Ormiston Academies Trust, a leading education charity which runs 38 schools in England including Cowes Enterprise College, has been awarded almost £97,000 by the Edge Foundation to develop and deliver a maritime economy curriculum project to help meet skills gaps in the industry.
The trust was awarded the grant after submitting an application that demonstrated how the project will support the development of project-based learning and employer engagement, whilst addressing skills shortages in the UK maritime economy.
Ormiston will work with Cowes Enterprise College, local sector employers and with further education providers to build a vocational curriculum for pupils in Cowes. The curriculum will blend theory in the classroom, embedded in key curriculum subjects, with practical learning linked to the maritime industry. It will develop pupils’ practical skills whilst enabling them to access education and employment on the island and further afield.
The curriculum will include boat-building, including design and specifications; navigation electronics; celestial navigation; tides; admiralty chart conventions; shipping forecasts; practical boat-handling skills; and attending Cowes Week to celebrate the production of boats. The Maritime Skills Alliance and CECAMM, part of the Isle of Wight College, are among the partners who will support on curriculum development.
Nick Hudson, Chief Executive Officer of Ormiston Academies Trust, said:
“We are delighted to have been awarded this funding. This work will address the skills needs of the maritime industry whilst ensuring young people at Cowes Enterprise College are provided with the knowledge and skills needed for the maritime sector.
“For many young people, linking learning to local businesses and seeing the practical application of study in the classroom can be a game-changer. By working with organisations such as the Edge Foundation to lead projects such as this, we are making a real difference to the lives of pupils both within and beyond the classroom.”
Rachel Kitley, Principal of Cowes Enterprise College, said:
“This is an exciting project for Cowes Enterprise College, and we look forward to developing and then delivering a high-quality vocational curriculum that integrates practical learning with the regional economy.
“We will work in close partnership with local employers and further education providers to ensure we are providing our pupils with not only a breadth of choice at 14, but the kind of skills that will last for a lifetime.”
The grant is 1 of just 11 awarded this year by the independent education charity, Edge, from a total fund of £1million. The Edge Foundation campaigns for a coherent, holistic and socially equitable education system, to enable all young people to fulfil their potential.
Alice Barnard, Chief Executive of Edge, said:
“We hear a lot of lip-service paid to addressing the ubiquitous skills gaps in industry. This project not only employs a practical approach to learning to ensure students are engaged, but equips them with the skills and experience to develop careers in an industry offering opportunities.”
