Pupils from Gable Hall receive training from experienced professionals and benefit from industry experience as part of their VRQ in Ladies Hairdressing.

Gable Hall, a Performing Arts and Applied Learning College, has had a special relationship with Thurrock and Basildon College, a Further Education College, going back more than 10 years. Currently the college sends pupils from across the Thurrock Consortium of schools to do a VRQ level 2 in Ladies Hairdressing and an NVQ level 1 in Salon Services. Pupils join the Gable Hall cohort from four of the other schools in the consortium, which makes a viable and cost-effective offer for students. The current level 2 offer is worth 5 A-C GCSE passes and therefore offers students the opportunity to study in the vocational area they want to work in as well as achieve their potential in terms of exam passes.

The courses are delivered by experienced professionals from the college who all have industry experience. The salon is a working salon open to the public and whilst pupils haven’t been let loose just yet on the general public, they are allowed to bring models with them to the college and their conduct has to be 100% professional at all times as there are generally clients in the salon. (This supports Step 4- Specialist facilities and staff.)

Level 1 students have one day a week teaching over 2 years; level 2 students have 1 and a half days per week. Level 1 students also have the opportunity to go into a placement arranged by the school. All pupils studying Ladies Hairdressing or Salon Services do a two week block work experience placement in a salon to gain industry experience. (This supports the 6 Steps to Change Manifesto- Extensive work experience linked to the curriculum.)

This course has so far been successful. Year 11 level 1 students all completed their NVQ within a year and so started the level 2 course and will complete it at the college post 16 before embarking on a level 3 course. All level 2 students are due to at least pass with their 5 A-Cs and some with significantly higher grades. Feedback from the college has been very positive, and this year the first boy enrolled on the course! The course has had such a positive impact on pupils, there are even instances of pupils who have attendance issues at school but who always attend college.

The photo is of a competition the college held for the level 1 Salon Services pupils, where they had to create their own look. They had to research their look by creating mood boards and then had to put the finished look together and put on a show for parents and teachers. The winners won hairdressing goodies for themselves.