Life Skills
At Christ Church we have created our own unique life skills curriculum in a commitment to developing the whole child and to ‘Becoming the People God Made us to be’. This is shaped by the following intent:
Life skills intent
- To develop skills and knowledge in areas which will enhance adult life
- To develop key skills which can then be applied in other units, particularly in DT
- To address the weaknesses which have emerged during lockdowns in children’s motor skills.
- To produce a carefully crafted plan with clear skills development and progression which builds on past experiences
- To develop cultural capital
Links to mental health
- The curriculum has units which explicitly develops skills for promoting positive mental health (eg craft for wellbeing, knitting for de-stressing)
- There are regular sessions of outdoor learning, whether gardening or craft in the recognition of the positive impact on mental wellbeing
- There will be activities which benefit others in the community to promote the importance of giving
CCNM life skills offer:
Life skills for 1 half-term delivered during PPA:
- KS1 and LKS2 - Gardening, Sewing, Cooking, Craft; Touch typing for Y3
- UKS2- Gardening, Sewing, Cooking, First Aid, Knitting, Transition unit
The Infants will also learn about caring for animals through each class caring for the micropigs at a designated time each week.
Gardening
- Throughout the year, pupils will develop their gardening skills across our wildlife gardens, flower and herb gardens and fruit and vegetable gardens
- Pupils will learn how to sow seeds, plant bulbs, plugs, young plants
- They will learn to select and to use a variety of gardening tools
- They will learn about the importance and value of growing food to eat - and where possible, growing their own crops to eat, linking with our D&T food hygiene projects
- They will learn aftercare planting techniques and how to harvest without damage to plants
- Pupils will be encouraged to learn more about native wildlife and plants, including pond life. They will make a variety of recycled objects to enhance and care for our wilderness environments
- Gardening activities based on RHS ‘Campaign for School Gardening’ lesson ideas, The Little Grower’s Cookbook, Gardeners’ World and various outdoor learning courses
- These gardening skills will be further developed and complimented through our Little Green Fingers gardening club activities (although limited number of pupils), as well as through curricular learning (science)
Cooking
- Ensure that this promotes healthy eating and enjoyment of cooking your own food
- Develop a greater understanding of where food comes from
- Develop key cooking skills
Craft
- Offer a clear progression of motor skills across the school
- Explore how craft can be used to promote mental wellbeing
- Develop key cooking skills
First Aid
- How to make a clear and efficient call to emergency services if necessary
- Concepts of basic first-aid, for example dealing with common injuries, including head injuries