Philosophy of Enrichment

As a matter of college policy, we believe that the effect of enrichment (ie extra-curricular) activities on the personal development of students is fundamental and far reaching. We live in times when politicians, businessmen, businesswomen and educationalists alike are concerned that young people emerge from their education with high quality key skills, such as communication, problem-solving and working with others in teams. We all wish young emerging adults to develop self-reliance, flexibility and breadth. This institution believes that students who undertake enrichment activities in addition to their academic studies and associated student guidance and support find it helps them significantly to increase both their motivation and achievements. It has helped improve college retention of our students and has increased the popularity of the college in the region.

Outline of Programme

• The programme offered is diverse, of high quality and is available to students throughout the week. Wednesday afternoons remain dedicated to enrichment activities. See enrichment handbook.

• Almost all staff (80+) offer something to the programme. In addition further specialist staff are recruited eg for yoga, for dance in an off-site dance studio, for the Duke of Edinburgh Gold to help with expeditions preparation and the final expedition.

• Competitive sport is outstanding in a number of areas. The college is recognised nationally for its achievements in netball, hockey, rugby league and swimming and regionally in football, badminton and racket sports. See ref 5.4 for 1999/2000 competitive sports calendar and recent sporting successes.

• Recreational sport and activities are also extensive.

• Musical activity is substantial with two annual concerts, one major musical production annually and a full carol service each Christmas. Students have won national and regional awards over the years, see ref 5.5. Lunchtime activities weekly include Chamber Choir (35), String Ensembles, Wind Band (30), Choir (63) and college orchestra.

• Drama is equally strong with seven public productions per year ranging from the classics, Shakespearian plays, modern drama and the annual Christmas musical - see ref 5.5.

• Involving ten staff, community service is being undertaken on a weekly basis by almost 200 students in primary schools (reading, literacy, numeracy activities), special schools, institutions for the mentally impaired, old people's homes, the local hospice, the local hospitals, modern language help in 11-16 secondary schools, Mencap and charity shops - see ref 5.6.

The College Work-shadowing Scheme is the most extensive of its kind in the country starting from a mere 35 students in 1989, the scheme has grown to 570 placements in 1999. The scheme enables students towards the end of their first year of advanced study to gain first-hand insight into the world of management and the professions. They observe all facets of a particular career by keeping in step with the person engaged in it, the "work-guide".

A team of five college staff run the Duke of Edinburgh Gold scheme with around 150 students involved annually. This number is greater than for the whole of the rest of West Yorkshire and indeed is one of the largest centres nationally. The principles involved match college principles based on the belief that members of the community have a responsibility to each other and that community and voluntary service is an essential part of good citizenship.

• Each participant must undertake a community service, learn a new skill and take part in a physical activity, each over a sustained period of time (one year plus) on a regular weekly basis. In addition, they have to undertake the preparation, planning and organisation of a four day, three night hike in the hills and mountains in teams of 6-8 students and also be involved in a residential project of some type. The hike takes place in June of year one, following three practice sessions throughout the year at weekends. It is easy to understand the commitment of the staff involved in the organisation of this which requires significant human resources.

• The Community Sports Leadership Award is another activity involving several dozens of students annually, again run by college staff. Students who volunteer for this activity receive training in the leadership of activities for younger children. Once trained they then have to give of their time in the local community with week-long or fortnight-long placements working with groups of children in the summer holiday to claim the award.

• IT skills training for junior school pupils. With a member of staff from the IT department, a dozen students meet weekly for an hour after college with a group of twenty pupils from a local primary school to teach them basic IT skills to a relatively high level. The course is repeated every ten weeks and is highly thought of by the receiving school. A skills enhancing experience for the students involved.

• An initiative which is a partnership between the DfEE, the local council, Huddersfield Town Football Club and Greenhead College, sees groups of twenty 9/10 year olds, identified as pupils who are the weakest in literacy and numeracy skills in their age group, travel to the Football Stadium Study Centre at 3.30pm each day and Saturday mornings to work for two hours on these skills. The in-house teachers are the first to say that the scheme would not work without the twelve Greenhead students who give up time to work individually and in small groups with these pupils. The best results have been children progressing by as much as 27 months over a ten week period in their literacy skills.

