Oundelians do. It is part of what makes them special and what marks them out later in life. In this blogpost we wanted to shine a spotlight on Electives, which take place on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons during ‘Vols’ time, generally between 5pm and 7pm. Pupils sign up for six-week courses and can choose either to keep trying new activities throughout the year or seek to hone a particular interest or skill. They can also use this time to pursue personal projects, such as vehicle restoration in the Patrick Engineering Centre or workshops in the Stahl Theatre. ‘Vols’ time is also an opportunity for pupils to drop into academic departments across the School for one-to-one academic advice and support.
Over 40+ Electives are available throughout the year, ranging from cultural and creative to intellectual, spiritual and physical. No year of Electives is ever the same and pupil ideas are always welcome. Drone Racing, Jewellery Masterclasses, Fashion, Textiles, Birdwatching, Astronomy, Golf Simulator Sessions and Chemistry Cosmetics: Bathsoaps and Bathbombs have all featured on the programme.
Most Electives are run by teachers who share their own interests with pupils, providing the opportunity to get to know them in a different environment. Senior pupils keen to share their passion can also lead Electives. Last year an U6 pupil expertly led disk jockey tuition, resulting in a keen group of pupils successfully DJing a whole set at The Berrystead Disco following tuition. While another set up a ‘Crime and Law’ Elective to support her interest in this area and personal statement when applying to university.
As well as providing opportunities for leadership and working with others outside of the usual classroom environment, Electives are about having a go at something new, discovering something that sparks your interest, and finding something you enjoy, whether that’s for 6 weeks, or as an ongoing passion.
“I was initially considering reading Law as a degree and was looking for ways in which to enhance my personal statement. Mrs Byatt suggested running an Elective and so I introduced ‘Crime and Law’, roping in some friends to help. It was a brilliant experience: we designed a murder mystery challenge based around a specific case and tasked pupils with a variety of roles from barrister and defendant to judge and jury. I had to research all the elements of law in order to run the Elective, which really helped my own development. I Iearnt lots about managing different people across different age groups and also had to practise my public speaking skills which supported my Theatre Studies A level. The pupils really enjoyed it as something totally different to their normal School life and I found it really rewarding to see them blossom.” Khayali
“Art, especially ceramics, has always been a hobby of mine. I find working with clay and glazes really relaxing and through running an Elective, I can share my passion with pupils and get to know them in a different environment. From their point of view, I think they find it interesting to see that a Maths teacher does actually have a creative side! This year we started off with our younger pupils making ceramic tiles and using coloured glazes to create Madala patterns, requiring a compass, ruler and protractor – thus intermingling the mathematics within art. With the older pupils, we make coil pots, vases and mugs – or at least we try to! An Elective isn’t about being brilliant at something, it’s about having a go and trying something new – maybe even just sparking an interest which may stay with them for life.” Ally Strachan, Teacher of Mathematics
Chemistry Cosmetics
Dissection
Kayaking
Art Lino
Crochet
Astronomy
Climbing
Self Defence
Ceramics
Street Dance
Bookmaking