The Extended Day and Enrichment: Brook Mead Bonus Time
Extracurricular activities offer the chance to try something new, discover a talent or passion and develop lifelong interests and skills. We believe that enriching experiences and afterschool clubs should be used by ALL scholars, rather than the few who choose to take part. It is the right of every child and young person to benefit from a breadth of enriching experiences. Therefore, our school day is slightly longer Monday to Thursday and ends at 3.40pm. This enables all scholars to take part in fulfilling wider opportunities to build better futures!
Staff offer sessions and scholars are able to choose which to take up for ten weeks. Altogether over the year, scholars take part in six electives. They are designed to extend and enrich.
A Commitment to the Arts and Sports
Sport and the arts, in their widest sense, are central to the wider development of young people. Arts and sporting events are often the most memorable events for scholars of their school lives, helping to break down stereotypes and liberating students who may be constrained in other subjects or areas of their life.
Drama, dance, music and art help young people work through and express powerful, sensitive, provocative ideas and emotions in a safe expressive place, challenged and supported by skilled staff. Therefore, music education, school productions, art and design education will contribute to our broad and balanced curriculum, especially once we move to our new building.
Music scholarships are made available to scholars, with the loan of an instrument, weekly peripatetic music lessons by professional teachers and weekly practice sessions as part of our orchestra or brass band.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is recognition of a young person’s successful journey of self-discovery and development, renowned by employers and universities alike for the qualities young people have who’ve achieved a D of E Award.
Its balanced programme develops the whole person – mind, body and soul, in an environment of social interaction and team working.
There are three progressive levels of D of E programmes which, when successfully completed, lead to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
In order to achieve the Award participants need to complete a programme of activities in four sections that involve helping the community/environment (volunteering), becoming fitter (physical), developing new skills (skills), planning, training for and completing 2 expeditions.
With the help of DofE Leaders, participants select their own programme of activities and set themselves objectives. It’s not a competition or about being first. It’s all about self-development.
In order to achieve the Bronze Award students must attend all of the training sessions, plan and prepare for a practice expedition and complete an assessed expedition.
If you would like further information about the D of E Award please click here to go to the D of E website: http://www.dofe.org.
Volunteering
If any students (D of E and non-D of E) are looking to for opportunities to complete their volunteering section, COG Youth Services are looking for:
- Teen Bloggers for their website
- Recycling Ambassadors
- Podcasters/Youtubers/Debaters
These can be done solo or as a group – find out more here.
As part of the academy values, our pupils are encouraged to ‘Be kind’. This includes being kind to their peers, but also to others outside of school through our nominated charities each year. We allow our whole school community (pupils, staff and parents) to decide which two charities we are going to support, and then pupils have opportunities to fundraise for these charities throughout the year.
Leicester's Newest Secondary School is now open.