Y11 elective programme is a success

June 22nd 2020

When Year 11 GCSE exams were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic we put student learning first in creating the St. Julian’s Year 11 Elective programme. The aim has been to ensure that students are well prepared for the start of Year 12 whilst also keeping them engaged in interesting learning experiences. Our teachers responded brilliantly to the call for bespoke electives designed with transferable skills at their core. We specified that each elective should be closely linked to one of the IB Learner Profile attributes and should aim to address the needs of students entering Year 12. We also maintained learning in the subjects of English, Maths and Portuguese (for those whose first language is Portuguese) as these are subjects that all students study at IB.

The elective topics ranged from a Dragon’s Den style business development elective to Super Scientists, to the science of learning. From pilates to leadership coaching in sport to developing healthy habits (you can see some great examples of the healthy habits that students researched on the St. Julian’s Sport twitter feed @StJuliansSport).

Some of our Year 11 students have been sharing reflections on their learning during the pandemic:

“Alongside all the skills we learnt, we also had a creativity stimulating experience with several opportunities to express ourselves creatively through posters, padlets, podcasts, and more.”

“We learned about the importance of posture in our daily lives, and the importance of correct form in various exercises and sports. By identifying the state of muscles in different positions, the effects on the body could then be identified.”

“The Business elective allowed me to build up my essay writing and investigative skills, ultimately preparing me for the IB work that I will have to do.”

“I learnt how to use feedback to better my work, as well as improving my editing skills. For the poetry aspect I discovered new schemes/forms of poetry with which to write, for example ‘Sestinas’ and ‘Villanelles’, which I really enjoy writing.”

“In this elective, I learned about the history and basics of cancer medicine. However, that is not what the elective is truly about. It is about reflecting on your experience doing an online course.”

“This elective not only helped me develop ideas for CAS, but also opened my eyes to the notable issue we are now facing surrounding water.”