Extended Learning Day 4
On Tuesday this week all pupils took part in our fourth ‘Extended Learning Day’ of this academic year. ‘Extended Learning Days’ (ELD) are organised throughout the academic year to enrich the curriculum and provide pupils with a greater variety of learning experiences.
Year 7
Year 7 enjoyed a day centred around Physical Education. Pupils participated in several workshops that included outdoor team games, mental challenges, physical activities and street dancing in the sports hall. Based on the popular gameshow The Cube, variouschallenges were held in a classroom, concentrating on pupil dexterity and co-ordination. Pupils received house points throughout all the competitive activities. Thank you to Eden Singleton Dance Company, who led popular street dance sessions. Working together in groups, pupils performed their dance routines with enthusiasm, confidence and creativity.
Year 8
Year 8 undertook a variety of learning activities based around Brazil with an emphasis on population, the Amazon basin, deforestation, and the specific animal and plant adaptations of the rainforest. One of the workshops looked at the History of Brazil and how the likes of Pele overcame poverty to have a spectacular career. External provider ‘Zoolab’ gave pupils the opportunity to meet and learn about native animals to Brazil as well as a few other unique creatures from around the world. Pupils held stick insects, a giant African millipede and got to meet arachnids and reptiles such as Fluffy the tarantula and Kelloggs the corn snake.
Year 9
Year 9 ELD centred around the motion: Drugs and alcohol can never be consumed safely. They took part in 3 morning sessions: preparing to debate, theatre in education and listening to a speaker from The Amy Winehouse Foundation. During the 3 morning sessions, pupils were able to use their performance skills in drama to act out a moment from the play: I Love You Mum, I Promise I Won’t Die, which tells the true story of a young boy who sadly died because of drug misuse. The Amy Winehouse Foundation session allowed pupils to listen to a firsthand account of someone’s experiences with substance abuse. They also took part in a preparing to debate session where pupils undertook relevant research and learnt debating protocol. This gave them an opportunity to collate as much evidence for their viewpoints on issues around drugs and alcohol. The knowledge that they acquired from these sessions aided the preparation for their form debate proposals. Impressively, during the afternoon each form presented their proposals in front of the entire year group and they had the option to offer their rebuttals in response. This was a brilliant way to argue constructively their viewpoints, which they did eloquently and maturely. The winning forms in the debate being: 9P and 9U. Finally, the day ended with a live recording of the play I Love You Mum, I Promise I Won’t Die.
Year 10
Year 10 took part in a day aiming at improving their employability and life skills. They undertook sessions on Health and Safety in the work place alongside learning basic first aid skills. They also had an interactive industry workshop on sector skills for finance and professional services delivered by Future U. Pupils also worked on their mindset and employability skills through the use of an online learning environment provided by Reed.
Year 11
Year 11 undertook a revision day looking at the Literature Paper 2 topic, An Inspector Calls. They spent their time reading background context on the play and completing notes on the characters and plot to help with their upcoming GCSE exams.
