At The Willows, we pride ourselves on placing Preparing for Adulthood at the heart of our curriculum. We believe every young person deserves the skills, confidence, and opportunities to thrive beyond school and lead a happy, independent, and fulfilling life.

Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) is about supporting young people to gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to move successfully from school into adult life. It helps pupils to think about their future, make informed choices, and develop independence. At The Willows we have embedded PfA into everyday learning – lessons, activities, and experiences are designed to build independence, confidence, and resilience.

Within PFA we teach PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education), this is designed to help children and young people develop the knowledge, skills, and attributes they need to stay healthy, safe, and prepared for life and work in modern society. It also covers personal growth, emotional wellbeing, relationships, and responsible citizenship. PSHE gives pupils the opportunity to explore real-life issues, build resilience, and develop strategies to make informed decisions.

We are proud of how we:

• Focus on individual strengths – we celebrate what each pupil can do, building on their abilities to prepare them for real-life challenges and opportunities.
• Teach practical life skills – from cooking and budgeting to travel training and applying for jobs, we ensure pupils are equipped for adult life.
• Support career and employment pathways – through work-related learning, enterprise projects, college visits, and workplace experiences.
• Promote health and wellbeing – encouraging pupils to make positive choices for their physical and mental health, and to access the support they need.
• Encourage community inclusion – helping pupils feel part of society by building friendships, engaging in social activities, and understanding their rights and responsibilities.
• Prepare for independence – empowering pupils to take ownership of their future, make informed choices, and build confidence in managing adult responsibilities.

Through PSHE, pupils learn about:

• Health and Wellbeing – including physical health, mental health, healthy lifestyles, managing risks, coping with change, and safety.
• Relationships – understanding friendships, families, respectful relationships, consent, diversity, and how to manage challenges.
• Living in the Wider World – exploring economic wellbeing, financial literacy, online safety, rights and responsibilities, and preparing for future education or careers.

Ensuring PfA is woven throughout the whole curriculum and daily life, The Willows ensures all pupils are constantly developing the knowledge and practical skills they need for an independent future.