The students, most of whom live in Woking – one of the top 20% most deprived areas in the UK, live with a range of challenges including problems at home, and poor social, emotional, and mental health. Our high tutor to student ratio (often 1:1) supports the delivery of a curriculum tailored to each student’s needs, while the more informal, ‘homey’ educational setting of our Learning Centre helps students to feel more at ease.
Using City & Guilds Functional Skills Entry Levels, staff encourage and enable students to work through the levels, (and if able, to sit their GCSEs) to gain skills and qualifications they need to continue their studies at local colleges.
This ‘small step approach’ is of paramount importance. STEPS’ mix of formal learning combined with the nurturing environment and Life Skills curriculum (Healthy Living, Domestic Cooking, Sport and Fitness, Group and Teamwork, Preparation for work and college, vocational activities, art etc.) not only helps to support the students to build coping mechanisms to deal with their life situations, but it supports them as they transition into adulthood and on to further education or employment.
Visit here to find out more.
"They give everyone a second, third, or even a fourth chance. They don't give up on people, even if they have given up on themselves."
