At enrolment, you may be asked to choose from one of our timetabled enrichment courses to complement your academic studies. See below for our current list of enrichment courses.
Community
‘The condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common’.
The below enrichments are designed to bring students from across the college together, united in both their differences and their shared interests.
Recreational badminton is a mixed ability session and you will be expected to participate with both male and female students.
Mixed Badminton will allow you to develop your singles and doubles skills both in practice and competition.
All abilities are welcome as long as you have a positive and enthusiastic attitude. You will need a full change of kit and suitable footwear. Rackets and shuttles will be provided.
Struggle to get motivated in the gym or bored of the same old fitness routine? Try Bootcamp Fitness!
This is an ideal activity for those of you that need some extra motivation or simply want a bit of variety. This activity will involve outdoor fitness using simple equipment, body weight and each other!
This is an ideal fitness activity for anyone interested in working in public sector careers.
Want to keep fit but a bit bored of the gym? Boxing fitness is an excellent way to become fitter and stronger.
This will be a mixed gender group of a variety of abilities. You will get involved with shadow boxing drills, working with pads, skipping and cardio and strength work. Come prepared to get a sweat on!!
The aim of this course is to teach you the basics of the art industry and how to manage your finances, market your work, secure agency representation, navigate the world of galleries, and overall thrive as a professional artist/designer. You will be using your own work as a basis for this course as many of the tasks require you to have artwork you can use as an example/inspiration. This course would also be beneficial for any students needing extra guidance with their portfolio for higher education.
Target Audience: This course is only suitable for those currently undertaking a Creative Arts course, with an interest in progressing to work in an arts-related field.
1 Term
Singing is proven to be good for your mind, body and soul. Joining choir is a great way to complement and enhance your A-level studies while learning new skills, having fun and making friends.
We rehearse in an informal, friendly environment, and perform regularly throughout the year, singing in a variety of styles, from pop to classical, folk, gospel and music theatre. Song requests are welcome and no experience is necessary.
The choir will perform in concerts at the end of each term, so you will be required to attend a few extra rehearsals.
Target Audience: Anyone who wants to come along and have a go! No previous singing experience required.
Fancy taking on a challenge or raising money for charity? Join a sociable group with a common goal. Help each other complete training every week and take part in an event at the end of the programme.
This course is perfect for those wanting to start their drawing journey, or those wishing to develop their skills and try new and exciting ways of putting marks down on paper.
Term 1 – Introduction to Drawing. During the first term we will focus on developing our basic drawing skills such as line, shading, and tone, as well as taking part in a few different still-life drawing exercises. This term will culminate in an extended still-life mixed media drawing using all the skills that we have built up during the initial weeks.
Term 2 – Experimental Drawing. During the second term we will challenge preconceived ideas of drawing and experiment with a variety of techniques that take us outside the box. Some examples are drawing with wire, cardboard collaging, and mono-printing. The focus for this term will move away from still life and into portraiture.
Target Audience: This course is suitable for students who have no previous drawing experience, as well as those who already follow a creative pathway. All abilities are welcome and catered for, with varying tasks being set based on individual ability.
Do you love playing basketball but don’t want to play for a team? Then recreational basketball is for you.
A timetabled slot once a week where you can improve your skill, play games and keep yourself active. All you need is a change of clothes (suitable sports wear) and appropriate footwear.
Want to play something new in a fun and sociable environment? Mixed volleyball is for you! Improve your fitness, meet new people, improve your skills and have some fun.
Join us once a week, you’ll need sports kit and trainers. No experience necessary.
This session could be delivered by a female or male coach.
2 Terms
Do you sing or play an instrument? Looking for others to perform with or opportunities to perform? Interested in composing or song writing?
This course will link you with other musicians to work towards performing at open mic sessions and end of term concerts. We will help you find music, or write your own, and offer tips on improving your rehearsing and performing skills. If you play trumpet, sax, trombone, flute, clarinet, piano, drums, guitar, bass or drum kit to around grade 5 standard and can read music, sign up to this course!
Target Audience: All students! All abilities and styles are welcome.
Do you love playing netball but don’t want to play for a team? Have you played netball in the past and want to give it another go? Then recreational netball is for you.
A timetabled slot once a week where you can improve your skills, play games and keep yourself active. All you need is a change of clothes (suitable sports wear) and appropriate footwear.
