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Our Extended Learning programme focused on expanding the provision for Year 8 and Year 9 this year so that it is now embedded throughout the school. Extended Learning has become part of Channing’s fabric – students expect to be expected to extend their learning!
All Year 7 students were invited to participate in one of eight enriching Ellery Programme activities. This year, Mythology, Songwriting, Maths Alien Invasion, Micro Bit programming, Book Review Podcast Making, Linguistics and Languages, and Prehistoric Cave Art (Chemistry) were offered, and the feedback from participants was excellent.
Year 8 students were offered a choice between attending and writing a review of an HPQ presentation (see below) or recording a review of a book or of an academic activity they pursue outside school, with many prizes earned.
The programme for Year 9 Extended Learning was also successfully expanded. Every student was involved in one or more of the following:
- Researching and writing an academic essay for a competition run by the John Locke Institute, Harvard Political Review or Immerse Education
- TeenTech or STEM Crest Award
- A research project leading to an AQA Unit Award: Mr Starr led weekly data analysis on animal behaviour in Waterlow Park – this was particularly well received, and students requested to continue it even after the course had ended
- Preparing a book review in a video or podcast assessed by the Form Tutor, with the winners awarded prizes
The Sixth Form and Years 10–11 had the opportunity to gain a qualification that involves developing rigorous research, project management and academic writing skills on a topic of their choice, as well as extending their presentation skills.
The Higher Project Qualification
For Project Qualification 2, Year 11 students selected a question to research and planned and wrote a 2,000-word essay under the expert guidance of staff who volunteered to supervise them. There is also the option of researching and making an artefact with a shorter essay, and this year, one student designed and made a woman’s dress in the style of circa 1810.
Excellent presentations were enjoyed by staff and other students from Year 8 upwards. This year, ambitious topics were selected: American political opinion in 1970s–80s DC Comics, the impact of American social movements on Motown music, how constructed languages such as Esperanto can overcome ancient and modern languages, and institutionalised gender discrimination in Iran.
The Extended Project Qualification
The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is a great opportunity for Sixth Form pupils to devise, plan and carry out an independent research project – either a 5,000-word essay or an artefact and accompanying 2,000-word report. Ms Wilberforce, our Head of Careers and Higher Education, now runs the EPQ. Thirteen intrepid Year 12 students completed their EPQ this year on a vast range of topics.
The arts were represented in various ways: the auteur theory in cinema was dissected, as were the changes in photojournalism (from Lee Miller to Lynsey Addario) since 1945. One student researched the effect of music on anxiety in teenagers, while another did a deep dive into etymology, analysing how slang from queer subculture influences everyday slang.
Social sciences featured large. One research question was law-related and very topical: can legal frameworks alone effectively address challenges in AI? Others included assessing the effectiveness of socio-political protests within professional sport for racial equality, the role of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in challenging the regime in Iran, the economic and political situation of Spain between 1939 and 1945, and the extent to which changing societal and cultural norms in America are reflected in Disney’s depiction of fairy tales.
On the STEM side, the topics selected were equally fascinating. Students looked into the impact of environmentalism on US space exploration, the ethics around whether gene editing should be used to tackle sickle cell disease, the role that genetics play in Kenyan athletes’ success in marathons, and whether it is possible to ascertain the Hyksos’ genealogy based on evidence.
A huge thank you to all staff who make these opportunities possible for our students, who can look forward to further exciting extended learning opportunities in the years ahead.
Ms Pavlopoulos, Extended Learning Coordinator