Additional Learning

As part of your personalised learning at DCHS we have a range of courses to suit the needs of all of our Sixth Form students in addition to their OFFicial programme of study.

Students will be expected to choose from a range of courses to study and select one as part of the options process for Academic Year 2025/26, alongside their main Sixth Form programme of study. This is compulsory as we believe it enhances skills that students will need beyond 6th form.

There are many potential additional learning courses to opt for, including the resits in GCSE Maths and or English if students have not achieved the required grade of 4 by September 2025. The Additional Learning Courses on offer in the autumn term of 2025 are currently:

• Gold Arts Award

• Community Sports Leader

• 6th Form Reading Buddy Programme (Via English Department)

• Level 3 Mathematical Studies (Core Maths)

• Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

• GCSE English Language Resit

• GCSE Maths Resit

• Music Tuition

• Subject Specific Volunteering

• Science Specific Volunteering

• Multiple Open Online Courses

Below is a short video exploring Core Maths as an example of additional learning in more detail.

Below is a short video from Mr Burns exploring what EPQ is as part of our additional offer.

We also offer the following opportunities for enrichment:

Next Steps: Work Experience Placement

This is a great opportunity for all Year 12 students to gain valuable work experience for a week in July after your formal examinations. This should be linked to your long term career plans and will help further develop your personal skills. Each student will be visited by a member of staff to support their placement.

Apprenticeships

We work closely with our independent careers adviser, our local enterprise adviser and external providers such as ASK apprenticeships or JCP (Dept Work & Pensions) and local businesses to inform our sixth formers about  what apprenticeships are, to give them practice in interview situations and to give them practice in CV writing and application letter writing. The main body of work on apprenticeships are focused in the spring of Year 13 but we also do some preparatory work in Year 12.

PHSCE

Our PHSCE programme is delivered currently through a combination of 1 timetabled PHSCE lesson per fortnight across both Year 12 and Year 13 and in our tutor programme which we deliver during registration. This comprehensive programme covers protected characteristics alongside important local and national issues and preparation for working and/or university life. We also have other external PHSCE opportunities within the academic year. These are a compulsory aspect of our 6th Form experience.

Other Opportunities

We also encourage all students to take part in a minimum of 2 days volunteering within the local community. Students apply to work on projects such as  volunteering at the local youth centre or litter picking in the local community. We believe that contributing to our local communities is an important trait to develop in all of our young people. Additionally, we encourage students to seek out independent work experience opportunities within the academic year.