Enrichment & The Bishopshalt Experience

In addition to their A Levels, students have the exciting option to take AS Levels in Classics, Spanish, French, or even pursue an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).

Not only do these AS Levels help students build essential transferable skills, but they also count as half an A Level and earn valuable UCAS points—giving students a great head start on their academic journey.

The EPQ is a unique and highly respected qualification that allows students to explore a topic of personal interest in depth, developing skills in independent research, critical thinking, and project management.

Whether it’s writing a dissertation, creating an artifact, or organising a performance, the EPQ challenges students to take ownership of their learning and produce a substantial piece of work. This experience not only sharpens academic skills but also stands out on university applications, demonstrating motivation, initiative, and the ability to work autonomously. Like AS Levels, the EPQ carries valuable UCAS points, contributing to a student’s overall qualification profile.

The Duke of Edinburgh awards (DofE) involves students partaking in a variety of activities, including sporting, adventure and charitable work.

Students are encouraged to participate in the DofE—a prestigious program that fosters personal growth through adventure, community service, and skill development. Whether it’s hiking in the great outdoors, volunteering locally, or learning a new skill, the award challenges students to push their boundaries, build resilience, and develop leadership qualities. This well-rounded experience is highly regarded by universities and employers alike, complementing students’ academic profiles perfectly.

Sixth Formers play games every week, with opportunities to represent Bishopshalt in competitive fixtures across football, basketball, netball and volleyball. Every half term, inter-house competitions bring the whole school together in spirited individual and team pursuits, strengthening pride, teamwork and resilience.

A society joins pupils together with a common Love of Learning. Members Show Kindness by cooperating on creating and running sessions that will enrich the experience of all members. Taking responsibility for the effective delivery of an interesting, engaging and rewarding programme which helps Build Character. By expanding their intellectual and cultural horizons members help each other to Chase Brilliance. Taking an active role in a society gives pupils the experience and skills needed for Bright Futures by linking to an academic interest or career path of interest.  

Societies are timetabled, and students are accountable to showcase their learning via a number of platforms. There are currently societies running in the following disciplines:

Young Enterprise (Business Company)
Photography
Sporting
Medical
Mathematical
Engineering
Literature
Film
Culture
Gaming
Debating
Philosophy and Ethics
Journalism/ Social Media
TV/ Broadcasting

Future Fridays allows students to participate in guest lectures every week delivered across a variety of subjects by experts in industry and our alumni network.  They can opt to visit whatever lecture is of interest to them or choose from a carousel of other career based learning activities.

Thank you to all the Alumni students and wider Bishopshalt Network that supported us last half term by delivering engaging and inspiring talks about their own career journeys and experiences for our students. If you would like to become part of our Bishopshalt Network of speakers do please get in contact via careers@bishopshalt.school 

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are online courses available to learn new skills, advance careers and deliver quality educational experiences at scale.  Here are just a few of the courses our Sixth Formers are undertaking and some feedback:

Foundation of finance

"In Foundation of Finance Cambridge University MOOC, I covered several topics, including financial reporting, cash flows and forecasts, risk management, and money and capital. For instance, in the section about money and capital, I watched videos and learnt about the role of the Governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey and the responsibilities that come with that position. Additionally, in the cash flow forecasts chapter, I discovered how to present cash flows."

Corporate Entrepreneurship

"Given the courses I do, Business and Media, I chose to study Corporate Entrepreneurship because it has the closest link to both the subjects and has a close relationship to what I want to do in the future. Having completed this course I have learnt many new things which can help me in the future when potentially starting a new business or creating products for business. One of the key elements I picked up on was the aspect of innovation which is having the ability to come up with and create unique products or services for potential customers. This course has also given me a clearer idea of what I may want to do in the future. Overall, after gaining a deeper understanding about this aspect of business, I think that I would like to start a business in the near future but in developing services rather than products."

Course 2 - Becoming an Entrepreneur

"The next course I chose was how to become an entrepreneur as I carried my interest in entrepreneurship and wanted to research it further. This course was about how to set up a general business, while the previous course was about developing products in the business. I think that this course helped me to understand what I'd like to do because it explained the details of setting up a specific business and the process of how this works. Whilst this seems like a long process, I think that having understood the risks and challenges I may face it would be a simple task to carry out. The next course I have chosen is property investments, I have chosen this after gaining my understanding of becoming an entrepreneur."

The Psychology of Emotions: An Introduction to Embodied Cognition

"This fascinating introduction to the cognitive psychology of emotions explores how, when we see others’ emotions, not only the mind, but also the body is engaged in the recognition. The course explored how to measure humans ability to understand the feelings of others."

Women's Health Around the World. 

"I have been looking into reproductive health, menopause, contraception, and sexual transmitted infections in heterosexual and homosexual relationships. I am now starting a new course with the contents of maternal health."

Financial Development

"I was learning about how to develop an efficient,inclusive and stable financial sector that is essential for a thriving economy. I also learnt about GDP and other countries financial situations."

Principle of Engineering

"I chose a course which interested me and I have learnt key information about the subject which has helped me gain information and now have a better understanding about lessons that I take and about what I want to do in the future."