OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEADERSHIP AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Student Leadership Team

Annual application and electoral procedures take place for specific key roles of leadership and responsibility undertaken by sixth form students who will represent the whole school student body. The student leadership team comprises the head girl and her two deputies, and six senior leaders including the house captains; and then there are the school games captains, and form mentors. Other roles of leadership and responsibility include school house captains, library prefects and bus prefects. In addition, the smooth running of many extra-curricular in-house events depends on a huge reserve of unsung heroes who quietly and effectively do valued, practical tasks. Their roles are as significant as those of official post holders.

Sixth formers are made aware of the standards expected of them upon entry into the sixth form, both in the induction week and at the beginning of the autumn term in Year 12. Students are treated as young adults and they are put in a position of trust when exercising their privileges and responsibilities. They are also put in a position of trust to use private study time wisely, in a self-disciplined way, in the school library and quiet study rooms when they have not got formal lessons or duties.

Houses

The whole school is pastorally divided into three Houses named after three classic female novelists—Jane Austen, Charlotte Brontë and George Eliot. Organised by Year 12 and 13 House Officials, a programme of termly events including quizzes, sporting events, arts competitions and charity events takes place involving vertically integrated teams of students across all key stages. Students are awarded points for their house for entering events and gain treble points for being winners of competitions. Academic work of above average level of attainment is valued and rewarded by a system of merits and commendation. The House system is regarded as a positive and constructive influence within the school community, encouraging regular mixing and interchange between students of all age groups/key stages.

Mentoring younger pupils

Sixth formers from both year groups play an integral part in supporting younger students at an academic, pastoral and social level. Mentoring is a very responsible and worthwhile involvement for sixth formers, enabling them to become facilitators to impart advice and teaching them the values of tolerance, patience and understanding in a proactive way.

• In the sporting arena there are frequently opportunities for sixth form team players to give their time to train up younger students with their skills in various sports.

• Form mentors of Years 7 to 9 in particular help younger students with problems in their academic work or with pastoral issues/domestic issues that may be troubling them. Over a year a strong rapport develops between the mentors and the forms they oversee

• Teaching staff regularly encourage sixth form academic mentors to help individual students of younger years with difficulties that can be helped by one to one support, particularly in surgery or workshop sessions. Opportunities are offered to sixth formers who wish to go into teaching or other child related career areas.

World Challenge

Students drawn from KS4 and KS5 are given the opportunity to take part in this prestigious, specialist extra-curricular, overseas activity (usually four weeks’ duration) in countries as far afield as South East Asia, Africa and South America. Students are fully prepared for the environments they will live in and the projects they will undertake, and the value of the experience is enormous in terms of character and team building and the development of independence. Currently the school is involved with planning for an expedition to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands in 2010, and South Africa in 2011. The World Challenge Scheme is organised by professional advisors and is subject to rigorous scrutiny in terms of health and safety risk assessments. Countries visited so far include Sri Lanka, Namibia and Brazil.

Community Work

The place of the school in the local community is clearly recognised through pupil involvement in voluntary work with different groups within that community. In Years 12 and 13 this may be done in non-contact lessons, lunchtime or after school. Girls in Year 12 can also opt to do community work as part of the Key Skills/curriculum enrichment programme. Many students are involved with voluntary work through Duke of Edinburgh scheme and other Warwickshire and Coventry Youth Volunteers agencies.

Activities include:

• helping local primary schools or homes for the elderly and disabled,

• working at the Welcombe Hills School for children with severe learning difficulties, assisting with music therapy, swimming and other classroom activities,

• working as volunteers for various charities who approach the school for specific help, on an occasional basis. Some students are opting for the Young Volunteers Scheme, a national organisation to encourage volunteers within the Community,

• working in conjunction with the Stratford District Council for some Active Citizenship group projects.

Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

This scheme has recently restarted in school at both bronze and silver levels for students to participate in the four key sections - Service, Expeditions, Skills and Physical Recreation. For Gold Level the school is affiliated to the Open Award centre for the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme in Stratford-upon-Avon. Guidance is given for Bronze, Silver and Gold Levels and training is provided for expedition work, including camping and map skills. Expedition weekends are organised in the Peak District, Lake District and in North Wales. Practical service within the community is actively encouraged, and takes the form of mutually beneficial contact with the elderly, physically and mentally disabled. Successful group projects have included the production of a braille map of Stratford for the blind and a Town Facilities Guide for tourists and for the disabled.

Recreational Activities and Games

Sixth formers are encouraged to take some regular physical exercise during each week, either as part of the curriculum enrichment afternoon or in outside school activities. Apart from the standard range of winter and summer sports, students can obtain permission to use the swimming pool and leisure facilities in town. Athletic sports are actively encouraged in summer and the school is fortunate in having a large sports field adjacent to the campus.

Many House and inter-year sport activities are arranged, as well as involvement in county and regional events. Students with particular interest in sports and who are involved with top league events are given every consideration to enable them to train for their speciality. The games staff provide a very varied programme of options available to students, using both school and town facilities. International sports tours are a new venture, supported by the Shottery Active Lifestyles Committee comprising governors, parents and PE sports staff.

Charities

Traditionally, girls at Stratford-upon-Avon Grammar School for Girls have been encouraged to support a specific charity either in their form or year group. This resulted in many interesting and enterprising events being organised for a wide range of charities, ongoing throughout the year.

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