Enrichment

THE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME

Egglescliffe is unique in its enrichment offer, embedding enrichment into Year 12’s weekly timetable, from 13:15 to 15:15 on Wednesday afternoons. We do this due to our continued commitment to the importance of enrichment, and our wider drive for a broad and balanced curriculum. This dedicated time off curriculum timetable is designed to help students build a range of different skills.

This range of personal and employability skills make our students highly sought-after in the world of work and university admissions. Our students develop their communication, teamwork, and leadership skill amongst numerous other areas in order to equip them fully for life after Egglescliffe. Their experiences, alongside their qualifications, make them stand out in future job and UCAS applications.

Most crucially of all, many of our options are a fun and welcome break from the rigours of study, and a good way to make friends and feel a part of the 6th form community.

HOW IT WORKS

There are three blocks each academic year in Enrichment. Each block starts with ‘try before you buy’ where students can sample the different activities. Full information can be found on the sixth form enrichment timetable.

Through a Microsoft Form, students are able to make four choices per block indicating their preferred option choices. Then, they are each allocated one of these activities per half term. Each option lasts for 5-7 one-hour sessions across a half term.

THE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ENRICHMENT PROGRAMME

We also offer lunchtime enrichment activities, available to both Year 12 and 13 students. Many of these activities are student-ran, demonstrating our commitment as sixth form to fostering student leadership.

We currently offer:

• Egglescliffe Student Union, and sub-committees
• Religious groups such as Christian Union and Islamic Society
• Societies such as FemSoc and BAME Soc
• Extended Project Qualification

Egglescliffe Student Union

ESU is an elected group of sixth form students, who represent the sixth form community in numerous ways. It consists of representatives for the different groups and societies, as well as the chairs of the sub-committees charged with organising events, supporting the lower school, and improving enrichment across Year 7 to 13.
ESU is a part of the sixth form’s commitment to social action, student leadership, and community. Members of ESU have devised sessions for registration, organised whole school events, and raised considerable funds for charity already in its short tenure.

Participation in Whole School Enrichment

In addition, students get access to numerous other opportunities regardless of their year group. This includes, for instance the exceptional music and sporting offerings.

Here is an overview of activities sixth form students can access outside of lessons:

Challenge

At Egglescliffe, we are committed to promoting the benefits of challenging oneself and healthy competition. In the sixth form, many of our students participate in the Duke of Edinburgh, as well as competitive sports. Challenge, including sport, is also a crucial component of the Wednesday afternoon Enrichment programme.

Well-Being

We also believe in supporting the physical, social and mental well-being of our sixth form students for happy and healthy lives. We are mindful of this in the sixth form, and support students during the stressful mock exam period by giving them additional time, and other forms of support. As well as sporting activities, we also run activities such as yoga to promote the importance of well-being.

Employability

We are committed to developing transferrable skills, such as organisation and problem solving. We run an Employability programme in the first half term following Christmas, where we support students in organising and undertaking crucial work experience, that will not only improve employability but also help them progress following their A-Level study. Egglescliffe also offer a number of STEM opportunities, such as robotics.

Communication

We believe helping pupils to enquire, speak and communicate with confidence throughout the school, especially in the sixth form. We offer opportunities for sixth form students to analyse film, participate in drama, and try out British Parliamentary debating, the style of debating favoured by university competitions.

Leadership

We are committed to empowering students to lead and to take on responsibility. Our sixth formers are in many ways the leaders of the student community, and set an example for the rest of our students to follow. A number of our sixth formers get involved in self-ran activities, displaying leadership skills by organising their own groups and campaigns.

Community

It is vital to encourage pupils to contribute to school, local and international communities. Students have the opportunity to take part in social action groups, designed to support the local, national, and international community. In the past, students have raised money to support impoverished families in the local area at Christmas.

Creativity

We also provide pupils with opportunities to express themselves. Alongside drama, we offer the best facilities for a variety of creative pursuits – art, photography, textiles, and graphic design. In the enrichment programme, furthermore, we offer students the opportunity to try out new creative challenges – such as a six-week workshop exploring how to elevate the humble stick-man to new heights.

Excellence

Finally, we are committed to preparing pupils with key skills and knowledge to add academic depth, cultural capital and for the next stage of their education. Sixth form students have the opportunity, much like our lower school students, to be a part of the Scholar award programme, visit universities, and take part in elite sports. Egglescliffe is known for its musical excellence, with a number of our sixth formers making the local press for their success as musicians.