Independent Living 16-19

Course Demonstration

Get a learner’s perspective. Build essential Independent Living Skills with our Household Cleaning Course.

Strong personal development provision equips young people with the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills they need to thrive beyond education.

The Household Cleaning course demo below highlights how this 1 GLH, bite-sized course, delivered via our EQUAL ed-tech platform, uses interactive content and formative gamification to build learners’ confidence in maintaining a safe, hygienic living space, while fitting flexibly into study programmes, tutorials, enrichment or transition support.

Take the course today. Register below.

Register for the Independent Living Household Cleaning Course

Discover More Independent Living Skills 16-19 Short Courses:

Independent Living: Food on a Budget

This course supports learners to develop financial awareness, healthy habits, and self-management skills that are essential for independent adulthood. Learners will explore:

Why meal planning reduces costs and stress
How shopping choices affect spending
How to create and manage a realistic food budget
How to prepare simple, affordable meals independently

This course teaches financial education through budgeting, planning and spending awareness; informed decision-making by comparing value, quality and necessity; healthy lifestyle choices linked to wellbeing and independence and confidence and self-efficacy through achievable, real-world tasks. Learners are supported to recognise how everyday choices impact both their finances and wellbeing, key indicators of effective personal development.

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Independent Living: Household Cleaning

This course focuses on health, safety, responsibility, and respect for others in the context of everyday home life. Learners explore:

What household cleaning is and why it matters
How poor cleaning affects health and wellbeing
Safe and effective cleaning practices
Cleaning requirements for different rooms
Responsible and environment aware cleaning behaviours

This course supports evidence of health education through understanding hygiene and illness prevention; safeguarding and risk awareness via safe use of products and personal protection equipment (PPE); personal responsibility for shared and private spaces; and respect and empathy for others in the household.

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Independent Living: Fix It, Looking After Your Home

This course develops problem-solving, safety awareness, and accountability, helping learners understand both what they can do independently and when to seek help. Learners explore:

What household maintenance is and why it matters
Basic home safety and risk recognition
Safe use and storage of tools
Simple maintenance tasks
When and how to report problems responsibly

This course demonstrates preparation for adult life through realistic home responsibilities, risk management and safety-first thinking, resilience and confidence through practical problem-solving and communication and civic responsibility. Learners are encouraged to develop mature judgement, knowing their limits as well as their capabilities.

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Everyday Maths for Independent Living

This course supports learners to apply essential maths skills in everyday, real-life situations, helping build confidence, independence, and practical problem-solving ability. For learners who may lack confidence in maths but need numeracy to live independently and make informed decisions.

Prepare for adult life through practical numeracy skills
Set budgets, plan spending, and understand long term financial commitments
Accurate measurement of food portions and medicine doses
Reduce maths anxiety and build real-world competence
Planning journeys and managing daily tasks

The course demonstrates how numeracy underpins safe, responsible, and independent living, key priorities within the Ofsted personal development judgement for 16–19 learners.

The Role of Gamified Formative Assessment Living

Across all four courses, formative gamification supports personal development by:

Increasing engagement and motivation
Allowing safe practice without fear of failure
Encouraging reflection and self-assessment
Supporting inclusion and confidence building

This aligns with Ofsted’s emphasis on meaningful learning experiences and the development of behaviours and attitude, not just knowledge recall.

How Education Providers Can Evidence Impact for Ofsted:

Independent Living Skills are not an optional extra. For many learners, they are the difference between participation and progression. When these skills are embedded consistently and early, they support better engagement, improved wellbeing and sustainable outcomes across education, employment and training.

