Student responsibility and enrichment
Students at Crown Hills have the opportunity to participate in a full range of inclusive activities. In addition, we have a strong ethos of student voice, student leadership and student responsibility. Our student leaders are true ambassadors for the college and our programmes have gained regional recognition for its embedded work.
These opportunities improve their appreciation of democracy, the rule of law and develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural skills. We also develop their employability skills (numeracy, resilience, organisation, team work etc) and recognise the importance of peer influencing skills through our systems and structures that empower the student body. Our young leaders are given age-related experience which improves confidence, increases skill and encourages team work. Our students are resilient, flexible and are good problem solvers.
We have an established charity fund-raising system, decided by the students themselves. This ensures consistency, transparency and efficiency. In the last year alone we have raised over £10 000 for charities such as Clothes for Syria, Brain Tumour, Loros, Heart Link and Children in Need.
This years Non-uniform day on 12 April has raised £1157.96 for the Leicester Hospitals Charity, £17.01 of which was raised independently by Mrs. Cuttings Form Class.
Student voice and the Whole School Council
At Crown Hills we follow recognised good practice to draw fully on learners’ views about the teaching, learning and assessment that they receive to inform self-assessment and improvement actions. We also encourage learners to give their views upon the systems and procedures of the college.
Learners’ views permeate every aspect of the college’s day-to-day activity. From the start of each academic year, leaders and managers ensure that every learner understands that they should not accept poor teaching, learning and assessment at any time. A range of well-established initiatives, promotions and processes, often learner-led, enable learners to contribute to improving teaching, learning and assessment throughout the year. Learners know how to raise any concerns they may have with the standard of teaching, learning and assessment and feel confident that any concerns identified will swiftly lead to improvement.
Whole School Council Representative Application Form
The good practice in detail
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- Many learners are involved in carrying out student voice interviews about their learning through our quality assurance process
- At the start of the academic year leaders will emphasise to learners the importance of their right to expect good or better teaching, learning and assessment in every lesson through the rights and responsibilities charter, found in the student organiser
- It is an established protocol to use a cross-section of students in the staff recruitment process
- All years have the opportunity to air their views each week through their relevant wholly inclusive, council consisting of committed reps from each tutor group
- The whole school council meets fortnightly and is constituted from each year group
- The whole school council meets with the senior team each half term as a means to share their aspirations
- Successful outcomes for each senior team meeting are communicated to the student body via year assemblie
Crown Hills Leadership Academy
As a specialist sports college and school sport partnership hub site numerous leadership opportunities are available for students. The Leadership Academy has gained regional recognition, led by Mrs Magee, and membership has peaked at over 100 students in each of the last two years. We recruit students from Year 7-11s who help to run the many competitions and festivals that are hosted at Crown Hills and beyond.
Anti Bullying Ambassadors
International Leadership programme
Our World Leaders, led by Mr Parmar, meet weekly to raise awareness and celebrate culture and global events. We think it is vitally important for all of our students to be outward-facing individuals and truly understand how we can learn from this approach. Students deliver world-themed assemblies to all years to illustrate their work. In order to maintain our Full International Award (2018) we evidence our global work in the curriculum as well as assemblies.
Health and well being
We have a dedicated team of HWB leaders (led by Ms Bradshaw) who are currently working on a mental health and well-being project called Active in Mind (AiM). Our leaders have received Youth Sport Trust (YST) training to deliver physical activity programmes to some of our more vulnerable students. They mentor their targeted mentees and have showcased their work at local and national conferences.
The team are also responsibility for planning and organising a number of health fairs that we host at Crown Hills for the benefit of numerous primary and secondary students each year.
The HWB team are also participating on an on-going project with the Leicester Diabetes Centre, in conjunction with Leicester University. Diabetes is the main health issue in Leicester City. Many high-profile and prestigious diabetes awareness raising activities are planned for this academic year.
Subject specific leadership opportunities
Many subjects have their own specific leaders who fulfill many tasks for the benefit of their teachers and peers. Our music leaders, for example, are a dedicated collection of students who showcase the musical talent at Crown Hills in a number of performances throughout the year. Led by Mr Allison and Mr Soor these young people are also highly skilled in performance logistics and enjoy an excellent city-wide recognition for their work.
Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme
Crown Hills Community College is proud to be an official Duke of Edinburgh Licensed Organisation. Led by Mr Williams, we offer the chance for students from years 9 and 10 the opportunity to take on their Bronze D of E Award.
For the past seven decades, the charity has inspired and transformed the lives of millions of young people from all walks of life. From volunteering to physical activities, life skills to expeditions, achieving a DofE Award is a passport to a brighter future, valued by employers and universities.
Completing the award requires students to demonstrate commitment across four different elements over a period of 6 months.