For those experienced gym users and those with some experience in resistance training you can take your training to the next level with Olympic lifting. Olympic lifting is a sport in which athletes compete in lifting a barbell loaded with weight plates from the ground to overhead, with the aim of successfully lifting the heaviest weights. No formal experience is necessary as you will be taught how to use equipment appropriately, which exercises are most appropriate for your fitness goals, and how to plan and develop your own personal programme.
To take part in this course you will be expected to be enthusiastic and committed. This course will take place in the college gym and you will need a full change of kit and suitable footwear.
This course is for male or female students wishing to develop body strength and specific fitness. No formal experience is necessary as you will be taught how to use equipment appropriately, which exercises are most appropriate for your fitness goals, and how to plan and develop your own personal programme.
To take part in this course you will be expected to be enthusiastic and committed. This course will take place in the college gym and you will need a full change of kit and suitable footwear.
A mixture of class based exercises which could include aerobics, step aerobics, conditioning, dance and yoga. These sessions will improve your co-ordination, general fitness and give you a well-deserved break from your academic sessions.
No previous experience or sense of rhythm required but you must be committed and turn up each week prepared to throw yourself into the session and have fun!
2 Terms
In the first half of the course you will be involved in Drama workshops introducing you to a variety of skills and conventions used in performance, we will look at current theatre practise and investigate how theatre can work within the community. The group will collectively decide upon a project for performance selecting a specific target audience.
In the second half of the course, over a series of weeks we will write, devise and rehearse a performance piece which will be either taken out into the community, or a group will be invited into WQE Drama Studio to watch. In the past we have targeted a local primary school and created performances ranging from ‘The BFG’ to ‘Life in the Amazonian Rainforest’.
This year we are hoping to develop the course to make it more relevant to our students who want to work in the community whether in health, social care or education. This may mean that we choose to perform to people with disabilities, older people, school children or whatever the group will decide.
Target Audience: You should have an interest in performance, a good sense of humour and be prepared to work in groups practically. This is a good course to help build drama skills, confidence and a sense of social responsibility. No previous skill in performance needed.
This enrichment welcomes all abilities, and is a great way to improve your fitness and develop teamwork skills. If you have played basketball before, an experienced basketball coach will give the team the opportunity to be competitive in the regional tournament. However, you don’t need to have any previous experience playing basketball, just sign up being prepared to turn up each week, work hard and you will find your skills develop quickly.
This female only course is designed for those of you wishing to participate is some physical fitness based activity in an all-female environment. This course is designed around the principles of exercising in a gym environment but will also incorporate some opportunities for class based exercises such as Step Aerobics and Yoga. There will be whole class sessions as well as times to work on your individual fitness goals, which you will be supported in by your class coach.
To take part in this course you must be enthusiastic and committed as well as willing to try new things.
This enrichment welcomes all abilities, and is a great way to improve your fitness and develop teamwork skills. You will get involved with ‘Touch Rugby’ and ‘Tag Rugby’ first before considering any contact games. You don’t need to have any previous experience playing Rugby, just sign up being prepared to turn up each week, work hard and you will find your skills develop quickly.
You will need boots and trainers for both outdoor and indoor sessions.
Want to play something new in a fun, all female sociable environment? Volleyball could be for you! Improve your fitness, meet new people, improve your skills and have some fun. Join us once a week, you’ll need sports kit and trainers.
No experience necessary. This session will be delivered by a female coach.
Challenge
‘The call to someone to participate in a competitive situation‘.
The below enrichments are designed to bring students from across the college together to challenge themselves and each other.
Challenge your spatial awareness and 3D skills in this exciting enrichment aimed at broadening your understanding of how objects and shapes interact in space. Lego Challenge is a fun course where each week brings a new build challenge and new opportunity to experiment with 3D design. If you are interested in product design, building and construction this is an opportunity to gain valuable experience potentially leading to a career in the creative industry.
Target Audience: Anyone with a passion for 3D design/building looking to have a go and get involved! This enrichment would also be beneficial for anyone wanting to go on to study 3D Design or Architecture.
WQE Competitive Sport involves a commitment to training and performance. College teams play in local, regional and national competitions. They are a great opportunity to develop skills and learn new ones and are also great for meeting new people and developing confidence.
