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.
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 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.