Physical This requires regular participation in a sports or fitness activity. Popular with previous students have been activities such as badminton, kick boxing and attending the gym.
Skills. This is where pupils learn to improve a particular skill over a set period of time e.g. cooking, music, sports leadership or woodwork projects.
Volunteering. Voluntary work in the community e.g. youth work, school council representation or nature reserve work.
Expedition. The section that everyone looks forward to. A two day and one-night walking journey in the great outdoors. Participants will develop navigational and camp craft skills in particular. Being able to work as part of a team is crucial to being successful in this element.
The success of the programme means this year (2018/19) we have 24 young people enrolled on the programme facilitated by Mr Stafford, Miss Rebelo , Ms Cover, Mrs Botting, and Mr Narma
Our experience tells us that the award provides our young people with new insights into their capabilities. Putting themselves outside of their comfort zone by trying new things, it really helps them to grow in confidence. Additionally, they develop a plethora of new skills through the activities that they undertake. The award is also very highly regarded by higher educational institutes and employers as it demonstrates how committed the young people have been to complete the award alongside their educational studies. During 2017/2018 we had 15 young people complete their award.
STEM Leaders.
Led Mr Phillips and Mrs Patel, our Stem Leaders help to raise the awareness of and the popularity of STEM topics and careers. The Stem club meets weekly and are given the licence to experiment and explore exciting scientific concepts, topics and careers.
We showcase their work in our annual STEM week which includes observatories and a “Meet the Beasts” session (tropical insects and reptiles).
Enrichment Programme
Now more than ever, developing a thriving enrichment programme is an essential part of promoting employability, academic attainment and teaching young people the skills they need to make good choices. These skills have benefits well beyond the classroom.
At Crown Hills, we offer a lot more than academic excellence. We offer a wide range of activities to all students from all Year groups. Enrichment helps students to develop their interests and abilities, provides valuable learning experiences outside their studies, and promotes independence and interpersonal links with students in other Years.
Clubs and activities take place at lunchtime and after school, incorporating interests such as STEM, sport, music, performing arts and art. And if a particular interest is not covered, we support students in starting their own clubs eg through the Girls Active programme and the YST Aim project (student mentoring for our more vulnerable students).
There are a wide range of team and individual sports to choose from. Our students compete against local schools and in national tournaments. We are presently a School Games Gold Mark school which also recognises Crown Hills as the top participant school in Leicester City school sport. We continue to compete at county level in cricket and badminton.
Our Goals Soccer centre figures greatly in our enrichment programme and links with the Premier League Kicks programme allows many of our students to benefit from community sport at the weekend. Goals is also utilised at lunch times as part of the whole-school reward programme. We offer many leadership qualifications to students, such as the Junior Football Organiser, tennis activator and cricket activator awards.
Music and performing arts is vibrant. Students can join the steel band as well as opt to learn individual musical instruments The annual house talent competition is a highlight of the year. Students produce work of the highest quality and is conducted in front of 300 guest. Crown Hills also continues to compete at the highest level in the city in the’’ So you think you can dance?’’ competition. There are also opportunities for students to take part in whole school productions, both on stage and behind the scenes.
Students are also given opportunities to visit places as part of their enrichment. Recent trips have included visits to theatres, universities as well as the annual trip to Paris, to name but a few.
OUR annual Try Day is an essential part of the enrichment programme. It takes place in the summer term for Years 7-9, during the Y 10 work experience programme. They provide an opportunity to engage students in a range of activities that do not easily fit into the regular timetable, including theme days, visits, sports tournaments and catch-up classes.
These activities are designed to promote independent learning, encourage enquiring minds and broaden students’ experiences.
Reflection Zone (SEND/Nurture)
In order that some of our more vulnerable students thrive at Crown Hills we offer support and enrichment each day. Before school and at break and lunchtime students drop in to talk over any worries and problems as well as do some homework.
On Wed morning we host a breakfast for 8-12 Yr 11s who used to be on our Nurture register and do a similar thing for 4-8 Y 9s on Thursdays. We also provide ad hoc breakfasts for students who arrive to Reflection without having eaten at home
Students from Y7-11 can come to the Reflection Zone to eat, talk and play games. We have between 6- 20 students who attend each day.
It has many benefits for the student:
- They get to know students in different years and this helps the younger ones feel more secure when moving round the college as they recognise some of the older ones and also come to see yr 10 and 11s just as students too. Older ones are more apt to mind their manners and what they talk about. They can often be seen greeting some of the younger ones around school.
- Students eat in the company of a friendly adult and learn how to behave around a mixed age group showing table manners and sharing topics of conversation
- Students learn how to initiate conversations
- After they have eaten there is often time to play a game which improves their social skills too
Extra Curricular Activities
