Life skills

Learning life skills is at the heart of our curriulum at Hebden Green School. Life skills refers to all sorts of skills that help young people succeed as they grow into young adults and are essential as they leave school and look towards getting a job and living independently. We work closely with the school to ensure that awards and qualifications prepare pupils for adult life.

As children get older, their programme of study changes from being more curriculum based to being more allied to these key skills and to the outcomes on their Education, Health and Care Plan.

Life skills are based around:

Literacy - functional reading and writing skills like reading a leaflet or writing a shopping list.

Communication - functional communication; listening, understanding and giving information to a wide range of people including unfamiliar people and in unfamiliar places.  This includes using communication aids such as a PODD book, Eye Gaze technology or iPad but also using PECS and pointing.  It includes making your wishes and needs known and directing others to help you but also social communication. We teach social skills where necessary, using role play, social stories and group games. We also give pupils time to be social with their friends in a safe environment. We look at communicating in a respectful way and look at what makes a good friend.

Numeracy - functional maths skills such as working out change or telling the time.  It also includes basic concepts such as more and less.

Home Management Skills - these skills are at the heart of our residential proivison as it gives our pupils an opportunity to practice their skills in a real environment. These skills include laundry (ironing, reading washing care instructions, sorting clothes, using a washing machine), planning and making meals (including looking at nutrition and special diets, budgeting and ordering food/ shopping, washing up and laying a table), gardening, cleaning, personal hygiene and many more.

We also look at Online Safety and the risks of online activities, including the risk of sexual and financial explotation and the risk of radicalisation and extremism.

Hebden Green School, Woodford Lane West, Winsford, Cheshire, CW7 4EJ

Tel: 01606 594221 | admin@hebdengreen.cheshire.sch.uk