Learner Voice and Reflection

Learner self-assessments showing increased confidence
Tutorials linking learning to real-life situations
Reflections on budgeting, cleaning routines, or maintenance decisions

Behavioural Change

Learners demonstrating improved organisation, hygiene awareness, or budgeting habits
Reduced reliance on takeaways or unsafe practices
Increased independence within supported or shared living environments

Curriculum Intent and Implementation

Clear mapping of courses to personal development aims
Use within enrichment, PSHE-style provision, or transition programmes
Alignment with study programme outcomes for independence and readiness for adulthood

Inclusion and Accessibility

Evidence of engagement from learners who may struggle with traditional assessment
High completion and participation rates
Household cleaning and everyday maintenance
Positive feedback from learners with SEND or lower confidence

Together, these Independent Living short courses form a cohesive, inspection-ready personal development pathway that:

Prepares learners for independent adult life
Supports health, wellbeing, and safety
Builds confidence, resilience, and responsibility
Develops financial awareness and practical life skills
Aligns clearly with the November 2025 Ofsted Framework

They demonstrate a clear commitment to developing the whole learner, ensuring young people leave education not only qualified, but capable.

To find out more about EQUAL and our Independent Living short courses for 16–19-year-olds, get in touch with our team.

Fill out the form below and one of our expert team will get in touch with you!

South Hampshire College Group has enjoyed a positive and productive relationship with The Skills Network for a number of years. We particularly value their support in the successful rollout of our Core and More Programme, a 16-19 platform used to complement and enhance student learning and development beyond their core main programme of study.

Student feedback on the The Skills Network platform has been overwhelmingly positive, with learners particularly enjoying the engaging and interactive content. This highlights the effectiveness of The Skills Network’s resources in supporting learner development and enhancing their overall learning experience.

We consistently get outstanding customer service from The Skills Network, they actively listen to our feedback and adapt their services to meet our specific needs. This collaborative approach ensures our learners receive the best possible support in developing essential skills and achieving their full potential.

Pete Joddrrell
Deputy Principal Curriculum and Quality, South Hampshire College Group

Walsall College has been a proud strategic partner of The Skills Network for many years. Together, we’ve worked to support learners within our community – helping them upskill and reskill, address the skills gap, and level up our community.

Our partnership is built on trust and collaboration. The Skills Network’s consultative approach, exceptional customer service, and deep sector insight have been invaluable in shaping our adult learning offer. Their account management is driven by sector expertise and the ability to listen, adapt, and offer innovative solutions that meet the needs of the learners within our region.
We truly value this fantastic working relationship and look forward to continuing to make a difference together.

James Norris
Ass. Principal, WBL & Adult Learning, Walsall College

We have worked with The Skills Network for many years and have found their online platform easy to navigate. Learning materials are regularly updated in line with TQUK requirements, and with the use of their online platform, we have been able to facilitate aspirational learning outcomes.

Communication has been a particular strength throughout the course of our partnership, and we have found that all questions/ queries are responded to and actioned promptly, especially with the technical support team. We would highly recommend working with The Skills Network.

Daniella Keen
Digital Skills & Distance Learning Lead, Buckinghamshire County Council

The courses are engaging, flexible, and easy to integrate alongside classroom teaching. Our students responded positively and felt the content added real value to their understanding.

The positive impact on student engagement and the way the course reinforced taught content make it highly likely for wider rollout, especially in vocational areas where applied knowledge is key.

Neil Parker
Head of Section – Travel & Public Services, Sandwell College

Working with The Skills Network for over four years has been an exceptional experience. During this time, we have supported several thousand students in achieving their learning goals, with success rates consistently exceeding 85%. The Skills Network has delivered high-quality resources and outstanding service, enabling us to provide flexible, accessible education to a diverse range of learners. Their team is responsive, professional, and committed to excellence, which has helped us expand our reach and impact significantly. I would highly recommend The Skills Network to any organisation seeking a reliable and innovative learning partner.

Dan Coombes
Head of Online Learning, North Hertfordshire College

We have had a long-standing partnership with The Skills Network who have always been attentive and responsive to our needs. They offer bespoke advice and guidance and are transparent in their services. What you see is what you get! They share our vision for high quality education that is impactful, accessible and support the skills gaps in today’s labour market.

Jo Clayton
Apprenticeships & Work Based Learning Management, The College of West Anglia