Competitive sport provides lots of experiences that are valued by universities and employers. Training and matches take place within the college timetable. Some popular competitive sports will have a selection process which students would be required to attend.
1 Term
If you love creating and want to try something new then this ceramics course is for you. To start we will look at pinch pots and the basics of slab building, before moving on to cover a variety of different surface decoration techniques. You will learn how to use coloured slips and glazes, as well as exploring different ways to create surface texture.
Towards the end of the course we will be looking at more ambitious builds in terms of technique, as well as spending more time creating sustained projects with well finished outcomes. Overall you can expect to make a variety of objects: such as pots, dishes, mini-sculptures, tealight houses, wall hangings, and mini-models.
Target Audience: This course is suitable for students who have no previous ceramics experience, as well as those who already follow a creative pathway and have used clay before. All abilities are welcome however we will be starting with the basics to ensure that we all progress at the same level
WQE Competitive Sport involves a commitment to training and performance. College teams play in local, regional and national competitions. They are a great opportunity to develop skills and learn new ones and are also great for meeting new people and developing confidence.
Competitive sport provides lots of experiences that are valued by universities and employers. Training and matches take place within the college timetable. Some popular competitive sports will have a selection process which students would be required to attend.
Lego Challenge is an exciting Enrichment where each week brings a new build challenge and new opportunity to experiment with all things Lego. Some example builds include a Wacky Races themes class where we race our cars at the end of the lesson, and then the winner races the champion from the other Enrichment class. We also build monsters at Halloween, dioramas, food, suspended builds, and much more. This is a light-hearted Enrichment where we encourage students to explore, play, and have fun!
Target Audience: Anyone with a passion for building looking to have a go and get involved!
WQE Competitive Sport involves a commitment to training and performance. College teams play in local, regional and national competitions. They are a great opportunity to develop skills and learn new ones and are also great for meeting new people and developing confidence.
Competitive sport provides lots of experiences that are valued by universities and employers. Training and matches take place within the college timetable. Some popular competitive sports will have a selection process which students would be required to attend.
WQE Competitive Sport involves a commitment to training and performance. College teams play in local, regional and national competitions. They are a great opportunity to develop skills and learn new ones and are also great for meeting new people and developing confidence.
Competitive sport provides lots of experiences that are valued by universities and employers. Training and matches take place within the college timetable. Some popular competitive sports will have a selection process which students would be required to attend.
An exciting, fast-paced indoor alternative to football that is widely played across the world and is officially recognised by both UEFA and FIFA. The sessions will focus on this 5-a-side game with skills development and match play and will undoubtedly also improve your fitness. You will need appropriate football kit including shin pads and trainers.
This activity is for less experienced players who are looking to develop their attacking and defensive skills both through drills and match play. There may also be the opportunity for internal competition. Players will need a positive and committed attitude and should be aware that this this course runs through the autumn and winter and that full outdoor kit (including boots and shin pads) will be required.
WQE Competitive Sport involves a commitment to training and performance. College teams play in local, regional and national competitions. They are a great opportunity to develop skills and learn new ones and are also great for meeting new people and developing confidence.
Competitive sport provides lots of experiences that are valued by universities and employers. Training and matches take place within the college timetable. Some popular competitive sports will have a selection process which students would be required to attend.
A mixed ability and gender course. Multisport groups will experience different activities every week. This course offers you a variety of sporting activities, including ball sports, racquet sports, fitness activities, and outdoor activities etc. This should appeal to any of you who enjoy more than one sport.
WQE Competitive Sport involves a commitment to training and performance. College teams play in local, regional and national competitions. They are a great opportunity to develop skills and learn new ones and are also great for meeting new people and developing confidence.
Competitive sport provides lots of experiences that are valued by universities and employers. Training and matches take place within the college timetable. Some popular competitive sports will have a selection process which students would be required to attend.
The Sutton 30 enrichment is a unique programme for developing advanced skills of critical thinking, reading, and writing across a wide variety of topics with a view to enhancing both university applications to the Russell Group and Oxbridge and future prospects for highflying professional careers. Part1: Sept-Dec will be appropriate for yr2 students, and Part2: Jan- May for yr1 students. The session will run on a Thursday block 7 (4.15-5.25) to maximise accessibility for students whatever their A level programme.
Open to all students keen on this sport no matter what ability level or experience. You will have the opportunity to develop your skills through singles and doubles play. More experienced players will have the chance to represent WQE in external competitions.
