Enrichment opportunities
Vision: In a competitive and ever changing world, we know it takes more than subject expertise to make the jump onto the next stage of your future. Whether you are aiming to study at university or move straight into a career, you will need to be able to demonstrate a range of soft skills and attributes that come from more than just being in the classroom.
Throughout your journey at Debden you will be given the opportunity to develop and demonstrate skills that are vital in helping you to become a successful A Level student. Enrichment activities come in many forms and are designed to help you with the next steps of your journey after sixth form.
Our Journey lays out all the curricular and enrichment opportunities that Sixth Formers will be given over the course of their 2 year at Debden Park Sixth Form.
Overview:
EPQ - The Extended Project Qualification is a highly respected and incredibly independent individual project that typically takes the form of a mini-dissertation style piece of work investigating a topic of their choosing. All Year 12 students will have timetable hours during their school week to research for and complete an EPQ project of their choosing by the end of the Year.
Adopt-A-Team & Mentoring - Year 12 students pass on their subject expertise and lived experience and advice on how to succeed at GCSE to the students throughout the rest of the school, helping in lessons as part of our Adopt-A-Team initiative, or through individual mentoring of Year 11 students as they work towards their mocks and final exams.
Charity Events - Each Sixth Form tutor group is assigned to a form throughout the rest of the school and work in tandem with them to run a school wide charity event throughout the course of the academic year. The design and organisation is totally led by the students. In the past, Year 12 students have organised Coffee Mornings for Macmillan, quiz nights and sponsored haircuts that have helped raise thousands of pounds for charity.
World Challenge - Sixth Form students have the opportunity to fundraise for and take part in life changing expeditions to far-flung corners of the world in a trip that looks to develop their independence, leadership and resilience. So far, Debden Park Sixth Form students have travelled to Sri Lanka and Swaziland over the last few years - will you join them on their next adventure?
Enterprise Challenge - In partnership with Galliard Homes, a team of students compete against other local schools to turn £50 seed capital into as much money as they can for donations to Haven House, a local hospice. In previous years, teams have organised whole school quiz events, auctions and car washes to turn their seed capital into over £3400!
Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award - Students dedicate their time to give back to the community through volunteering, to develop a new skill and to involve themselves in physical activity (such as a self-led multi-day hike).
EPQ Projects from our alumni:
Is the glamorisation of violence in drill music a prime cause of the recent rise in youth gang crimes in the UK? (Grad A*- student now studying Sociology at University of Bristol)
To what extent does the breed-specific legislation of the Dangerous Dog Act affect our perceptions of banned breeds, our safety and that of the domestic dog? (Grade A* - student now studying Animal Biology, Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics at the Royal Veterinary College)
How do observational and measurement problems, in tandem with select philosophical arguments, affect the validity of quantum mechanical interpretations? (Grade A* - student now studying Physics at University of Southampton)
Is net immigration the foremost cause of the current housing shortage in the UK? (Grade B- student now completing a degree-apprenticeship in Quantity Surveying)
Would the privatisation of the NHS affect patient satisfaction positively or negatively? (Grade B - student now studying Adult Nursing at London South Bank University)
Further reading: