Our Ultimate Aim
To use vocational skill-building and real-world career relevance to help students see the value of their education, re-engage with their GCSEs, and secure meaningful opportunities.
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Real-World Skills for Real-World Success
Our practical curriculum builds vocational skills aligned with employer needs, preparing students for further education, apprenticeships, or work. Sessions develop teamwork, communication, and problem-solving for real-world success.
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Connecting Core Subjects to Career Pathways
We re-engage students in English and maths by linking them to real-world projects and workplace scenarios, showing their relevance to future goals. This approach builds skills, interest, and motivation.
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Project-Based Learning for Engagement and Growth
Our project-based curriculum inspires creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. With real-world tasks and tangible outcomes, students stay engaged, deepen learning, and gain a sense of achievement.
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Tailored Pathways with Employer-Led Insights
Our unique, employer-led curriculum, developed with industry experts, aligns with local labour market needs. Tailored to individual goals, it helps students navigate clear pathways to education or employment.
Our Session Structures
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Why: Setting clear and measurable learning objectives at the beginning of a session helps students focus their attention and understand the purpose of the lesson (Locke & Latham, 2002; Sweller, 1988). It also aligns the session with overall learning goals.
Application: We start each session by clearly outlining the objectives (e.g., "By the end of this session, you will be able to explain, demonstrate, or apply..."). We use visual aids or written prompts to make these objectives easily accessible throughout the session.
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Why: Regularly assessing understanding during a session through formative checks ensures that misconceptions are identified and addressed promptly. Research shows that formative assessment strengthens learning and supports long-term retention (Black & Wiliam, 1998; Hattie & Timperley, 2007).
Application: We incorporate short, low-stakes assessments like Q&A, mini-quizzes, or quick reflective activities throughout the session. This allows us to gauge understanding, adapt instruction as needed, and reinforce key concepts.
Our Schemes of Learning
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Why: Cognitive research supports the importance of activating and reinforcing prior knowledge to build strong retrieval pathways in long-term memory (Anderson, 1984; Roediger & Butler, 2011). A scheme of learning should be designed so each lesson builds on the previous one, using recaps and activities to scaffold understanding.
Application: Each session in the scheme of learning will begin with a recap of prior content (e.g., quizzes or group discussions) and explicitly show how it connects to the current lesson. This fosters continuity and embeds learning over time.
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Why: Research shows that active learning and multimodal approaches enhance engagement and retention (Bruner, 1966; Paivio, 1986). A scheme of learning should include diverse activities, such as group problem-solving, visual tasks, and role-playing, to cater to different learning styles and ensure deep processing of content.
Application: The scheme will alternate between individual and collaborative tasks, include ICT-enhanced activities for digital skills, and provide opportunities for applying knowledge to realistic workplace scenarios. For instance, students will create presentations, engage in debates, or complete practical tasks linked to real-world applications.
Our Activity Sheets
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Why: Activities that mirror real-world applications help students see the practical value of their learning, increasing motivation and promoting the transfer of knowledge to new contexts (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Kolb, 1984). Authentic tasks create meaningful connections between theory and practice.
Application: We design activities that replicate workplace scenarios or practical challenges. For example, students role-play job interviews, create project plans, or analyse case studies related to their field.
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Why: Breaking down activities into manageable steps (scaffolding) allows students to build confidence and competence gradually, aligning with Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (Vygotsky, 1978). Scaffolding supports learners as they progress toward independent mastery.
Application: We structure activities with increasing levels of difficulty. We start with guided examples, move to collaborative tasks, and conclude with independent applications. For instance, in a construction application lesson, students might first observe a demonstration, then practice with peer support, and finally complete a task individually.
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Our curriculum topics.
Our milestones of achievement.
We connect education to employment. We improve GCSE engagement through relevance, raise attendance through purpose and lift aspirations through vocational pathway awareness.
Our behaviour management.