One of our most sociable sports, this mixed ability, mixed gender enrichment requires no previous experience but you must be keen to learn, prepared to throw yourself around and enjoy the team aspect of sport. You will be taught the core skills of volleyball in the first few weeks and then as these progress, more match experience will really allow you to enjoy this exciting game to the fullest. We will be aspiring to compete in the Association of Colleges Regional tournament and the National Cup, plus other local friendly fixtures.
This enrichment welcomes all abilities, and is a great way to improve your fitness and develop teamwork skills. If you have played basketball before, an experienced basketball coach will give the team the opportunity to be competitive in the regional tournament. However, you don’t need to have any previous experience playing basketball, just sign up being prepared to turn up each week, work hard and you will find your skills develop quickly. As a minimum, you will have the opportunity to compete in the Association of Colleges Regional tournament, the National Cup and local friendly fixtures.
Following on from the success of our national team, women’s cricket is growing in popularity and you have the chance to develop a range of skills in batting, bowling and fielding. A keenness to learn, work with others of differing abilities and get stuck in are essential requirements but you will have fun along the way! Pads, helmets and bats are provided.
This enrichment welcomes all abilities, we just ask you have lots of enthusiasm and are prepared to train outside in all weathers. You will have the opportunity to improve on existing skills, develop new skills and work on fitness, and if you have the desire to, develop your coaching skills. You will be required to have appropriate football boots and shin pads for every session. You will also have the opportunity to experience the variety of football games that exist including outdoor grass Futsal and 5-a-side. As a minimum, you will have the opportunity to compete in the Association of Colleges Regional tournament, the National Cup and local friendly fixtures.
Want to play some football but don’t fancy the full outdoor game? Try the women’s only indoor game. Improve your fitness, meet new people, improve your skills and have some fun. Join us once a week, you’ll need shin pads and trainers. No experience necessary. This session could be delivered by a female or male coach.
Commitment
‘The state or quality of being dedicated to a subject, cause or activity’.
These enrichments offer an opportunity to try something you have considered, or continue to a higher level something you currently do.
This enrichment compliments the study of film and is highly beneficial to those enrolled onto AL Film and/or BTEC Media. In Studying Film we will watch documentaries about how films are made, be this specific to film texts taught in AL Film Studies like (Behind the Scenes/makings of) Do The Right Thing (Lee, 1989), Memento (Nolan, 2000) and Parasite (Joon-ho, 2019) to more general documentaries about the art of film itself such as Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing (Apple, 2004) which takes you on a tour of how film editing evolved and developed throughout film history. Film Editing tutorials will also be included to help with AL Film and BTEC Media coursework – developing your editing techniques through Adobe Premier Pro. The auteur theory is a specialist area in AL Film so we will also broaden our experience of key directors to better understand their body of work such as Spike Lee (looking at Malcolm X, 1992, BlacKkKlansman, 2018), Alfred Hitchcock (Psycho, 1960, The Birds, 1963) and Christopher Nolan (The Prestige, 2006, Interstellar, 2014). Context is important to understanding specific films; knowing about the time and place of a film’s production can enhance the knowledge and understanding of the story being told so film history documentaries will also be screened such as A Decade Under the Influence (Demme, 2003) and Easy Riders and Raging Bulls (Bowser, 2003) that trace the transition from old to new Hollywood. To heighten one’s appreciation of film and compliment your study of the visual arts, important films – worthy of celebration – will be screened such as Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 masterpiece Pulp Fiction (subverting narrative expectations), Victoria (Schipper, 2015 – a film shot in one take over 2 hours – no edits!), Hero (Zhang, 2002 – the art of film aesthetics) and of course Citizen Kane to name but a few. Of course, it’s not only about watching films, we will also discuss the films, their filmmakers, the aesthetics of film language, use of film form and debate the most important (and personal) question ‘what is the best film ever?’.
In this course you will undertake activities which will give you a better understanding of your personal finance and the global market. You will have the opportunity to enter the WQE apprentice competition as well as competing in a National Investment competition which involves the buying and selling of shares. What you learn through this course will greatly improve your employability and life skills.
Target Audience: All students
Films often depict and address many sociological issues. We will watch a number of films, across genres, and explore how the issues within them relate to sociological theories.
