Technology College

The school is one of only a few special schools in the country to have achieved Specialist School Status - Technology.

John Jamieson is constantly challenging barriers to learning in school through mainstream practice for children and young people with learning difficulties, some with additional physical and complex medical needs. There has been significant advancement already in the Technology subjects, therefore the selection of technology as a specialism was our obvious choice to support us in raising attainment across all subjects. New technologies, eg CAD, CAM, Switch Access and Distance Learning opportunities both enable and support pupils with SEN to achieve.

Specialist Technology Status will extend opportunities for all pupils and especially the increased provision of vocational learning and enrichment activities through links with associated sponsors, businesses, employers and other educational establishments. We are keen to further develop vocational pathways as recommended in the recent HMI document - 2004.



The overall aims of the programme are to:

• Raise attainment for all students both in the specialist subjects and across the whole curriculum.
• Strengthen and develop the quality of teaching and learning strategies in the specialist subjects and use them to help raise standards throughout the school.
• Extend opportunities for vocational learning and enrichment activity through the specialist subjects, including through links with sponsors, business, employers, further and higher education institutions and organisations related to the specialism.
• Develop within the school, characteristics which signal its specialist ethos and identity and which are reflected in the school’s mission and objectives - including through encouragement of increased take-up and interest in the specialist subjects.
• Strengthen collaboration with partner schools to provide or facilitate high quality learning opportunities and outcomes in the specialist subjects - by sharing specialist facilities and resources, enhancing further the quality of teaching and developing and disseminating good practice: and
• Provide or facilitate high quality learning opportunities and outcomes in specialist subjects for the school's wider community, including local businesses and employers.

The vision: Technology Colleges:

• Promote a culture which is scientific, technological, enterprising and vocational
  
  
• Raise attainment in design and technology, science and mathematics
  
  
• Contribute to whole improvement through innovative approaches to teaching and learning
  
  
• Develop and share good practice across the curriculum and in particular across the specialist subjects
  
• Improve post 16 participation in the specialist subjects
  
• Provide a range of enrichment opportunities and vocational learning in the specialist subjects to improve understanding and extend learning for students and others in the community
  
  
• Share and develop resources with a local family of schools and the wider community; and
  
  
• Increase the future employment opportunities for students to develop the skills needed to progress into employment, further education/training and higher education according to their individual abilities, aptitudes and ambitions.