Our Year 9 Curriculum Enrichment programme is an innovative series of lessons aimed at encouraging our young people to make a difference in their community. It plays a major role in our Personal Development offer for pupils. Pupils take part in a range of different activities which are in line with our school vision, providing them with further curriculum opportunities to grow in ‘body, mind and spirit,’ with the ultimate aspiration of ‘becoming the person God wants them to be.’
Voluntary work, community service, environmental projects, charity work and aspects of work experience all play a part in the new programme, enabling pupils to gain some valuable life skills and learn a little more about ‘life outside school!’ By engaging with these activities pupils also give something back to their local community, encouraging them to grow in character and reflect the Christian Values of stewardship, compassion, service and humility. We hope these activities will inspire our young people to take action, become courageous advocates and, of course, we hope that they enjoy the new experiences which come their way!
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
The various activities in which the pupils are involved will enable them to work towards gaining their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The programme has run now for five years and over this time this has enabled more than 800 pupils to achieve the award. All pupils in Year 9 are encouraged to enrol into the programme and will be guided through the completion of the Award. By the end of the year they will have covered three months of the Skill, Physical and Voluntary sections of the Award, leaving a further three months in one of the sections of their choice for pupils to complete themselves outside of school. Finally, the expedition takes place in either the summer or autumn term coinciding with the school Christian Values Enrichment Days. During some lessons in the rotations there is time built in for pupils to create their DofE account and upload information on the activities they have been doing.
Curriculum enhancement
The programme complements pupils’ academic studies and provides them with further experience of National Curriculum subjects. In addition to studying Technology subjects in the main Curriculum, pupils can select to complete a further nine weeks of one of the technology subjects; Art, DT or Food and Nutrition. Similarly, they also choose between completing an additional nine weeks of Dance or ‘mixercise’ exercises, a combination of fitness and running. They also complete aspects of their Careers Programme. Pupils do not receive targets or results in Enrichment but must engage and pass each rotation, thus giving credence to the achievement of the DofE Award.
How the programme works
Pupils take part in four rotations of different activities for nine weeks each. They take place on a Thursday afternoon during periods 7 and 8 and are led by various members of staff.
These are:
Skill: Technology: a choice between Art / Design and Technology / Food and Nutrition
Physical: Dance / ‘Mixercise’
Voluntary: Social Action / Stewardship
4th rotation: Careers / wellbeing / expedition skills / oracy
Pupils must be extremely organised ‘Self Managers,’ checking each week the activity in which they are participating and coming prepared with, where relevant, the clothes and equipment necessary for that week. Pupils receive a booklet detailing the dates and rotations for them for each rotation. The booklet and tutorial details of the rotations can be found here:
Year 9 Curriculum Enrichment Booklet
We hope our Year 9 pupils really seize every opportunity to engage with this programme and look forward to encouraging as many pupils as possible to take part in the expedition planned, thus allowing them to achieve their full Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.