Extra-Curricular

At Holy Family Catholic School we offer a wide range of opportunities for Sixth Form students to broaden their horizons and engage with activities they may not have had the chance to experience before. We offer an extensive personal enrichment programme for students to choose from, including activities such as learning how to cook in preparation for university, teacher vs. student debates and experiencing foreign film culture.

Activities that take students outside of their known environment include Duke of Edinburgh and developing soft skills to increase their teamwork and organisational skills. This is also involves an element of giving back to the wider community through voluntary work.

As a Catholic school, Community Enrichment is very important to us, where students are giving back to the school and the wider local community. We offer programmes such as mentoring younger students, increasing the literacy of students in the younger years and helping elderly members of the community learn how to use technology.

We believe that these activities will help prepare students for their wider life outside of the school setting. The skills and experiences they gain during our enrichment programme will offer new opportunities to develop talents to aid their experiences in later life, and help students become well rounded university students, apprentices, workers and citizens. 

Aims of the programme:

Our enrichment programme focuses the students on their own wellbeing, building skills, broadening their horizons and giving back to the community. Although we are an open sixth form, we use our enrichment programme as one of the ways to bring in the ethos of school, of The Holy Family Way, to the Sixth Form. We believe it is important to focus on growing the students as individuals and looking after their welfare as well their academic success. We also offer and encourage students the opportunity to give back to their local community and school, promoting the ethos of the school as a caring, accepting and respectful community. 

Extra Curricular (Personal):

Every Wednesday period 5 our students participate in a personal enrichment. This is a time for students to either learn a new skill, experience a new activity or enjoy something they already do. This is meant to be time set aside for the students to focus on their own wellbeing and not academic work. We believe it is important for students to get the correct balance between academic work and extra-curricular experiences. This is a set period a week to encourage our students to do just so. 

Students participate in an activity each half term and have the choice from activities such as:

  • Football
  • Table Tennis
  • Duke of Edinburgh Award (Sliver/Gold)
  • Cooking
  • Ceramics
  • Basketball
  • Mindful Colouring
  • Art Club
  • Social Justice
  • First Aid
  • Debating Club
  • Music
  • Problem Solving
  • Film Club 

Extra Curricular (Community):

At the beginning of the year students sign up to an activity whereby they give back to the local community, whether that be within school or in the surrounding area. As part of the school’s ethos we believe it is important for students to give back to their communities and take part in selfless activities. Such activities include:

  • Reading Buddy
  • Helping literacy in lower years using Units of Sounds
  • Mentoring for Year 7-11
  • Charity Group
  • Tutor time aid
  • Subject Ambassadors
  • Sport Leaders
  • Silver Surfers
  • Marketing & PR
  • Community Action
  • Tycoon Enterprise

Wellbeing:

We have recently brought in a wellbeing programme that is carried out every Friday morning during students' 30-minute registration time. Students' wellbeing, due to the changes in exams and the continue stresses of education and academic success, has become a main focus within the whole school. The programme itself is to teach students about their own wellbeing, how to create a healthy wellbeing, to evaluate their actions and the impact it may on themselves and ways to become resilient. The programme focuses on their mental health, physical activity, healthy eating and healthy friendships.

Inter-Faith Day:

This a day that is carried out in year 12 to further introduce our students to a range of different religions and experience someone else’s culture. Our students normally go to a mosque, a temple and another place of Christian worship. During the day they speak to a range of religious leaders and are able to ask questions regarding the religion and their practices. Again, this is supporting the ethos of the school to teach our students to be accepting of others and embrace their differences and become one community.

 

Community Action Day: 

Year 12 students take part in giving back to our local community. 

  • To support the Catholic ethos of the school

  • Give something back to the community

  • To meet new types of people

  • To have new experiences

  • To understand local needs

Places visited include: 

  • Alliston House

  • Christ the King Catholic Church

  • Epping Forest

  • St John’s -Mural Painting 

  • Lloyd Park

  • Our Lady and St George Church and School

  • St Joseph’s Infants and Primary

  • Twinning Association- Silver surfers 

  • Spitalfields Farm

Again, this is a time for our students to embrace the ethos of the school, giving back to the local community and being respectful of others. This is a very enjoyable day for both students and different organisations we work with.

Super Curricular 

Super curricular activities are activities that take students beyond the subject that they are studying at KS5. Universities will look at both extra curricular and super curricular when you make an application. Extra-curricular activities will show that a student has soft skill e.g. working in a team, leadership and time management skills. These are important as they show what you are like but super curricular shows that you have an avid interest in your subject and work independently. They can also help you decide on the subject you would like to study in the future. 

Our students will be completing career based Super Curricular Programmes of work to deepen and extend their knowledge of their curriculum. They will also be providing opportunities for students investigate careers into different fields e.g. Law, Medicine, Engineering. All of these programmes of study will be certificated for the student to show evidence of completion. 

Post-16 Aspire Programme

We offer dedicated support for those students applying for Oxbridge, Medicine degrees, Russell Group universities and other top universities. 

Along with our extensive curriculum offer we will provide students with:

  • Support with the expectation of 4 subjects and/or additional qualifications 
  • Bespoke super-curricular activities
  • Alumni Mentor
  • Visits to top universities 
  • Help arranging summer schools / internships eg: Sutton Trust and Uniq
  • Academic speakers 
  • Support with admissions tests and SAQ
  • Partnership with Forest School for Mock interviews and further opportunities 
  • Future Leaders project 
  • Pixl Stretch