Life Skills

At St Ambrose, our aim is develop key life skills, essential for living in the wider world. The children will develop skills and knowledge and become resilient when faced with a challenge! Practical life skills are an essential part of learning to be independent, feeling confident in the community and helping to develop self-esteem. Skills are taught within the safety of the school environment, and through school trips

Intent

At St Ambrose, our aim is to promote the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental, and physical development of our pupils, preparing them for the opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences of later life. We want children to develop independence, practical life skills, financial awareness, creativity, and an understanding of future careers, enabling them to thrive in an ever-changing world. Our curriculum is designed to nurture resilience, responsibility, and resourcefulness, ensuring pupils leave school equipped for life beyond the classroom.

Implementation

We deliver this vision through a structured, year-long programme of practical and experiential learning:

• Autumn 1 – Independence and Helping in the Home:
  Pupils learn essential life skills appropriate to their age, such as riding a bike (Reception), wiping tables and sweeping (Year 1), hoovering (Year 2), tying shoelaces (Year 3), folding clothes and making a bed (Year 4), sewing (Year 5), and First Aid training (Year 6).

• Autumn 2 – Cooking:
  Children develop cooking skills and healthy eating awareness through hands-on projects, from making iced cakes (Reception) to designing and preparing full meals (Year 6 £5 challenge).

• Spring 1 – Future Careers:
  Pupils explore roles in society and future aspirations, from learning about people who help us (Year 1) to teaching a new skill (Year 6), fostering ambition and understanding of the world of work.

• Spring 2 – Money Sense:
  All classes engage in financial education activities and workshops, developing budgeting, saving, and spending awareness.

• Summer 1 – Outdoor Learning and Creativity:
  Practical outdoor projects encourage teamwork and creativity, such as building dens (EYFS), gardening (Year 4), woodwork (Year 5), and composing a class song (Year 6).

This programme is embedded across the curriculum and supported by themed days, workshops, and parental engagement, ensuring pupils experience real-life contexts for learning.

Impact

Through this approach, pupils at St Ambrose develop confidence, independence, and essential life skills that prepare them for adulthood. They understand the value of responsibility, teamwork, and resilience, and can apply practical skills in everyday situations. Children leave school with a strong sense of self-worth, financial awareness, and readiness for future careers, equipped to make positive contributions to society. By combining academic learning with real-world experiences, we ensure our pupils are prepared for the opportunities and challenges of later life.

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

Proverbs 2: 6

Year 6, had the opportunity to be teachers. Across the week, they taught each other about their hobbies and their different skill sets. We had dance sessions, a science lesson, goalkeeper training, a polish lesson, martial arts and drawing to name but a few!