Expect to engage in some interesting and critical discussion of the films that we watch. Afterwards, you should not only understand the films better, but also the society in which you live! You can even suggest films that you think might be relevant.
You don’t have to be taking Sociology to enjoy this enrichment, it would be of interest to all.
Target audience: All students
This enrichment is for Year 2 students who are interested in, or would like to explore the opportunities of, a career in teaching and education.
The course will deliver knowledge and skills to support your understanding of the teaching profession and associated career opportunities. You will develop skills to prepare you for a work experience in a school setting that will support your current and future development as a Young Professional.
Curiosity
‘A strong desire to know or learn something.‘.
Fancy trying something new?
The Ancient World (Greece and Rome) was full of Heroes and Gods, from Hercules to Zeus and Venus to Helen of Troy – it shapes our present in all sorts of ways, such as how they built their towns, thought about politics, went to war, and their art, poetry, story telling and History.
We will dip into the Classical World and look at all the interesting bits – the gossip, the scandal and the epic journeys… Join us!
2 Terms
Arts Award takes you on a creative journey, exploring the arts world, discovering your potential as an artist, developing your leadership skills – and gaining a recognised qualification along the way. Open to anyone undertaking a Creative Arts course, this unique set of arts qualifications builds skills essential for success in the 21st century: Creativity and communication, along with problem-solving, reflective-thinking and confidence.
This course requires you to work at home/outside of scheduled college hours as it is a year-long course culminating in a Level 2 Award in the Arts (equivalent to a GCSE).
For more information please email myfanwy.davies@wqe.ac.uk or have a look at the Arts Award website:
www.artsaward.org.uk/
Target Audience: This course is only suitable for those currently undertaking a Creative Arts course, with an interest in progressing to work in an arts-related field. Students who apply must also be fully dedicated to completing the course and understand the commitment to working at home.
1 Term
If you are interested in design, building and construction this is an opportunity to gain valuable experience potentially leading to a career in the creative industry. You will learn design CAD skills, explore drawing plans, elevations and architectural modelling.
Visiting guest lecturers who are professionals in this field will give talks about working in the creative industries such as architecture. As part of the course you will explore historical and contemporary design and architecture to help give you the edge at interviews.
Target Audience: Anyone wishing to develop their CAD skills. This course is aimed at students wanting to explore architecture, 3D design, or engineering as a career.
1 Term
This fun photography based course is aimed at students with creative talents seeking to develop their photography skills using a mobile phone.
Each week we will work to a different theme and showcase the work produced at the end of the session. Some of the pieces that you produce will also be taken into Photoshop or Illustrator to enable you to produce other types of digital art and design pieces, such as comic posters, animated gifs and your own meme sensations.
Target Audience: Anyone wishing to develop their digital skills and create some fun artwork! This course is suitable for students who have no previous digital experience as all abilities are welcome and catered for, with varying tasks being set based on individual ability.
Career opportunities change all the time. The careers you might end up in probably don’t even exist now! These sessions explore the careers that are out there and look at developing the skills needed to be successful. You will have the chance to explore a wide range of careers and meet working professionals.
‘From Gladiator to Titanic to Oppenheimer to Good Morning Vietnam… Come and explore the bits of history that have made it to Hollywood! We’ll do a mixture of watching the films and discussing how historical events are treated as entertainment and what this tells us. ‘
This enrichment will act as an introduction to writing film screenplays with a particular emphasis on the short film format. It will involve a range from activities around the following, scene structure, character development, writing dialogue and creating narrative arcs. There will also be an expectation that some of the tasks set will be undertaken outside of lessons.
Term One
This will be particularly useful for Year Two Film Studies students as they will be writing/making their own films at the time for their NEA. That said this may help Media/English students with creative/recreative writing tasks.
Term Two
This will be perhaps more important for Year One Film Studies students to get an introduction to the writing process around film production. Equally this may be interesting to any students who might be interested in screenwriting as a potential hobby.
Are you looking to build a rewarding career in accountancy and finance? Do you want to earn whilst you continue to learn after WQE? An Accountancy & Finance Apprenticeship could be your perfect pathway to success!
- This enrichment program will give you the skills to research opportunities, look for apprenticeship vacancies on job boards and company websites.
- Prepare your application, tailor your CV and cover letter to highlight your relevant skills, experiences, and enthusiasm for the industry. We will show you how to excel in assessment centres & psychometric testing involving group activities, presentations, interviews and testing using online resources.
