Pathways to Work

Overview

Students explore how everyday routines, travel, communication and behaviour can affect finding and keeping a job. Through realistic scenarios, they identify barriers and supports, then suggest practical, respectful solutions without making assumptions about people’s abilities or circumstances.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• understand that employment can be affected by practical, communication and behavioural factors
• identify possible barriers to finding or attending work
• recognise supports that can make work more accessible
• explain how reliable routines, travel planning, communication and positive behaviour help at work
• use evidence from scenarios to suggest sensible solutions

Success criteria

• I can name different factors that may affect getting or keeping a job.
• I can distinguish between a barrier and a support.
• I can explain how a routine, travel plan, communication choice or behaviour could help.
• I can suggest a fair and practical support for a workplace situation.

Curriculum links

• Religious education — opportunities to develop critical enquiry, creative problem-solving and communication in a variety of media.
• Computing — evaluating digital content and considering how information is selected and presented.
• English — spelling and accurate use of the word “business” when recording ideas.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and first thoughts. Open with the opening workplace scenario showing two fictional applicants with different journeys to work; ask, “What might make it easier or harder for each person to get to work and do well?” Students silently list ideas, then share one with a partner. Emphasise that the examples are fictional and that people should not be judged by one difficulty.

2. 5–12 min · Build the concept. Use the key vocabulary and barrier-support slides to introduce barrier as something that makes an opportunity more difficult and support as help or an adjustment that makes participation easier. Explain four focus areas: routines, travel, communication and behaviour. Students sort teacher-read examples mentally into the four areas and justify one choice, such as “checking a timetable” or “speaking politely and listening”.

3. 12–25 min · Scenario investigation. Distribute the workplace scenarios and barrier-support organiser. In pairs, students read four age-appropriate scenarios, identify the barrier, explain its possible effect on work, and propose one support or solution. Scenarios should include: arriving late because travel was not planned; forgetting equipment because there is no morning routine; misunderstanding instructions because the worker did not ask for clarification; and responding unhelpfully to feedback. Circulate and ask, “What evidence in the scenario supports your idea?” and “Would this solution be realistic and respectful?”

4. 25–34 min · Group problem-solving. Display the group challenge instructions and place pairs into groups of four. Each group chooses one scenario and prepares a 30-second response using the structure: “The barrier is… It may affect work by… A helpful support or action would be…”. Encourage groups to include both an individual action and, where appropriate, support from another person or organisation. Students rehearse and present to their group.

5. 34–41 min · Evaluate ideas. Use the discussion and evaluation prompts to lead feedback. Students compare solutions using three questions: Is it practical? Is it fair and respectful? Does it address the actual barrier? Address misconceptions, including the idea that everyone must work in exactly the same way. Explain that reasonable support may include clear instructions, a travel plan, reminders, agreed routines, extra practice or a trusted person to ask for help.

6. 41–45 min · Exit reflection. Students complete the final section of the personal reflection and exit response independently: “One factor that may affect work is…”, “One support or action could be…”, and “A respectful workplace behaviour is…”. Invite two or three volunteers to share, then collect the worksheets to assess understanding.

Resources

• the complete workplace pathways slide deck
• the workplace scenarios and barrier-support organiser
• Projector or interactive whiteboard
• Pens or pencils
• A4 paper for group rehearsal notes
• Visible timer
• Board and marker for recording pupil ideas

Assessment

• During the hook and vocabulary teaching, listen for whether students can distinguish a barrier from a support and accurately place examples under routines, travel, communication or behaviour.
• Review pair responses for a clear link between the scenario evidence, the barrier’s effect and a realistic support. Question students who suggest solutions that blame or stereotype the fictional person.
• Use the exit response to check that each student can identify one employment factor and suggest a practical, respectful action or support.

Differentiation

• Support learners with the word bank and sentence stems on the worksheet: “The barrier is…”, “This could affect work because…”, and “A support might be…”. Read scenarios aloud and pair pupils carefully.
• For pupils with speech, language or communication needs, allow drawing, selecting from suggested options or recording an answer with an adult. Keep instructions short, display them visually and check understanding privately.
• For EAL learners, pre-teach barrier, support, routine, reliable, travel, instruction and feedback, using simple examples and gestures. Accept brief spoken responses before developing them into full sentences.
• Challenge confident learners to explain whether a proposed support changes the person, the workplace or both, and to compare two possible solutions for fairness, cost and effectiveness. Remind them that barriers can be environmental or organisational, not only personal.