Our Three Pathways and the Preparation for Adulthood Framework

Our pathways are fully mapped to the Preparation for Adulthood (PfA) framework (Preparing for Adulthood | NDTi), supporting what young people told us they value for adult life:

• Employment and purposeful activity
• Independent living and autonomy
• Good health, wellbeing and resilience
• Friends, family and community connections
• Accessing the community with confidence

Across all pathways, students take part in enrichment, sport, community participation and learning outside the classroom. Learners practise independent travel, develop social skills and widen their world through local and regional experiences. Trips, visits and a residential allow students to explore new environments, push themselves safely beyond their comfort zones and develop lifelong confidence.

All Bloom pathways offer a curriculum delivered over a maximum of four days per week, supporting balance, rest, health and wellbeing.

Our programmes aim to help students

• build self-awareness and self-management using informed and empowered choice
• develop employability, vocational understanding and workplace confidence
• become active, valued citizens within their communities
• progress their communication, emotional regulation and social interaction
• develop independent living skills and make informed decisions about healthy lifestyles
• strengthen functional English and maths

Bloom is delivered at both Hillsborough and Peaks Campuses, each providing safe, supportive and aspirational spaces for learning and growth.

Our pathways

Pathway to Independence

This pathway is designed for young people who benefit from developing and securing the essential skills for future adulthood. Grounded in the PfA agenda, the programme typically runs for one to two years.

Its purpose is to build independence, wellbeing, self-care, communication and confidence, enabling young people to plan for happy, fulfilled, long-term adult lives.

Topics may include:

• basic cooking and nutrition
• health, wellbeing and self-care routines
• travel and road safety
• household shopping and money skills
• developing social awareness and relationships
• café work, enterprise or sustainability projects

 

Future Choices

Future Choices provides a supported first step into post-16 education and the wider college environment. It focuses on engagement, personal growth and the development of identity, routine and confidence.

This pathway is especially suited to learners at Entry Levels who want to grow their skills, explore interests and build the foundations needed to thrive as active community members and future workers.

Topics may include:

• communication development
• “All About Me” and personal identity
• rights and responsibilities – “Everybody Matters”
• encountering new experiences and being part of things
• engaging with people, places and events

 

Pathway to Work (including Supported Internships)

This pathway is for young people who aspire to employment or purposeful work. It focuses on strengthening work-related skills, confidence and independence over one to two years.

Courses include Introduction to Supported Workskills and Supported Workskills, and are strongly aligned with PfA outcomes for employment, health, routines and long-term aspirations.

Topics may include:

• preparing for work and understanding workplace expectations
• teamwork and collaboration
• interview and application skills
• independent travel
• career awareness and choice-making
• café work, enterprise or sustainability projects

 

Supported Internships

Supported Internships provide a structured, work-based study programme designed for young people preparing to transition into employment and adult life. Students spend time in real workplaces, experiencing rotations, developing independence and building the skills and resilience needed for happy, long-term working lives.

Courses include Skills for Living and Work and Supported Internship.

Topics may include:

• workplace conduct and professional behaviours
• job searching and understanding recruitment
• completing workplace forms and documents
• developing independent travel
• structured work rotations with a range of employers