Welcome to “Psychology in Action,” an enrichment course designed for students passionate about delving deeper into the fascinating world of psychology. This course goes beyond the standard curriculum, offering you the chance to explore current psychological research and theories.
We’ll discuss the real-world impact of psychology and examine how psychological skills relate to various careers and employability. Participation is key in this course, as much of the learning will occur through dynamic small group and whole class discussions. If you’re eager to understand human behaviour and its implications, this is the perfect course for you.
Note: All students with an interest in psychology are welcome – there is no need to be taking this subject as an A level.
‘Reading for Pleasure’ offers an opportunity for students on the Level 3 Literature A Level course to develop their knowledge of the Dystopian wider reading texts.
We will use a combination of audiobooks, whole group readings, individual tasks and adaptations, exploring classic dystopian novels in a smaller, more informal group environment. You will have the chance to talk about the texts, asking questions as we read to help support your understanding and give you confidence in making links between texts.
This enrichment is best suited to A-Level Literature students.
Under the guidance of an experienced designer, you will learn a basic skill in creating your very own pattern and techniques in sewing your very own outfit or soft furnishings such as pillowcases, table runners or tote bags. As this is an enrichment for beginners, the outfits are basic cuts and sewing. In the past years, the popular outfits have been maxi/midi/mini kaftans, basic elasticated waist maxi/midi/mini dresses/skirts plus shorts and culottes as well as Abayas (Islamic female dress), kimono vests/tops. Also, very popular have been the tote bags, made of old curtains. Students have upcycled old clothes too and added trimmings giving new life to preloved outfits. Please note that this enrichment is NOT for students who are studying fashion and textiles.
Target Audience: Beginners level. This enrichment is not open to students who are studying A level Fashion & Textiles.
Hola!
Spanish for beginners: a chance to brush up on a popular language for holiday destinations or a chance to improve your careers employability abroad in business, law or medicine.
Spanish for Intermediate: those who already speak Spanish with confidence and would like to further improve their language skills.
Target Audience: All students – two classes, beginners and intermediate for those who would like to learn Spanish, and those who would like to improve their language skills.
Maybe you have some experience working in sports leadership and coaching or maybe you are looking to develop some new skills?
The leadership and coaching programme gives you the chance to learn from experienced coaches in a wide range of activities and situations. There will be lots of practical activity to get involved with and the chance to gain some real world experience.
You don’t have to be the greatest sports performer to be an amazing leader and coach.
Statistical claims are made daily in the news, social media, newspapers etc and these are investigated on Radio 4 podcasts hosted by Tim Hartford who tries to make sense of the statistics which surrounds us. This enrichment will allow you to hear these and have discussions. You are not expected to do any calculations, but the enrichment will enable you to appreciate the numbers which surrounds us. Podcasts such as:
How bad is fashion for the environment? How much plastic is in the ocean?
Does toilet paper really cause 15% of global deforestation?
Can China’s data on Covid deaths be trusted?
Has hosting FIFA World Cup really cost Qatar $220bn?
Ed Sheeran and the mathematics of musical coincidences.
Do Fungi really kill three times as many people as Malaria?
There is a growth in professions using statistics, and most organisations will use statistics to grow their business. Even the government uses statistics.
Whatever profession you are considering and whatever you are thinking of studying, whether that may be economics, finance, business, journalism, engineering, design, education, medicine, this enrichment will enrich your understanding of the world around you.
This enrichment compliments the study of film and is highly beneficial to those enrolled onto AL Film and/or BTEC Media.
In Studying Film we will watch documentaries about how films are made, be this specific to film texts taught in AL Film Studies like (Behind the Scenes/makings of) Do The Right Thing (Lee, 1989), Memento (Nolan, 2000) and Parasite (Joon-ho, 2019) to more general documentaries about the art of film itself such as Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing (Apple, 2004) which takes you on a tour of how film editing evolved and developed throughout film history.
Film Editing tutorials will also be included to help with AL Film and BTEC Media coursework – developing your editing techniques through Adobe Premier Pro. The auteur theory is a specialist area in AL Film so we will also broaden our experience of key directors to better understand their body of work such as Spike Lee (looking at Malcolm X, 1992, BlacKkKlansman, 2018), Alfred Hitchcock (Psycho, 1960, The Birds, 1963) and Christopher Nolan (The Prestige, 2006, Interstellar, 2014).