• Highfields School is a special school for children aged 3 to 19 years with severe learning difficulties, with both physical and mental incapacities. Our students assist in a variety of ways taking Highfields students shopping, to cafés, helping with dressing, swimming and eating, and other general classroom activities.

• The Engineering Education Scheme forms part of a scheme devised by the Royal Academy of Engineering, encouraging students to consider careers in engineering, partnership with industry and high quality training. The scheme has been run annually here for five years by two staff, one a historian and one a chemist. Each year two groups of five/six students join with local engineering firms and employees to solve a problem set by each company. The problem-solving requires design and realisation and staff and students do end up in a university department for a three day event to realise practically their solution to the problem. Groups from the region then present their projects at an annual forum - see ref 5.8.

• In terms of debating and political education, there is a thriving weekly debating society with typically around 40 participants, while over 50 students also enjoy partaking in national events such as the Model United Nations, the Bar competition run by the Law Society and the Hansard parliamentary competition. All of these require careful preparation over extended periods with staff and student involvement.

• We have reached the stage in 1999 where almost 200 students take a recognised First Aid course each year as part of their enrichment.

• We have very active Islamic (40) and Christian Union (30) societies running weekly with invited speakers, organised and run by students with staff support.

• Students and parents are heavily attracted to the college with two students per place available for 2000/2001. The enrichment programme is often cited as a major influence in deciding to choose here for further study.

• As almost all students and all staff are involved in enrichment activities, this helps to break down barriers in communications between students and staff. This improves the interactions between students and staff in academic teaching and learning. In turn, this engenders the spirit of community, positivity and cohesiveness we wish to see in the college.

• We believe the programme has and continues to improve the collective self-confidence and self-esteem of students and staff in the college.

• An industrial/commercial slant has been brought to teaching in the college as a result of the many interactions between staff and students with local industry and commerce. This has widened significantly into departments such as business studies, economics, chemistry, physics and GNVQ's in business and health and social care.

• Staff have been involved particularly through the community service and work-shadowing programmes in significant visits into the community which has broadened their understanding of current industrial/commercial issues in a way that may not happen in very many colleges and schools teaching students of this type. There is a strong college/community interaction which has raised respect for and local confidence in the college.

• Students have been helped to make more informed career choices as a result of their experiences. In particular, they learn the softer key skills of working with other adults, problem solving and organising their own lives. Their increased confidence helps them specifically in university and job interviews. They are physically and mentally more healthy than they would be if such a programme did not exist.

• In 1989, we had one music teacher and five 'A-level' music students. Now we have three music teachers working with other staff members with an interest in music to put on lunchtime activities already described. As a result many more young students have come to the college because the programme is exciting. A spin-off from this is that 'A-level' Musicians currently number 52, which is very large indeed in a state institution.

• Similarly on the drama side of the college where the focus was on productions involving many students on stage, in supporting bands, in lighting and sound, in preparing scenery, all in quick turn-around times. This is very good education and training. Again the spin-off has been that our 'A' Theatre Studies numbers are now 104 rather than 25 in the late eighties, see ref 5.5.

• If we can do this, there is no college in the land with significant numbers of 16-19 year olds who could not replicate the programme. It is purely a matter of vision and priorities within the senior managements of institutions.

• We believe the programme brings highly significant benefits to students, staff and the community at large. As such it should be promoted as an essential part of the 16-19 curriculum. It is for this reason that the award of a Queen's Anniversary Prize in 2000 has been a major recognition as to the value of this type of work in education. This should certainly help stimulate others in other colleges and schools with large sixth forms to improve their curricula with such programmes.

• Recognition of our work in enrichment by a Queen's Anniversary Prize has highlighted the worth of enrichment activities at a time when these are being reduced because of financial constraints (wrongly in our view) in many institutions while the clamour is slowly growing for institutions to broaden the experiences and skills of their students.