Enrichment
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Alongside A-levels students have timetabled Enrichment time so that they can extend their learning beyond their A level studies.
These activities help build a student’s CV and broaden their studies in a direction of their choosing. The aim is to develop ‘the whole person’ and help generate experiences that will allow students to stand out from the crowd when applying to further study or employment in the future. We know that many of our students will continue to make valuable contributions to our school community as well as to their local community alongside their A-level studies. Every student chooses an enrichment option dependent on their interests and plans for the future:
Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
EPQ is a demanding qualification. It offers you the chance to research an area of your choice and produce an academic report or an artefact. You are required to commit to 120 hours of study. You cannot take the EPQ if you are studying 4 A-level subjects.
Level 3 Maths
A chance to build on GCSE Maths and develop skills in support of your A level studies. Particular relevant to students of sciences, Psychology, Geography and History who are not taking A-level Maths. The study of Maths to a higher level is highly prized by employers. A great way to boost your employability. Equivalent in many ways to old AS so also enhances your CV whilst supporting A-level studies. You cannot take the course if you are studying 4 A-level subjects.
The Chronicle
Every year Sixth Form students edit and design on our school magazine, a great tradition at LGGS, in a variety of roles to produce a very high quality product. Opportunities can be creative or in leadership positions. A superb opportunity to be involved in an LGGS tradition. Past students have gone on to study journalism, law or politics.
Volunteering
The chance to gain valuable work experience in the local community in a field of your choice. A very popular option as you can leave school in the afternoon and gain experience in areas that you may wish to study in the future. This is essential for applicants for a course that requires work experience eg Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine or teaching.
Online Learning
Students may choose to follow a range of high-quality courses which allow students to develop some of the pre-university skills of the EPQ within a more flexible programme. Learning is online, using a variety of resources, and is supported by some of the world’s leading universities and businesses. This subject is good for students taking 4 A-levels, as it develops pre-university skills, but can be managed in a flexible way.
Ambassadors for LGGS
Our LGGS Primary Ambassadors programme is an opportunity for Year 12 students to plan, develop and deliver activities for local primary schools.
We also have a team of Year 12 LGGS Reporters who create video and written content to proomote many aspects of what we do in school - both within our school community and to the wider world. A great oipportunity for any student interested in journalism
Further opportunities at LGGS Sixth Form
Sixth Form students are encouraged to take an active role in putting themselves forward to participate in areas that interest them and to try out something new! We also encourage Sixth Form students to organise extracurricular activities for younger pupils. In Year 12, students have the opportunity to take part in:
- Bar Mock Trial Competition
- Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award
- The LGGS School Production
- Orchestra, Chamber Choir, Jazz Band, String Group
- Prestigious essay competitions
- Leading societies in school
- Public speaking opportunities
- Mentoring of younger students
Participation in these extra-curricular activities is recognised through the LGGS Rose Award
Extended Project Qualification focuses on developing a student’s independent learning ready for University courses.
It is worth the equivalent of an AS. The student has a significant input into the choice and design of the project to be completed in this qualification. This level of choice and flexibility means students are engaged and motivated, and gain valuable research and project management skills along the way.
What do you do?
A student can choose to explore a further aspect of a subject they are studying, or another subject, or simply choose a topic in which they have a personal interest. The finished project can be a written report, a performance, a piece of art, a community project, a CD or DVD, or even computer software. Students have to:
- choose a topic to study
- complete a production log to document the project process
- develop and improve their own learning and performance as critical, reflective and independent learners
- plan, research and carry out their project and will allow students to develop and apply skills creatively, demonstrating initiative and enterprise
- submit a written report of between 1000 and 5000 words, depending on the format of your project.
- prepare a presentation on the outcome.
- Finally, use their learning experiences to support their personal aspirations for higher education and career development.
Why do it?
The EPQ offers students a unique opportunity to develop essential skills for higher education and the workplace, in a subject area of their own choice. It has been welcomed by a number of universities as it enhances a students study skills, provides admissions tutors with additional diagnostic evidence for selecting among applicants and provides a bridge between A-level and undergraduate modes of study.
Minimum GCSE Requirement:
English Language at Grade 7 or equivalent.
Level 3 Mathematical Studies (Core Maths) is a new qualification designed for students who have achieved a grade 4 or above at GCSE.
It helps to develop students’ mathematical thinking and thinking skills and supports wider A-level studies. If you are a student of Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, Geography or History, who has not chosen to study A-Level Maths, you may find this qualification particularly useful.
The qualification comprises of two examinations and covers topics including the analysis of data, Maths for personal finances and estimation.
A course of study leading to this qualification should enable students to:
- study a mathematics curriculum that is integrated with other areas of their study, work or interest leading to the application of mathematics in these areas
- develop mathematical modelling, evaluating and reasoning skills
- solve problems some of which will not be well defined and may not have a unique solution
- solve substantial and real life problems encountered by adults
- use ICT as an exploratory tool for developing mathematical understanding and when solving problems
- develop skills in the communication, selection, use and interpretation of their mathematics
- enjoy mathematics and develop confidence in using mathematics.
Since 1914, Lancaster Girls’ Grammar School has produced its own school magazine: The Chronicle.
The production of this publication is being based in the Year 12 Enrichment programme. We propose to offer a short course exploring the nature and contexts of magazines and then to engage in the production of this year’s magazine.
The ‘brief’ is to provide an overview of the academic year and the pupils will have a access to the School's photographic archives.
The magazine team consists of a variety of students who are skilled in a range of areas such as Art, English, ICT and Photography. Although teachers act as co-ordinators, it is the student team who manage and essentially produce the whole publication ‘in-house’, catering for its promotion and publicity and gaining experience of managing their peers, always the most challenging and valuable aspect.
Why do it?
- the opportunity to make a major and lasting contribution to the legacy of the school
- to gain leadership experience valuable for future roles
- to gain knowledge of magazines and their production
- during the course you will be learning a range of skills such as:
- how to write to captivate an audience’s attention
- how to edit images to catch the audience’s attention
- how to lay out pages within the publication to balance text and images
- how to carry a theme throughout a publication
- how to communicate effectively to ensure all of the components within the magazine blend together to form the final publication
The course will be open to all students.
Open Learn and Future Learn offers a diverse selection of courses from leading universities and cultural institutions from around the world.
These are delivered one step at a time, and are accessible on mobile, tablet and desktop, so you can fit learning around your life.
Open Learn is an educational platform provided by The Open University, featuring over 900 free online courses across various subjects, allowing learners to access high-quality educational materials.
Future Learn have 89 partners from around the world. These include many of the best UK and international universities, as well as institutions with a huge archive of cultural and educational material, such as the British Council, the British Library, the British Museum, and the National Film and Television School.
Future Learn also work with a range of internationally renowned organisations - from professional bodies such as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), to businesses like the BBC and Marks & Spencer, to the UK Government.
Future Learn believes learning should be an enjoyable, social experience, so our courses offer the opportunity to discuss what you’re learning with others as you go, helping you make fresh discoveries and form new ideas. The resources are very inactive and include videos, linked documents and mini quizzes. You will find that you are accessing some very academic materials when you are studying for your Future Learn course.
You can browse the course list to find something that you’d like to learn about. There courses in a diverse range of subjects and Future Learn always adding more. Courses vary in length. Most are six to ten weeks long but we also have some shorter two and three week courses. You may find a course that gives you the chance to specialise in a particular subject area or there are general courses that might help you prepare for university. All of the courses make for excellent learning and will enhance a UCAS, apprenticeship or job application.
All Future learn courses are available for free, there is no need to pay any fees.