Vocational Learning at Blackpool Skills Academy
Blackpool Skills Academy gives young people the chance to learn in a practical, supportive and purposeful environment. Our curriculum combines high-quality vocational learning with the core English and Maths skills students need for future study, employment and independent life.
Students can develop confidence, skills and ambition through three key vocational areas: Hair and Beauty, Construction, and Catering and Hospitality. Each pathway is designed to help young people discover what they enjoy, build practical knowledge and develop the personal qualities employers value.
Why Choose Blackpool Skills Academy?
Practical, hands-on learning
Students learn by doing. Lessons include practical tasks, workshops, demonstrations and real-life projects that help young people build confidence and apply their skills in meaningful ways.
Vocational expertise
Our staff bring specialist knowledge and industry experience into the classroom. Students learn from professionals who understand their subject and know how to support young people to take their next steps.
Purposeful facilities
Students train in practical learning spaces that reflect real working environments, including salons, workshops and catering spaces. This helps them understand expectations, routines and professional standards from the beginning.
English and Maths at the heart of the curriculum
Every student continues to develop their English and Maths skills. These subjects are linked wherever possible to vocational learning, helping students see how reading, writing, communication, number, measuring, costing and problem-solving are used in real life.
Preparation for the future
Our curriculum supports students to build employability skills such as teamwork, communication, punctuality, resilience, problem-solving and independence. Students are supported to think about future study, training, apprenticeships and career pathways.
Hair and Beauty: Creativity, Confidence and Client Care
Hair and Beauty allows students to develop creative and practical skills in a professional salon-style environment.
Students explore areas such as nail care, manicure, gel polish, nail art, hair washing, blow-drying, styling, brow treatments, facials and client consultation.
Alongside technical skills, students develop confidence, communication, presentation and customer care. They learn the importance of hygiene, professional behaviour, attention to detail and working respectfully with others.
Construction: Building Practical Skills for the Future
Construction gives students the opportunity to develop hands-on skills across a range of trades and practical tasks.
Students build confidence through activities linked to areas such as brickwork, joinery, plastering, painting and decorating, and electrical awareness.
The curriculum also develops an understanding of health and safety, tool use, materials, accuracy, planning and teamwork. These skills help prepare students for further vocational study, apprenticeships and future employment in the construction sector.
Catering and Hospitality: Food, Service and Professional Standards
Catering and Hospitality is now a key vocational area at Blackpool Skills Academy. Students learn practical cooking, food preparation, kitchen safety, hygiene, nutrition and customer service skills.
They take part in activities such as preparing breakfast items, soups, pasta dishes, world foods, bakery products, desserts and live service tasks. Students also explore menu planning, food costing, allergens, healthy eating and hospitality standards.
This pathway helps students develop independence, organisation, teamwork, time management and confidence under pressure. It also introduces them to careers in catering, hospitality, food service and related industries.
A Curriculum Underpinned by English and Maths
Vocational learning at Blackpool Skills Academy is not separate from academic success. English and Maths are built into the wider curriculum so students can see why these skills matter.
In Construction, students use Maths through measuring, estimating, calculating area, working with money and reading plans. They use English when following instructions, discussing safety and explaining their work.
In Hair and Beauty, students use English through consultation, reflection, client communication and understanding written instructions. Maths is developed through timing, symmetry, measuring, costing and sequencing treatments.
In Catering and Hospitality, students use Maths through weighing, measuring, timing, budgeting, costing and portion control. English is used through reading recipes, evaluating dishes, discussing service and communicating with others.
Blackpool Skills Academy: Helping Young People Take Their Next Step
Whether a young person is interested in Hair and Beauty, Construction, Catering and Hospitality, or simply needs a more practical and supportive route through education, Blackpool Skills Academy provides a curriculum that helps them grow.
Our aim is to help students build confidence, achieve meaningful progress and leave with the skills, habits and self-belief they need for their next stage of learning, training or employment.
Ready to Find Out More?
Contact Blackpool Skills Academy to learn more about our vocational curriculum and how we support young people to develop practical skills, academic confidence and positive futures.