Mowbray School - The Shop
The Mowbray Special School in Bedale, North Yorkshire, took a step to think outside the box for their careers education. Careers lead Nigel Wilford wanted the children to experience first hand the world of employment, gaining confidence and experience along the way.
The opportunities the shop presents for our students to develop skills and address anxieties in readiness for their life after Mowbray is priceless. Although as a school, we have many excellent projects and courses running, to have a genuine retail outlet and all the experiences that come with that is of great benefit to the young people. Not only does the shop give valuable vocational experience, it boosts self-esteem and generates great self-worth when students know they have made items of quality that people who don’t know them want to buy. It makes them realise there are many things they can do but don’t realise what they might be yet. It is raising their aspirations. – Nigel Wilford (Assistant Headteacher & Careers Lead)
After hard work by staff and students to refit the shop, materials donated, and products manufactured, the shop was opened in November 2019, where the students were ready to produce, display and sell their products.
- The majority of KS4 learners experience the shop. A rota for the shop is successfully implemented into the learners option choices.
- Each learner is expected to receive approximately 25 hours of experience in the shop. During this time they develop skills in problem solving and communication, important for life after Mowbray School.
- Students gain genuine employability skills, learning the till, stock checks, and how to arrange and display the products.
- Qualifications are worked towards in both Entry Level and Level 1 Occupation Studies.
Click the link to download the full PDF of this case study: Mowbray School Case Study
