KS5 Enrichment

Swanlea Sixth Form Universal Enrichment Offer

Weekly Electives

At Swanlea School, we run a wide range of fantastic Enrichment Programmes as part of our universal offer to all students. Every week students have a timetabled elective which they choose every half term. These electives give students an opportunity to enrich their A Level or BTECs; promote their wider knowledge; develop their cultural capital; learn some new skills and explore a topic they are interested in. The range of electives is developed and adapted each year.

This year it includes:

  • Media Team
  • Art & Controversy
  • Duke of Edinburgh
  • Passion for MFL
  • Public speaking skills
  • English Short Stories
  • Media Literacy
  • Sound Trap
  • From Page to Stage
  • Mock Trials

Weekly Fitness Sessions

To promote students’ health and wellbeing they have timetabled fitness sessions every week, led by PE specialists. This aims to develop students’ social skills, meet students’ emotional needs, and physically challenge them to be the best they can be. Sport also allows us to explore and develop soft skills like resilience, leadership and communication throughout lessons. We offer a range of opportunities to develop competence and confidence in physical literacy.

Super Learning Days

Each year Sixth Form students take part in two Super Learning Days. They develop students’ wider skills and offer a chance to experience something new. The programmes develop and change in response to student feedback and are a key part of how we promote cultural capital in the Sixth Form.  The range of activities and opportunities are broad encompassing University to Russell Group institutions and also Oxbridge, alongside team-building activities such our London Challenge, escape rooms and trips to outdoor pursuit centres.

UCAS Week

Year 12 students have an annual UCAS week in the summer term. This ensures that students understand the UCAS process and allows them to explore in detail what they will do beyond Swanlea School. The week includes visits from inspirational speakers, university visits, workshops on personal statements and applying for Oxbridge/medicine and dentistry courses and students also explore the apprenticeships route. We welcome in partners from a range of industries who offer expert help and guidance about careers to Swanlea students.

Other Enrichment Opportunities

Each year we offer a bespoke programme of enrichment to students based on their needs. This has included opportunities with employers in technology, the arts, computing, accountancy, and insurance. We build on our existing partnerships to ensure that every opportunity is given to Swanlea students.

KS5 enrichment opportunities 2023-2024

  • Weekly timetabled elective 6-week enrichment programmes:
    • Media Team – working on a media outlet project
    • Art & Controversy – taking the role of being an art critic
    • Duke of Edinburgh – helping the community/environment, becoming fitter, developing new skills, planning, training for and completing an expedition and, for Gold, working with a team on a residential activity
    • Passion for MFL – learning about different languages and cultures, developing public speaking skills
    • English Short Stories – engage with a range of genres and present thoughts on the plots, characters and different themes covered
    • Media Literacy – study bias and misinformation in the media with a critical eye
    • Sound Trap – create mix loops, beats using vocals and live instruments
    • From Page to Stage – develop and perform a short extract from a play in front of a small audience
    • Mock Trials – understand how a court works, examine real life cases and how the law is applied, roleplay a courtroom scenario
  • London challenge – orienteering challenge around central London, exploring key cultural sites including Oxford Street, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus and Regent Street.
  • Interview practice – working with mentors to prepare for university and post-18 interviews
  • UCAS application guidance and support (inc. Oxbridge) – also including working with Wadham College and the Elephant Group
  • Support with compiling CVs and cover letters, use of Unifrog
  • South End outdoors cultural visit
  • Workplace insight visits / taster days including to Barts and Royal London Hospital NHS Trust visits, CYT Building Future Skills, Deloitte Financial Skills Work Programme, Investin work experience placements, Linklaters work experience days, Moorfields Eye Hospital visit, Law and insurance firm visits, PWC workplace visits, Sutton Trust pathways to law
  • Individual careers guidance with careers advisor
  • Influential guest speakers
  • University visits/residentials – including visits to UCL, University of Oxford, University of Oxford Reading, University of Suffolk
  • Talk the Talk public speaking workshops – expert trainers help students develop speaking and listening skills within a creative learning environment. The workshops provide numerous speaking opportunities and students are coached and supported throughout the day to deliver a structured two-minute presentation, on a topic for which they have a genuine passion, to their peers. On the second day, working in groups, students are set tasks throughout the day that focus on honing the skills required for active ‘group talk’ – for meetings, interviews, seminars and the workplace.
  • Worshipful Company of Educators Sheriff’s Challenge – started by Liveryman Peter Estlin, the challenge gives students a chance to hone their public speaking skills by delivering a team-work presentation, competitively, on a topic relating to the City of London or the business/wider world.
  • Lloyd’s Business Mentoring – the programme gives students a chance to have individual mentoring on areas such as preparing for working life, writing CVs and applying for university.
  • Aim2Attain Programme – designed to support young people with building their confidence to successfully prepare for university and other post-18 opportunities

Address:
31 Brady Street
Whitechapel
London
E1 5DJ
Headteacher: Ms. Brenda Landers