Independent Living Pathway
In this Section
| Curriculum Overview |
| Vocational Pathway |
| Supported Living Pathway |
| Independent Living Pathway |
| Community Learning |
| Supported Internships |
| Career information and Guidance |
| Enrichment |
| Therapies and Care |
| Success Stories |
The Independent Living Pathway (ILP) is for our young people with a range of severe disabilities and support needs who are developing the skills and knowledge they need to live as independent an adult life as possible.
The Pathway prepares each young person for their next step into life beyond Newfriars College and into adulthood. Each young person participates in a varied curriculum offer, which is built around the skills each individual young person needs for their future, that are transferable into adulthood.
Lower College
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Upper College
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Lower College
5-Day Offer 16-18 years
Good
Health

Wellbeing and
Relationships
Everyday English
and Maths

Widening
Horizons

Independent
Living Skills

Project Options
(2 days a week)
Good Health
Four key themes of:
- Get Healthy
- Get Active
- Get Sporty
- Get Adventurous
All students to have access to a safe and appropriate physical activity and sports curriculum at a variety of levels to meet individual needs. Learners will be encouraged to explore all aspects of ‘good health’ from physical activity to hygiene and diet, in order for them to develop an understanding of healthy living and make changes to their own lifestyle.
Wellbeing and Relationships
We support each student to:
- Be able to identify and understand that they are all unique
- Have the right to be happy
- Have autonomy for their own wellbeing and relationships
- How to be safe.
- Understand emotions
- Gain valuable insight into how others may be feeling and help to develop empathy with friends and family
- Dealing with anxiety and challenging situations
- How to maintain positive friendships
- Understand what is involved in romantic relationships, in a way that is accessible, appropriate and relevant for the specific learner
Everyday English and Maths
The course offers practical and real-life opportunities to:
- Develop everyday functional and transferable Maths and English skills
- Develop confidence and independence around functional independent living skills such as filling in forms, accessing menus, recognising key words and signs
- Time and money skills in Preparation for Adulthood
Widening Horizons
Opportunities to:
- Experience a range of new things, new places, to undertaking activities that they may not have done before
- Learning about societies and cultures other than their own
- Practise communicating with different people, both familiar and unfamiliar, in a variety of environments
- Using skills to find and give information when they need to
- Build friendships with the other students
- Embedded Maths and English skills including using money, telling the time and reading to find information when out in the community.
Independent Living Skills
This course aims to:
- Equip learners with the practical skills needed to live independently or with minimal support
- To be able to begin to take responsibility for and enjoy looking after their personal, nutritional, domestic and financial needs to the best of their ability
- Learn skills including cooking, home management and personal care, all with a view to promoting the learner’s independence at home and beyond.
Project Options (2 days a week)
Project Options are full-day sessions held on Wednesdays and Fridays for both 3-day and 5-day learners. They offer practical, interest-based learning experiences that help students apply skills in real-world scenarios while developing teamwork, decision-making, and independence.
They currently include:
- Around the World
- Art
- Café
- College Volunteers
- Communication & Performance
- Enterprise
- Horticulture
- Nurture
- Shopping Buddies
- Sport
- Swimming
- Upcycling
- Woodwork
Our aim is to transform the lives of young people through partnership, collaboration, enterprise and innovation. Our vision is to maximise opportunities.
Upper College
3-Day Offer 19+ years
Healthy Bodies –
Healthy Minds
My Community
Cooking

Independent
Living Skills

Project Options – depending on
interest and timetabled days in college
Healthy Bodies and Healthy Minds
This course supports learners in developing healthy habits and coping strategies to promote both physical and mental wellbeing.
Key Areas Covered:
- Physical skills and habits for a healthy lifestyle
- Understanding mental wellbeing and its influences
- Coping strategies for difficult situations
- Building and maintaining friendships
- Consent and appropriate behaviour in relationships
- Online safety and risk awareness
- British Values and Prevent
My Community
Designed to help learners engage with and navigate their local community, this course builds independence, safety awareness, and social skills.
Key Areas Covered:
- Describing personal address and local area
- Visiting and using community facilities
- Shopping and money handling
- Using public transport confidently
- Staying safe in the community
- Contributing to the local community
- Preparing for life after college
Cooking
Cooking teaches learners essential kitchen skills, safety, and meal preparation to promote independence and confidence.
Key Areas Covered:
- Preparing drinks, snacks, and basic meals
- Kitchen safety and hazard awareness
- ·Selecting and using kitchen equipment
- Food storage and hygiene
- Cleaning kitchen equipment and surfaces
- Identifying ingredients and following recipes
- Measuring ingredients accurately
Independent Living Skills
Focused on preparing learners for adulthood, this course develops practical skills for managing personal care, home safety, and daily routines.
Key Areas Covered:
- Personal care and hygiene
- Hazard awareness in home and community
- Emergency response skills
- Household item recognition and use
- Home cleanliness and laundry independence
- Safe internet use and phone communication
- Time management and routine building
Project Options – depending on interest and timetabled days in college
Project Options are full-day sessions held on Wednesdays and Fridays for both 3-day and 5-day learners. They offer practical, interest-based learning experiences that help students apply skills in real-world scenarios while developing teamwork, decision-making, and independence.
They currently include:
- Around the World
- Art
- Café
- College Volunteers
- Communication & Performance
- Enterprise
- Horticulture
- Nurture
- Shopping Buddies
- Sport
- Swimming
- Upcycling
- Woodwork
In this Section
| Curriculum Overview |
| Vocational Pathway |
| Supported Living Pathway |
| Independent Living Pathway |
| Community Learning |
| Supported Internships |
| Career information and Guidance |
| Enrichment |
| Therapies and Care |
| Success Stories |
Online Resources
Spring Newsletter 2025
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Summer Newsletter 2024
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Spring Newsletter 2024
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