Bridging the Gap

Bridging the Gap 2 year course is for young people aged 16 -18 years old who want variety, challenge and a hands on learning experience.  Waldorf College in collaboration with Stroud College, is offering a two year funded course for up to 15 young people starting in September 2012.  The course will be full-time experiential education with creative arts, practical crafts and science.  It will have a mixture of outdoor projects in natural settings such as building, farming, blacksmithing, woodwork and projects in the creative arts and theatre skills.

The course will include creative writing, art, discussion, maths, drama, outdoor adventure, presentation skills and crafts such as blacksmithing, working with clay and pottery, cooking, nutrition, building, theatre skills; and within these projects the young people will learn chemistry, physics, numeracy, biology and how the natural world works.

Bridging the Gap uses a different learning processes to help young people understand the world,  they learn by observation and doing, reflecting on the activity and what has been observed by writing up, and presenting it in their own words and through art. Each project will be written up and documented in photos and drawings for the portfolio of work and the accreditation process.

Accreditation

Bridging the Gap is being accredited at level 2 for the first year course and level 3 in the second year of the course in a BTEC in Learning for Life skills  and a Diploma in Progression.  The coursework will be internally verified by Waldorf College and externally assessed by the awarding body through Stroud College.

 

 
Who is it for?

Young people aged 16 and under 19 before August 31st 2011.

Our young people come from all over the UK and Europe as well as Gloucestershire, so there is a mix of nationalities and backgrounds.

What does it cost?

The tuition costs are free for young people who are eligible, though day trips and journeys and camps away from Stroud will be charged extra.

We aim to keep costs within the reach of the whole group.

Fundraising will be a group activity on the course if we plan a more expensive journey.

Where do you stay?

If you live outside easy commuting distance to Stroud then there is the opportunity to stay with a supportive host family living in or near Stroud.

The host families are often people whose own children went to Waldorf College in the past and/or like to support young people.

We can offer to make the initial contact between you and the host family but the financial and other arrangements are made privately.

You would expect to pay £100-£120 a week for full board and your own room.

The curriculum or programme

The 2 year programme is designed to create opportunities to learn where the students are:

  • Doing Physical work – so the students feel strong, fit and healthy especially when it is supported with good nutrition and sleep patterns.
  • Working Outdoors to become aware of the material world through contact with the soil, plants, animals, the seasons, the weather etc.  To learn about what underpins life on Earth through ecology and the importance of sustainability.
  • Working together to form social bonds, this leads to an appreciation of the strengths and weaknesses of others and of themselves and they develop a sense of shared responsibility for getting the task done.
  • Learning by doing the technological processes that begin with the raw material and end with a finished product be it an article of clothing, tasty and edible food, a performance for the public, a bowl they can eat out of etc.
  • Developing an understanding of why society and the environment are the way they are and how we can influence it by doing positive projects in and for the wider community.  In this instance, discussions, asking questions, critical analysis of events or topical issues alongside looking for solutions and being encouraged to take action are part of the programme.
  • Becoming creative in all aspects of their work so they can discover their own uniqueness and develop the confidence in being themselves.
  • Learning about themselves, who they are and what they want to do with their lives.  Art, creative writing, learning to run their own meetings, presenting their own work, reflecting on the process of learning and their place in the social group all support this.

What makes Bridging the Gap different?

  • No exams - each student builds up a portfolio of work that is accredited and can be presented to Universities and employers
  • Active engagement in every subject - this can be through art, experiments, own research, hands-on, discussions, drama....
  • Freedom and responsibility - students are encouraged to take responsibility and that leads to more freedom in their choices
  • Personal Mentors - each student can discuss their progress, share their success and difficulties with their personal mentor who supports them through the course

The uniqueness of Bridging the Gap means that it does not feel like school and yet serious work is done and is presented, marked, evaluated, verified and accredited with nationally recognised qualifications. 

The students can develop their own individual path into adult life with confidence and creativity.

The college for people who thought they wouldn't like college