Life Skills

Independent Living

Students are taught a range of independent living skills including cooking, shopping, cleaning and washing skills.  Their progress is recorded and evidenced through our Life Skills strand on Evidence for Learning. Students are encouraged to be independent at breaks and lunch times and make snacks and drinks independently. Targets are shared with families and carers and many students are able to re-enforce their learning at home.

For students on the communication, choice and control pathway there are sensory cooking sessions where they have the opportunities to explore textures, tastes and use technology to operate equipment.

Students initially learn to make a simple sandwich or snack that they could make themselves and progress to heating food in the microwave and learning to follow the instructions on packets. Students shop for their food weekly, either online or in person. They learn to find an item in a shop and many progress to planning and writing their individual shopping lists.

Students learn skills including where to store fresh, packet and frozen food, the safe use of appliances and equipment, hygiene associated with food preparation and safety in the kitchen, the home and in the community.

Students recently designed and furnished our new flat. This has a bed and wardrobes in and has been used to extend the range of independent living skills that students learn.  Students use the Brentwood laundry to learn to use a washing machine and a drier. 

Students are taught to become as independent as possible with their personal care, including dressing, self care, toileting and public and private. 

Functional maths opportunities include the use and handling of money, using of timing and temperatures when cooking and counting opportunities. Reading and writing opportunities include the writing of lists, using a picture/symbol/written shopping list, writing instructions, reading packets and recipes