Alternative Curriclum

The work of this department continues to increase as we become better known and more established as a key provider within the Education system through demonstrating an ability to engage with those pupils that are experiencing great difficulties at school. It has become apparent recently that there is a tremendous need for a 'knot on the end of the rope' in terms of education as too many pupils are disengaging from the formal provision of education. The need to provide an alternative to those pupils for whom the restrictive nature of academic curriculum is too stifling is our motivation for this work. By using both teaching staff and youth workers we are able to deliver an effective group of programmes.

The challenge for the coming year is to build upon the foundations of previous years. These challenges include ensuring total compliance within the Education system in order to maintain our accreditation as an Alternative Provider, and providing for the educational needs of those excluded or in danger of exclusion. We aim to do this in a way that stimulates their development and prepares them for the transition into adulthood.

The majority of our work in this department occurs within our Family Centre as the integration of all ages creates an atmosphere that is both calming and capable of developing the social interaction of the pupils we work with. Although the majority of our work is based at the Centre, we do frequently get invited to work within the School system, particularly working with young people in danger of exclusion, and, through working intensively with them over the year, they have been retained in the system and have participated in the GCSE examinations. We also have approval to run programmes through ASDAN and AQA and have achieved a high level of student success through these programmes.

We primarily work with Key Stage 4 students although increasingly there is a demand for earlier intervention. The programme we have developed is capable of achieving at least two GCSE's over a five term period. A pupil will access our provision from one term to the full five terms programme dependant upon the pupil's needs and the schools policies.

Ultimately our aim is for pupils to return into school having gained the necessary social skills to allow their reintegration.

Within this department, we also partner with other alternative providers in the city, and a notable example of this is our partnership with Carlisle Achievement Zone. In this arrangement we provide the youth work aspect that their students need in order to produce well rounded individuals as they approach adulthood.