Extra-curricular Activities

Enrichment

The enrichment program at Aspire Sixth is an opportunity for students to broaden their skill base to be more attractive towards universities and employers, while also developing personal experiences of a variety of challenges and situations which will round them as individuals. Enrichment is part of the Year 12 curriculum at Aspire and students are asked to choose one option for study from the following options.

Sports Leaders

Those who have an interest in sport and leading small groups – be that young children, those with disabilities or the elderly – this course offers them the opportunity to develop those skills and experience alongside a qualified tutor. The course is community based and is fully certified.

The Extended Project (EPQ)

A qualification that accredits UCAS points. The EPQ is an opportunity for students who wish to develop their knowledge within a particular topic area. Students research a chosen topic and produce a written report on their findings. This option is favoured by red brick universities.

Peer Mentoring

Students are given the opportunity to develop mentoring skills through supporting the students at school in Key Stages 3 and 4. Students in the past have created materials and mediums of support and have harboured very successful support networks for those who are vulnerable within the sixth form.

Teaching Assistant

Students are given the opportunity to work within a chosen department in school to develop skills in academically supporting students in Key Stages 3 and 4. Many students who wish to go into a teaching profession find the skills and experience invaluable.

Work Experience

Some future pathways require students to have experience within the ‘field’. Examples of these professions are teaching, nursing and engineering. Students choosing work experience are given the opportunity within their timetable to be ‘released’ from Sixth Form to attend work experience placements. These placements are in the first instance found by the student with the support of the Sixth Form team and all health and safety checks carried out prior to taking up the placement.

TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language)

This accredited course takes two days to complete from a training provider within sixth form. It provides students with the skills to teach English to those who do not speak it as their first language. Students have the opportunity to go on work experience placement to develop the skills they learn and some students have gone on to use it in their gap year abroad.

Additional enrichment opportunities

We do find some students already are working within the community for example for St John’s ambulance or volunteering at a charity. In these instances, we believe in supporting students not adding to their workload so we encourage students to continue their work experience placements.