Students at Sheringham High School are getting out of the classroom and into the garden for an innovative new qualification.The school is the first in Norfolk to offer the nationally recognised Step-UP qualification, a hands-on vocational programme offering an alternative approach to the traditional curriculum.
Students at Sheringham High School are getting out of the classroom and into the garden for an innovative new qualification.
The school is the first in Norfolk to offer the nationally recognised Step-UP qualification, a hands-on vocational programme offering an alternative approach to the traditional curriculum.
Teenagers spend one day a week on their chosen activities - growing organic fruit and vegetables and visiting farms for the greenfingered youngsters or building a motorcycle and servicing a car for the mechanically-minded.
The 15- and 16-year-olds learn practical skills alongside key life skills such as teamwork, leadership and time management.
Head Tim Roderick said: 'Step-UP is making a real difference for our students, boosting their confidence, raising aspirations and making them more independent.'
Mechanics teacher Sid Beaumont said: 'It's gratifying to see these youngsters taking a keen interest in what they are doing and becoming more responsible for their own future.'
The school is working with the Open College Network to offer the qualifications, and with external partners including Norfolk County Council to help deliver the sessions.
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