Extra-curricular provision
A very comprehensive range of extra-curricular activities is provided at SJL and includes:
Years 10, 11 and Sixth Form – Course and exam work support
Teachers offer group and one-to-one support for course and exam work and students are able to come in and use the computer rooms and workshops (staff supervision required) at lunch times and after school.
English
- Journalism Club for Years 7 and 8
- Senior Reading Group for Years 11 - 13
- Upper School Debating for Years 9 – 13
Anthony Glenn’s ‘Shaking Up Shakespeare’ providing interactive dramatic interpretations of Shakespearian comedies and tragedies studied at Years 7 - 9 and Year 11.
Ash Dickinson’s 'brilliantly surreal' Year 9 poetry performance workshop.
Theatre trips to productions of GCSE and A-Level set texts such as ‘Macbeth’, ‘Othello’ and Shakespeare’s Globe.
Poetry By Heart performance poetry competition – heats held at SJL then progressing to regional and national levels.
Every year our students participate in the Rotary’s Youth Speaks competition, whilst the faculty runs an annual lower-school public speaking competition in the summer term. Our students have taken part in debating competitions at the Palace of Westminster, having been invited by our local MP, whilst our VI form debating team has organised debating competitions with other local schools.
External providers
Sir John Lawes works closely with the following centres of scholastic excellence:
University of Hertfordshire who support EPQ students
Rothamsted Research (see http://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/learn-with-us)
Geography
Fieldwork is key to subject and evident in all year groups’ provision. In KS3 fieldwork around the school site and in the local area is undertaken. In year 10 we visit Southend to investigate coastal processes and in year 11 we complete urban fieldwork in St Albans. At GCSE, there is also a 4 day residential trip to Iceland that up to 60 students can go on. In Sixth form, there is a residential trip to Swanage to prepare students for their independent investigation, as well as a day visit to East London to experience the case studies learnt about in class.
Each year, Geography MASt students are invited to take part in the Geographical Association’s Geowise Quiz against other St. Albans and Harpenden schools. This includes student teams from Year 8, 9 and 10.
Students are encouraged to attend Geography club every fortnight which provides an opportunity to learn about geography outside the curriculum. The Eco Schools club also runs every alternate fortnight, giving the students the chance to contribute to the sustainability of the school, the local community and the wider world. An important part of this is the school’s Eco Garden, where students have been growing flowers and vegetables successfully for a number of years.
The Faculty also holds a membership to the Royal Geographical Society and each year its VI formers are invited to attend two or three School Member’s Lectures at the Society’s HQ in London. We also are members of the Geographical Association and the school subscribes to the Geography review magazine, allowing sixth form students to read around the topics they are studying.
History
Extensive reading lists given to A-Level students to enhance their subject knowledge.
Year 9 trip to Normandy to visit the D-Day landing sites which allows students to reflect on the events that happened and how D-Day is remembered in Normandy.
Independent research project undertaken in Year 9 to improve students ability to think and work independently.
History mysteries club for Key Stage 3 students to examine intriguing historical events and figures.
Key Stage 5 students given the opportunity to take part in various University essay writing competitions when opportunities arise.
Life Skills
Years 8 and 9 (January - March)
A great enrichment opportunity for our younger more able students is the National Magistrates Mock Trial competition. This competition is an extra-curricular activity that enriches participating students’ understanding of the criminal justice system as well as developing key skills such as public speaking, critical thinking and enquiry and student-led team work. The team also gets to visit a Magistrates’ court to sit in on real cases and get to talk to a practising Magistrate. For more information on the competition that is run by the Citizenship Foundation please visit; www.citizenshipfoundation.org.uk.
Years 10 and 12 (September - November)
A great enrichment opportunity for our older more able students is the Bar National Mock Trial competition. This competition is an extra-curricular activity that enriches participating students’ understanding of the criminal justice system as well as developing key skills such as public speaking, critical thinking and enquiry and student-led team work. The team also gets to visit a Crown court to sit in on real cases and attend a workshop with a practising barrister. For more information on the competition that is run by the Citizenship Foundation please visit; www.citizenshipfoundation.org.uk.
RE
- University visits for Sixth Form for potential courses
- Lectures for Sixth Form on Philosophical and Ethical Issues
- Good and Evil day for GCSE full course students (external philosopher)
- STEP – Christian organisation providing workshops for Years 8 and 10
- Advanced reading material for students at GCSE and A level
- Additional resources available for students in Humanities personal library section
- Philosophy undergraduates magazine
School Trips:
- Florence and Rome, Italy (Year 10 & 11)
- Neasden Temple, North London (Year 7)
- Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury (Year 8)