Context is important to understanding specific films; knowing about the time and place of a film’s production can enhance the knowledge and understanding of the story being told so film history documentaries will also be screened such as A Decade Under the Influence (Demme, 2003) and Easy Riders and Raging Bulls (Bowser, 2003) that trace the transition from old to new Hollywood. To heighten one’s appreciation of film and compliment your study of the visual arts, important films – worthy of celebration – will be screened such as Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 masterpiece Pulp Fiction (subverting narrative expectations), Victoria (Schipper, 2015 – a film shot in one take over 2 hours – no edits!), Hero (Zhang, 2002 – the art of film aesthetics) and of course Citizen Kane to name but a few.
Of course, it’s not only about watching films, we will also discuss the films, their filmmakers, the aesthetics of film language, use of film form and debate the most important (and personal) question ‘what is the best film ever?’.
This female only course is designed for those of you wishing to participate is some physical fitness based activity in an all-female environment. This course is designed around the principles of exercising in a gym environment but will also incorporate some opportunities for class based exercises such as Step Aerobics and Yoga. There will be whole class sessions as well as times to work on your individual fitness goals, which you will be supported in by your class coach. To take part in this course you must be enthusiastic and committed as well as willing to try new things.
Consideration
‘Thoughtfulness and sensitivity towards others‘.
Perhaps you’d like to use your enrichment time to make a positive change to the world of others?
This course is only suitable for students not enrolled on the Diploma in Criminology.
The Criminology enrichment is a chance to explore the themes and ideas behind the study of crime and deviant behaviour without the pressure of an exam course. It combines insights from sociology, biology, statistics, law and psychology and is a fascinating subject. The course will split into part 1: Sept-Dec and part 2: Jan- May so after Christmas students have the option to move onto something new or to stay with the course and new material for the rest of the college year.
Open to any year group.
Develop skills in putting forward views in an environment where they get tested. This is an opportunity for you to discuss current affairs and have formal debates in which you are asked to defend or attack a point of view. So whatever your views on Brexit, the Trump phenomenon, fake news, student loans or the fate of the Labour Party there will be something relevant and current to think about and discuss. This is excellent practice for many subjects and something employers like to see on CVs.
Target Audience: All students.
As a WQE environmental and sustainability green ambassador/champion you will have the opportunity to help shape the college’s green agenda.
This enrichment programme will:
- Raise awareness of environmental issues, such as the climate crisis, and how to be more sustainable.
- Highlight the importance of creating a sustainable future and ways to tackle the climate crisis.
- Develop global citizens and prepare the college community for a green future.
You will:
- Run climate and sustainability roadshows.
- Create promotional materials to help the college community become more sustainable and meet the Government’s target to reach Net Zero by 2050.
- Conduct focus groups to gather student views on sustainability in the college.
- Take part in community projects.
- Help the college community reconnect with nature.
You will develop your social and interpersonal skills, improve your self-confidence and communication skills. Most importantly this enrichment is about making a change and being part of creating a more sustainable future for everyone.
This enrichment is open to all year groups, you can stay with this enrichment choice all year, or you can join either in the Autumn term or Spring term. This enrichment is beneficial for developing any young professional skills, and may be of particular interest to students studying:
Politics, Geography, Biology, and Social Sciences.
This session gives you the opportunity to learn more about providing first aid, treating sports injuries and dealing with emergency situations. You will get plenty of practical experience as well as the option to work with the College sports teams. You’ll get to meet lots of new people as well as improving other skills such as Leadership and communication.
We live in an interconnected world and issues relating to globalisation, climate change, the environment and international politics affect everyone. This enrichment seeks to bring together insights from Geography and Politics and will challenge you to think about the world we live in. Exploring and discussing the key issues facing the planet today including climate change, sustainability, global politics, poverty and development and responses to hazards allowing you to be more informed as a global citizen.
You will also be developing your transferable skills of data collection and analysis, which in today’s world of analysing patterns of people’s behaviour will be extremely useful. The course will split into two – students can swap to something new after Christmas, or carry on if they like.
Open to all year groups.
