will also look at what their individual aspirations and expectations of work should be whilst providing them with the necessary skills/experience for a smooth transition from education to work or college.

Practical days are centred around work-based learning which are delivered through various land-based, construction, and conservational projects. The days involve young people both participating in and, with guidance, taking a lead in project development and management. Such projects will deliver charitable outcomes and benefits for others.

Learners will gain experience in a plethora of working practices that are encompassed in the lifecycle of a project or business. This will include, at a minimum, creating and deciding a business structure, attending site meetings to enter discussions and complete site surveys, sourcing materials, preparing schedules for work, understanding site management and safety, managing project finances, marketing and presenting work to local authorities, schools, and environmental charities, and developing an understanding of what their work/business is worth. Alongside this, learners will be able to visit employers and attend short courses that prepare them for the workplace.