Why we teach through real-world projects

There are moments in education that make you stop and you realise something has shifted. When the student who barely spoke all term suddenly leads their team through a presentation with real confidence, or when a group of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students hand over the book they’ve published to a local charity, absolutely glowing with pride. When plumbing students discuss hydrogen energy with genuine insight is another great example. These moments don’t happen by accident. At Hugh Baird College, they occur because learning is purposeful and connected to real life.  

Around three years ago, employers were telling us that too many young people were stepping into the workplace without the communication skills, confidence and adaptability they needed to be successful. At the same time, our students, many from the top 1% disadvantaged areas in the country, needed opportunities that built belief as much as they built skills. We knew something had to change. We needed a way to bring real-world learning that built work-ready skills and confidence into the heart of our curriculum, not as an add-on, but truly embedded into what we do.

We listened to employers, staff, and students and as a result introduced “WorkReady with eduScrum” which sees students work in small teams on real-world industry briefs co-designed with employers.  

These are real problems that employers want help with and fresh ideas for. The projects aren’t an ‘add-on’ but are built into schemes of work and mapped to qualification outcomes. ESOL learners work on community digital support, health and social care students redesign activity programmes for care home residents, creative arts students rebrand local cafés, construction and plumbing teams explore future green technologies, and digital media learners develop award-winning apps that address real social issues. Students with high needs partner with charities supporting people experiencing homelessness and animal sanctuaries. Every project is authentic and every project matters.  

eduScrum is an agile, team-based framework inspired by workplace practice. It provides structure to projects without removing creativity, clarity without taking away autonomy, and is a way of learning where every student has a meaningful role.

The first step in eduScrum is team building. Each group builds a values tree to set expectations, then uses eduScrum tools and techniques, such as flip boards and sprints, to plan, track, and reflect on their progress. Teachers become a facilitator of learning, and employers guide, challenge and give honest feedback during and at the end of the project.

Inclusivity is at the heart of eduScrum. Visual planning tools, structured collaboration and shared roles work brilliantly for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and English as an Additional Language (EAL). We’ve seen students who usually hold back become some of the strongest team leaders. We’ve watched students who lack confidence step up because the structure allows them to shine in ways traditional classroom tasks sometimes don’t.

And the impact? It’s been genuinely transformative. Several students have moved straight into work because of their projects, such as the catering student who secured a job at the Halyard Hotel after designing menus with the head chef. Confidence has grown too. Our ESOL students have talked about how publishing their story book helped them find their voice, and students with high needs leading tours of a historical steamboat saw considerable improvements in communication, even making it onto ITV Granada Reports.  

Achievement across Hugh Baird College has improved significantly, with 16-18 achievement in the top 5% nationally and tech Level 3 value-added also within the top 5%. Ofsted recognised the strong contribution the college makes to meeting skills needs, and more than 40 sustained partnerships have been established with employers. Employers keep returning because they see the value not just for students but also for their own organisations. The ripple effect stretches into the community as well, with charities and local partners benefiting from meaningful, student-led contributions.

Looking ahead, our plan is to deepen, strengthen and grow. We’ll continue to expand cross-curricular projects, build capacity through staff development, and work even more closely with employers to ensure our curriculum reflects the skills industries genuinely need.  

If you’re thinking about introducing something similar, here’s what we’ve learned. Don’t bolt projects onto existing practice as an ‘add-on.’ Start small, invest in staff training and give people space to experiment. Build authentic partnerships with employers rather than transactional ones. And whatever you do, celebrate the stories. It is the success stories that become the heartbeat of the programme and the reason everyone keeps going.

Ruth Mead is the Director of Learning and Development at Hugh Baird College