Plymouth Studio School Consultation Booklet

Plymouth Studio School CONSULTATION BOOKLET A Studio School for leisure, tourism and sport proposed by City College Plymouth, the Akkeron Group, Plymouth Argyle and the University of St Mark & St John.

City College Plymouth is proposing to create a new Studio School for Plymouth, focusing on leisure, tourism and sport - the visitor economy - in partnership with the Akkeron Group, Plymouth Argyle and the University of St Mark & St John.

Working closely with local employers, the Studio School will offer a range of academic and vocational qualifications, including GCSEs in English, mathematics and science, as well as paid work placements linked directly to employment opportunities in the local area.

Studio Schools are a new concept in education for 14 to 19 year olds. They offer a new approach to learning by teaching through enterprise projects and real work. They aim to give young people the skills and knowledge they need to succeed and that employers are asking for.

At 16 a Plymouth Studio School student will be ready to gain employment, start their own business, continue their studies with the Studio School, progress to City College Plymouth or become an apprentice. At 18 they will be ready to gain employment, become selfemployed, progress to higher education or take an Advanced Apprenticeship.

Studio Schools are open all year round with a nine to five working day, more typical of the workplace than a school.

Key Facts What is a Studio School?

It is a new approach to teaching that uses real project-based learning and work experience, in partnership with local employers, leading to GCSEs in English, maths and science, vocational qualifications and real employment opportunities.

What is the School’s specialism?

Leisure, tourism and sport.

Who is the Studio School for?

Up to 300 14 to 19 year olds.

When will it open?

September 2014.

Plymouth Studio School Curriculum

Working With Business

The Plymouth Studio School will encourage its students to think creatively, and will deliver its curriculum in a range of different ways. Alongside the core national curriculum (GCSEs in English, mathematics and science) relevant vocational qualifications, such as BTECs, will be gained.

Involvement from local businesses will go beyond the workrelated learning or work experience offered by traditional education. The visitor economy is a key employment growth sector for Plymouth and the wider region, covering leisure, tourism and sport. Employers in this priority sector will be actively involved in ensuring the curriculum meets the skills needs of their work forces. Employers will be involved with creating and running innovative learning projects, offering realistic and appropriate work experience, delivering master classes and judging skills competitions - all directly linked to local employment opportunities.

The CREATE skills framework will run throughout the learning projects, to ensure every student is grounded in a wide range of skills, including key employability and life skills.

The CREATE skills framework

Local Support Together the partners bring key elements that will ensure the success of a studio school focusing on leisure, tourism and sport. The College will use its vocational base to ensure high quality, employment-related and employer-supported vocational provision, working with Akkeron, Plymouth Argyle and Marjon to deliver a creative curriculum with a relevant enterprise focus to engage and motivate young people.

The framework

The need

The CREATE skills framework is unique to Studio Schools and has been developed by the Studio Schools Trust.

The CREATE skills framework has been designed to equip young people with the skills they need for life and work.

ey employability and life skills underpin all of the activities at a Studio School through the unique CREATE skills framework. CREATE is comprised of a wide range of skills and stands for Communication, Relating to people,

vidence consistently shows that employers are concerned about key skills gaps in the British economy.

Every new survey of unfilled vacancies confirms that employers are looking for – and not finding – key employability

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The proposal has already gained wide-spread support, including from Plymouth Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses, the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Plymouth Raiders, Plymouth Albion, Sutton Harbour, Plymouth City Centre Company, National Marine Aquarium, The Duke of Cornwall, Boringdon Hall, National Trust, St Mellion and the Theatre Royal.

“I am confident that this partnership between the College, the Akkeron Group, Plymouth Argyle and Marjon will significantly enhance the opportunities for Plymouth’s young people. The Studio School model will give its students a notable advantage in their future workplace because the learning is grounded in real working practice. Marjon is delighted to be able to contribute to this new opportunity.”

Karen Cook, Acting Principal for University of St Mark & St John

“I am impressed by all that City College Plymouth has done for the youth in Plymouth and the scale of its ambition to do more for more. My colleagues and I are very excited by the prospect of working with the College to jointly develop skills and job opportunities for young people in the City and the wider area.”

James Brent, Chairman of both the Akkeron Group and Plymouth Argyle

“I feel the creation of a studio school will further support the growth of this city and enable young people to see a future career in the sporting and tourism industries.”

Dr Graham Stirling CBE, Chairman of Plymouth Albion Rugby Football Club and Chair of Plymouth Growth Board’s sub-group for employment

Plymouth Studio School City College Plymouth is proposing to create a new Studio School for Plymouth, focusing on leisure, tourism and sport, in partnership with the Akkeron Group, Plymouth Argyle and the University of St Mark & St John.

1. Do you support the proposal for the Plymouth Studio School?

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2. Do you support the focus of the Studio School on leisure, tourism and sport?

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3. In your opinion, what is the best thing about the proposed Plymouth Studio School?

4. Do you have any concerns about the Studio School proposal?

5. Please tell us if you are a: Student Parent Employer Education Professional

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If you would like to know more about the Plymouth Studio School, please provide us with your contact details. Your details will only be used to provide you with further information about the Plymouth Studio School proposal.

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