Subject Overview

The Northern Ireland Curriculum aims to ‘empower young people to achieve their potential and to make informed and responsible decisions throughout their lives’. Learning for Life and Work contributes directly to this by helping young people develop as individuals and as contributors to society, the economy and the environment.

At Glenlola Collegiate all pupils study Learning for Life and Work (LLW) throughout Key Stage 3.  Pupils can then choose to study Learning for Life and Work at GCSE level. LLW gives pupils the opportunity to:

SHARE OPINIONS: The Learning for Life and Work classroom gives the opportunity for students to discuss their opinions on issues that matter in society.

DEVELOP SKILLS RELEVANT TO A WIDE VARIETY OF CAREERS: Learning for Life and Work teaches students essential skills for the world of work. From learning how to write a CV to developing interview skills, studying Learning for Life and Work will make students more employable.

UNDERSTAND THE WORLD WE LIVE IN: We give students the chance to explore other cultures and develop a deeper understanding of others. In a multicultural society, this knowledge will be invaluable as they progress to higher education and future careers.

Key Stage 3

Learning for Life and Work is a compulsory part of our Key Stage 3 curriculum with all pupils completing study into the three strands of Personal Development, Citizenship and Employability. Whilst the subject is sometimes unfamiliar to Year 8 pupils, the clear links with other departments such as Careers, History, Home Economics and Religious Studies, as well as the diversity of the topics covered, means that it is a popular subject with many pupils.

Key themes such as respect for others, respect for self, personal responsibility and our role in the local and global community run throughout the LLW Key Stage 3 curriculum making it a relevant, useful and enjoyable subject for all pupils.

Key Stage 4

GCSE Learning for Life and Work engages students in exploring social, personal, economic and employment issues. Topics include diversity and inclusion, causes of conflict, human rights, social responsibility, job interview preparation and entrepreneurship.

All pupils in Year 11 and 12 attend an annual LLW Conference in which they participate in workshops with external agencies such as ‘The Northern Ireland Assembly Education Service’ and ‘Made for More.’

We follow the CCEA Learning for Life and Work specification, studying:

• Unit 1: Local and Global Citizenship
• Unit 2: Personal Development
• Unit 3: Employability
• Unit 4: Investigation (Controlled Assessment Task)

Through studying Learning for Life and Work, students deepen their understanding of the connections between local, national and global issues. It equips them to make informed decisions and take appropriate courses of action. Assessment takes the form of three written exams, each worth 20% of the overall mark, and an investigation worth 40%.

With this qualification, students can progress to study subjects at Key Stage 5 such as Business Studies, Health and Social Care, Home Economics, Religious Studies and Politics.

All pupils in Year 11 and 12 attend an annual LLW Conference in which they participate in workshops with external agencies such as ‘The Northern Ireland Assembly Education Service’ and ‘No More Traffik.’

http://www.rewardinglearning.org.uk/microsites/llw/

Career Opportunities

Studying Learning for Life and Work will provide students with transferable skills such as creative thinking, analytical problem solving and effective teamwork. These skills can lead onto studying in further or higher education in a range of areas and potential careers in areas such as:

• Marketing
• Food and Nutrition
• Psychology
• Counselling
• Human Resources
• Research
• Public Services
• Nursing
• Teaching
• Social Work
• Politics
• Financial Services
• Accountancy
• Retail, Sales and Customer Service
• Business Management

These are only some of the many fields open to Learning for Life and Work Students.