What is a Studio School

At a Studio School tutors work with the students to find a learning approach that suits them and their interest. A Studio Schools environment is where everyone is a valuable member of a proactive and motivated team.

Studio Schools are a new kind of school designed to engage young people who might not otherwise reach their full potential in traditional school environments. Aiming to cultivate skills as well as qualifications, they will enable a broad range of students aged 14-19 to thrive by sparking their imagination and drive, engaging their passion and minds, and working with them in a highly personalised way to achieve their own desired outcomes. There will be a strong emphasis on developing the non-cognitive skills that employers constantly cite as crucial to employability. Business-focused, small scale practical learning environments will motivate a whole range of learners with a wide range of abilities who are more engaged in this more ‘hands on’ approach to learning.

Critically, Studio Schools are an attempt to break through the traditional divide between academic/highly valued education and vocational/’second best’ training by providing an aspirational but practical pathway that prepares students to choose either to directly enter the world of work or continue in education.

Based on extensive research and consultation we have developed the essential elements of Studio Schools, which are set out below.

Studio Schools will be small schools to allow the delivery of a personalised curriculum.

Students will spend a specified amount of time in real work environments and students over the age of 16 will be paid for this work.

A non-cognitive skills framework will underpin all activities in a Studio School.

The majority of students’ classroom time will be spent on Enterprise projects. These multi-disciplinary projects will involve teams of students completing real projects based around the Studio School or in the local community, being mapped to academic and vocational qualifications.

Students will exit the Studio School with Level 2 (and above) qualifications.

There will be a combination of academic and vocational qualifications for all students.

All students will exit the Studio School with a variety of progression routes available to them. This will include the potential to progress on to university.

These essential elements will be built upon by each individual Studio School which will adapt the model to local circumstances and priorities and the needs of the local economy. These individual Studio Schools will be connected by the Studio Schools Trust, a membership body that unites Studio Schools and develops curriculum and facilitates peer learning and support. The governance arrangements of each school will vary, depending on each Studio School’s relationship with the wider 14-19 provisions. The Studio Schools Trust will acts as a linking point to other Studio Schools facilitating the sharing of best practice; as well as providing advice and curriculum support.