We believe in trauma-informed care, restorative practice and positive reinforcement. Please see our behaviour policy for more details:
School Access Portal – Live Student Data
Every partner school will receive secure access to an online portal displaying real-time data for their enrolled students. This includes up-to-date information on attendance, punctuality, behaviour, progress, and termly reports.
The example shown is a mock-up designed to demonstrate the layout and functionality schools can expect from the live system.
Our Referrals
We are now accepting referrals from schools, but places are limited due to our small sized groups. Please click on the link to the form below, and we will get in touch to discuss your requirements and explore how we can support you and your students.
Evidence Based. Employer Led. Skill Centred.
FAQs
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SkillED Innovation offers flexible, tailored programmes designed to meet the needs of students and schools. Our sessions run two days a week throughout the academic year at our dedicated site. Alternatively, for schools with larger groups (minimum of ten students), we can deliver our programmes directly on-site, ensuring convenience and continuity.
By attending our sessions, students benefit from a focused, engaging environment that encourages active participation and skill development. For schools opting for on-site delivery, we collaborate closely with your English and maths departments to integrate key skills into our sessions.
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SkillED Innovation is an alternative education provider supporting young people who are disengaged from mainstream learning. Our employer-led curriculum delivers industry-aligned projects that build real, transferable skills.
Students evidence their learning through project work, captured in a Skills Passport that provides credible proof of prior learning. This passport is recognised by local colleges and supports progression into further education, apprenticeships and employment.
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We are highly experienced education professionals with extensive backgrounds in vocational training, culminating in leadership roles such as directorships and managing schools with over 1,000 students. Our expertise includes safeguarding, health and safety and employer led curriculum. We stay up to date with current legislation and best practices to provide the highest standards of support and care.
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The curriculum is designed for secondary-aged students and post-16 young people who are disengaged from education or currently not in education or employment. These learners often find that traditional academic pathways do not align with their goals and require structured guidance to identify and take their next steps.
SkillED Innovation bridges the gap between school and further education, preparing students for a successful transition into vocational programmes, apprenticeships, and sustained career pathways.
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While students do not gain accredited qualifications through the SkillED Innovation programme, impact is measured through improved GCSE English and maths performance, frequently exceeding initial predictions, and through successful progression into further education and apprenticeships.
Learning is captured in a Skills Passport, providing a credible evidence base of prior learning, behaviours, and employability skills that is recognised by local colleges and supports progression at interview.
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The SkillED Innovation curriculum is a programme designed to run two days per week throughout the year. It includes opportunities for employer engagement, community projects, and graduation events. However, we understand that schools have varying needs, so the programme is highly flexible, allowing students to join at any point in the year and still gain meaningful education. This adaptability ensures that schools can effectively prepare students for further education or vocational pathways, no matter their circumstances.
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To achieve the best outcomes, we maintain a maximum ratio of five students per staff member. This approach enables us to foster a safe, supportive environment while delivering a personalised and high-quality experience for every participant. By keeping groups small, each student benefits from individual attention and tailored guidance, helping them to succeed.
We are deeply committed to inclusivity, ensuring our programme is accessible to students of all abilities and backgrounds. Our mixed groups, comprising both male and female students, encourage collaboration and mutual understanding, preparing them for diverse real-world settings. With adaptive teaching methods at the core of our approach, we ensure that all learners, regardless of ability, actively engage and thrive throughout the programme.
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If employers choose to partner with us, we kindly request quarterly meetings to review our curriculum model, ensuring it aligns with expectations for entry-level workers and keep current with skill gaps, skill needs and emerging trends.
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Reach out to us using the contact form below or via the provided email, and we’ll arrange a quick 30-minute briefing introduction. During this meeting, we’ll explain how our programme operates, answer any questions, and discuss your school’s unique needs and requirements to ensure our services are the perfect fit for your students. We are also happy to come to your school for a face to face conversation, should you prefer that option.
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Our cost model is straightforward at £85 per student per day and includes lunch, however does not include transport. We will never change the price mid-year as we know how important budget management is within schools.