Explore and develop an understanding and awareness of a wide variety of mental health disorders including: OCD, schizophrenia, eating disorders, depression and addiction. Critically consider issues surrounding mental health including which factors may cause disorders, whether we have the ability to control our mental health, and weighing up the benefits of possible treatments. Suitable for those interested in caring professions, business or any career where you may need an understanding of neurodiversity.
Note: We will be exploring these issues from a research/academic perspective.
This is not a self-help course – so do not sign up for this course thinking it will help you improve your own mental health.
Target Audience: Open to all students.
Whoever you are, the law will affect you! Law dictates who you could marry, what house you can buy, where you can travel, what you can get arrested for….This enrichment is an opportunity to learn about some of the key areas that will be important in your adult life and the ways in which the Law works.
Target Audience: All students.
The Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) project is a peer-led leadership and bystander programme. It aims to tackle the beliefs, attitudes and culture which can give the message that violence is acceptable. Ultimately MVP promotes healthy social norms and a culture which is known to prevent violence.
Violence Reduction Network (VRN) Students taking this enrichment will be trained by college staff to plan and then deliver MVP sessions to their peers.
This is an enrichment for those who are willing to stand up and make a difference.
This enrichment will broaden your appreciation and enjoyment of a range of poets and poetic forms, new and old. You will read a poet a week, exploring themes and techniques, then experimenting with these in your own poetry writing. This is particularly well suited to students of Literature and Language & Literature but equally welcoming to those of you who enjoy reading or writing poetry. It will build your confidence and ability to discuss poetry and explore new literary interests.
Year 2 Only
As a WQE Student Ambassador, you will be given the opportunity to widen your life skills and develop some fantastic employability and transferable skills. You will:
- Help to promote WQE to prospective students and their parents/carers through activities such as Open Day, Post-16 Events with partner schools and Guidance Meetings for prospective students
- Have the opportunity to be involved in charity events including fundraising activities, creating promotional materials and working with and alongside external agencies
- Work alongside the Careers team and get involved in promoting careers events, having your say in focus groups and updating careers resources.
- You will develop social and interpersonal skills and improve your communication skills and self- confidence. Your personal and professional skills will be developed which may be beneficial to students considering a career in Business, Event Management, Retail or Marketing.
Whether you are considering university or the world of work after WQE, this enrichment will help you enhance your application.
Association of Colleges Student Leadership Programme – This programme is for students wishing to develop their leadership skills. As well as learning sessions in college, students will access external training and have the opportunity to get involved in national events. Students will specialise in one of the 6 strands;
• Inclusion
• Wellbeing
• This Girl Can
• Football
• Sustainability
All strands have a Physical Activity theme but you do not need to be ‘sporty’ or taking a sports course to get involved. This programme is all about the leadership skills of communication, positivity, motivation, creativity and feedback. Students will become college ambassadors and will be responsible for running events in College and enhancing the student community
This Girl Can Ambassadors – This Girl Can Ambassadors promote and inspire other females within their colleges to participate in sport and physical activity whilst raising awareness of the Sport England This Girl Can campaign.
Wellbeing Ambassadors – Wellbeing Ambassadors promote the physical activity benefits on mental health and wellbeing and to support students experiencing mental health problems to become more active.
Inclusion Ambassadors – Inclusion Ambassadors inspire and support other students from under-served groups into sport and physical activity as well as promoting inclusive activities at their college.
Green Ambassadors – Green Ambassadors promote environmental sustainability and raise awareness about climate change within college. Encouraging fellow students to get physically active while fostering an environmentally conscious mindset.
ECFA Activator[s] – ECFA Activators support the delivery football opportunities that help more students play or volunteer within football at your college.
Further information is available in this booklet provided by the AoC: Student Leadership Programme Information Booklet
The purpose of this course is simple; it is designed to broaden your knowledge and understanding of cinema by watching and commenting on a carefully curated selection of films. Last year the focus was on modern global cinema but this year there will be a shift to English language films.
The intention is that there will be screenings of a number of films from different eras of American and British Cinema. These will be looked at and discussed in lessons. These will range from Film Noir through to the British New Wave and also a focus on New Hollywood and independent cinema.
If any current students have taken this option in the first year you can sign up for this year’s course as there will be a wholly different approach taken. It is hoped that some Film/Media Studies students may see this as a useful addition to their work in those subjects.
Target Audience: Any student with an interest in American/British Cinema who wants to expand their cultural capital.
