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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