ASDAN PSHE: Engagement Pathways

PSHE: Emotional Wellbeing

Pupils on the Engagement Pathway have been working through the PSHE Short Course ASDAN award. This has been quite successful through this year, with clear structure and easy to follow activities to support the learning content.

 

Module 1 of this course is Emotional Wellbeing. The aim of this module is to develop young people’s understanding of emotional wellbeing and mental health. It provides opportunities to learn about, and practise, strategies that recognise and support good emotional wellbeing.

 

Firstly, we learned about how being connected to others can improve emotional wellbeing and we explored how we can practice this in our own day to day lives. Pupils created posters on what activities could support improved mental wellbeing.

Next, we focused on common types of mental ill health, where pupils were given space to research different issues and learn more about illnesses which they may or may not have heard about before. Pupils did some great writing pieces about what they learned.

Following on from this, the pupils completed some work around recognising the early signs of poor mental health, and we created checklists on what we signs we can look for in ourselves and other people.

Finally, we looked at activities that can promote positive emotional wellbeing. We explored physical exercise, time outdoors, community participation and volunteering. Pupils were given the choice to then create a short film or a poster of their research.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personalised Transitions on the Engagement Pathways

All new pupils who come to the Polygon School are given a transition program. However, some of our new pupils benefit from fully-personalised transition periods before they start with us in September. Staff work closely with these pupils, their families and current schools to develop positive relationships.

Engaging activities and academic sessions are provided to support the pupil's transition to the Polygon.

We want our new pupils to feel confident and supported when they join us in September.

Golfing with the EP Boys!

Throughout the academic year, a number of Engagement Pathways pupils have been given the opportunity to take part in a Golf session as part of the Personal Development portion of their timetable.

The sessions, which take place at Chilworth Golf Club, give pupils the chance to learn a new skill while also engaging in a physical activity that they most likely would not have had the opportunity to previously.

These sessions have improved pupil attendance and engagement and those that have attended consistently have showed significant improvement in their Golf swing, with some now being able to drive the ball around 200 yards.

Police and Crime Commissioners Awards

Last night Mrs Foster and Mr Betlem got dressed up and took two of our KS4 students to attend the Police and Crime Commissioner Awards. We were joined by Professor Donna Peberdy and Fergus Mclean from Solent University and the Screening Sexual Violence project.

                         

We were all invited following our nomination in the Partnership Working category for our film Now Your Turn. It was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the collaboration behind the project and the important message the film shares. Unfortunately Wayne K, also an integral partner in the project, wasn’t able to join us on the evening, but we continue to keep him updated and involved. It was a proud moment to represent the partnership and the young people who helped bring this project to life.

If you havent seen our film yet check it out through the Screening Sexual Violence resource. Link below. 

https://screeningsexualviolence.com/now-your-turn/

We enjoyed a lovely meal in the Hiltons Beefy’s Lord Botham Restaurant before walking the red carpet, checking our coats and heading into the awards ceremony with our complimentary J2Os!

Although we didn’t come away with the winner’s glass trophy this time, we are incredibly proud of the nomination and look forward to receiving our certificate. The two KS4 students who attended were fantastic ambassadors for the school, and we had a wonderful evening filled with lots of laughs and the great company of Donna and Fergus. The evening was rounded off perfectly with a sneaky McDonald’s ice cream on the way home (thank you Mr Betlem!).

We are so proud of our students!

Engagement Pathway Pupils read Liccle Bit

 

During English sessions on the Engagement Pathway, many pupils have read the book ‘Liccle Bit’ by Alex Wheatle. As the book is relevant to their lives, it is engaging for the pupils. The characters are relatable, as are the scenarios and challenges they face. 

‘Liccle Bit’ can help start important discussions about peer pressure, choices and the importance of making positive decisions. Storylines break down the stigma around topics to enable discussions to take place. 

Pupils have covered a range of work related to this book: relaxing whilst listening to a story; comprehension questions; artwork inspired by the book and activities to develop their comprehension, inference and oracy skills.

We would recommend this book…would you like to read it?

At school Lemar, also known as Liccle Bit due to his height, is like any teenage boy. He's in love with a girl who barely notices him, he mucks about with his best mates, and he spends a lot of time doodling in his workbooks. However, at home on the South Crongton Estate his mum is constantly exhausted, his sister is struggling to adjust to life as a single mother, and his dad is living on the other side of London with his new family. Lemar gains the attention of South Crongton's most notorious gangster, and it's not long before he has Lemar running errands for him. Soon a chain of events will see Lemar down a road he never wanted to go down, will he be able to stop it?

 

 

Engagement Pathways Unit Award Scheme Update

On Engagement Pathways the pupils have had the opportunity to take part in the AQA Unit Award Scheme.  This is a flexible scheme where students receive certificates in recognition for completing short units of work or activity.

So far, pupils have completed units in cooking, fishing, boxing  and practical tasks in Morris House and the school allotment, to name but a few. This approach means  we can tailor achievements for the Engagement Pathway pupils directly to their interests and appropriate academic level.

Overall we have gained 57 certificates this year so far across the pupils engaging in the scheme since introducing it to our timetables and it has been really successful!

Currently Learning - Engagement Pathways

As part of every pupil’s timetable on the Engagement Pathways, 1:1 academic sessions are offered in Maths and English. Pupils work towards their Functional Skills qualifications and, in Years 10 & 11, GCSEs. Functional Skills qualifications range from Entry Levels 1,2 and 3 (pre-GCSE) to Levels 1 and 2 (GCSE level). All pupils work towards individualised targets that allow them to make progress in small, personalised steps.

The progress that many of our pupils are making is excellent to see. In maths, some of the areas we have covered in the last half term are:

• Mental methods for multiplication and division
• 2d and 3d shapes

 

During English, each pupil reads a book – many are reading Liccle Bit. For our writing currently, many pupils are looking at identifying subject, verbs, adverbs and adjectives to help form sentences and use punctuation accurately. Crucial skills for their upcoming tests and exams.

 Football Tournament at Samuel Cody School, Farnborough, 26th January 2026

Polygon School took a KS3 and a KS4 Team to the tournament to play a range of teams from schools in and around the Farnborough area.

Both teams did exceptionally well in some very cold and tricky conditions, returning it in time for the end of the day

Well Done To All Boys Involved!