Community Cohesion
The Trust places a great emphasis on working in a community-wide sense. It is engaged with an extensive range of particular partnerships in order to promote learners well being and prepare them for the adult world. In addition to mixed learning and activity groups within St Mary's, learners will be able to engage with the local community, attend national events and take part in national and international projects. Learners at St Mary's will not only learn about the local and wider world in which we live through their formal curriculum work, but just as importantly, they will have opportunities to practice the life skills they have learnt within the community setting.
Across the full Waking Curriculum, there are many examples of how learners are able to develop their own independence and also how these skills should be utilised in an inter-dependent manner. The importance of having a positive relationship with others, being a good citizen and having an idea of world-wide issues is promoted widely.
St Mary's focussed programmes include friendship groups, social skills groups, school council, college forum, shared activities and transition programmes.
There is an extensive process of local community integration. St Mary's has good partnerships with local schools with reciprocal visits and joint project work being set up. Work experience placements are arranged with a whole series of local employers. In College, programmes are run throughout the year and specific weeks are identified in School. These may include links with nationally recognised organisations such as the Hilton hotel group. St Mary's college places a priority on vocational aspects and ‘preparing its learners for the real world' in its timetable.
Life skills trips run across the Waking Curriculum. Formal Community Days and projects are arranged and a range of local businesses and services that help and support learners come into St Mary's. These include the shop and small business owners, police, fire service, Rotary groups and the Pestalozzi International Village
There are many social and recreational activities on offer for the learners. Regular trips are made to local shops, libraries, museums, leisure centres and restaurants. Learners are members of St John Ambulance brigade, Army Cadets and riding clubs. The Trust is signed up with the Duke of Edinburgh Award organisation and is a registered centre. Many learners have achieved the full Bronze level Award.
Weekend programmes include activities that not only access the local towns of Hastings and Eastbourne but also extend to places such as Canterbury, Brighton and London. There are opportunities to attend celebrations at Sunday family services in local churches. Annual residential study trips have included trips to Somerset, Dorset, Wales and Paris.
Learners are also encouraged to understand matters in a global sense. Regular culture days focus on specific countries and international events such UNICEF Day and FairTrade awareness projects are also celebrated. St Mary's has hosted students from an educational establishment in Germany and has a link with a school in Nakuru, Kenya.
Sporting activities are particularly strong at St Mary's and formal kite marks have been achieved for the quality of sporting links that have been established. Clubs that learners attend include judo, swimming, running and football groups. Trophies are won regularly at individual and club level. Several learners have achieved national recognition for their skills.