Electives – Year 12
If you would like to engage in something a bit different, lots of your Electives teachers have come up with some suggestions to inspire you!
This is also a great opportunity for those of you who really wanted to choose a particular Elective, but couldn’t because of your timetabled lessons, to join in and find out more!
The Big Think (Miss Eckhardt – 1 credit)
What is responsibility?
Should we tolerate the intolerant?
How far should we go to manipulate the genetic code of human life?
The Big Think is a discussion forum designed to increase the number of ideas which you
command. ‘Critical thinking’ and ‘cognitive flexibility’ were two of the top 10 skills which
future employers will be looking for, according to Knowledge@Wharton, the business journal
of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. By examining ideas from current
affairs, you will develop the ability to conceptualise issues, to analyse facts and to switch
between thinking about different concepts. In addition, you will practise sharing your own
opinions, listening to others and responding to them accordingly – essential for success in
university and job interviews.
Latin Ab Initio (Beginners) (Mrs Beresford – 1 credit)
Ever wanted to give Latin a try and learn more about the Romans? Now’s your chance.
Using the Cambridge Latin Course which integrates learning the Latin language alongside
Roman culture, you’ll discover that Latin is very much alive and remarkably useful in today’s
modern world. This course is not just for linguists, who will spot the connections between
Latin and modern languages, nor is it only for humanities students keen to find out more
about our cultural ancestors, but it will also appeal to the mathematicians among you, as
Latin is a highly logical language whose patterns form a linguistic code. So, why not give
Latin a shot?
Amazing resources for learning Latin or for pursuing an interest in Ancient Rome:
www.cambridgescp.com/covid-19-response
Caecilius et al. (Continuing Latin) (Miss Eckhardt)
For those of you who have already met Caecilius and his family, you can continue your Roman
adventure through Pompeii. This elective is open to those of you who have already started Latin.
Beyond GCSE Latin (Miss Eckhardt)
You can continue to explore the love poetry of Catullus in this extension of GCSE Latin. The
focus will be on Latin literature in the original language and the style of Catullus’ poetry.
Model United Nations (Miss Eckhardt – 1 credit)
Model United Nations is a simulation of the General Assembly or Security Council of the
United Nations. Students who participate in MUN step into the shoes of UN officials to
debate current issues on the UN’s agenda. Students represent delegates from different
countries and make speeches, prepare draft resolutions, negotiate with allies and
adversaries, and mobilise international cooperation to resolve conflicts and problems which
affect countries all over the globe.
Students will learn about peace and security, human rights, the environment, food and
hunger, economic development and globalisation while honing essential and transferable
skills for the future, such as negotiation, research, speech writing, public speaking, problem
solving, consensus building, conflict resolution, compromise and cooperation.
There will also be opportunities to represent CHHS in Model United Nations conferences
several times a year.
Music (Miss Carney – 1 credit)
Music is a sociable, practical and skillful subject to enjoy and experience. The Music Elective
will be a chance for you to discover and develop your own musical ability, whether you are a
beginner or a more experienced musician. You will try different musical instruments and
develop your musical skills, with a chance to develop further on specific instruments.
Performance will be a big part of this elective, giving you the time to improve your confidence
in this area or work together with others to help improve their confidence.
An open mind, a ‘can do’ attitude, perseverance and team spirit are the keys to success in
Music.
Click here for Playalong Performance.
Click here for DJing.
DofE (Miss Ballard – 2 credits)
The Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award is made up of five sections; skill, volunteering, physical, residential and
expedition. In all, the entire Award takes approximately 18 months to complete and is a great
enrichment activity to take part in. During the allocated elective sessions, you will be set up
on DofE and you will log your progress in all five sections of the Award. In addition to this you
will complete a training programme to enable you to complete the expedition
section of the Award successfully.
Beyond the elective units you will have in school, you will need to complete and log the
hours you take part in your skill, volunteering and physical activities (one hour a week for
each). You will also complete practice walks, a practice expedition and a qualifying
expedition during four weekends throughout the academic year.
D of E with a Difference – the coronavirus doesn’t mean your DofE needs to stop. Whether you’re doing or delivering the DofE, here’s everything you need to keep yours going:
Oxbridge and Competitive University Entry (Miss Eckhardt – 1 credit)
The Oxbridge & Competitive University Entry Elective continues this term by looking at the
Application Process in detail and beginning work on Personal Statements. In addition,
students will begin to practise the skills sought in the Oxbridge interview process.
This Elective is open to new students considering Oxbridge and Competitive Courses.
How to Get Away with Murder (for non-law students) (Miss Rainford - 1 credit)
Ever wondered how criminal law works in practice? Intrigued by legal dramas such as Suits,
Power or Legally Blonde? Or simply considering a future in the law…then this is the elective
for you! You will study a range of crimes, including Murder, and learn the possible defences
to these crimes. A lot of defences allow criminals to completely escape any punishment for
their actions. Criminal barristers will offer an exclusive insight into what life is like at the
Criminal Bar and help us in our studies of legal rights and wrongs. This elective will give you
the knowledge and the skills to participate in legal debates while also enhancing your
general knowledge of the English justice system.
Mooting for Beginners (Miss Rainford - 1 credit)
Mooting is the process of analysing a legal problem, researching the area of law, preparing written submissions and presenting an oral argument. As part of this elective, students will discover the joy of dissecting a piece of law and preparing arguments to present in front of a judge. Students will have opportunities to engage in mooting competitions within school but also represent the school in various external regional mooting competitions.
Mooting is not the same as public speaking or debating, although it shares some common elements with these activities. It is a specialised application of the art of persuasive advocacy. It is a must for any future lawyers, politicians or public speakers or anyone who likes to debate!
The University of Law: a Guide to Mooting
www.theguardian.com/law/2017/jun/28/advice-for-law-students-how-to-moot
The University of Oxford – the Faculty of Law’s guide to this legal skill including video and blogs
www.law.ox.ac.uk/current-students/mooting-oxford/mooting-what-it-and-why-take-part
Have I Got Views for You? (Miss Eckhardt - 1 credit)
It’s Monday and what did you read in the Sunday newspapers? This elective will provide you
with the opportunity to explore the big issues that confront us in the early 21st Century. The
issues we choose to examine will be driven by yourselves, and we will develop arguments and
share opinions in a lively environment.
All are welcome – if you like to take the lead in a good debate or if you prefer to watch and
listen to others, it doesn’t matter. In the midst of this, we will try to look at how we can make
our arguments more persuasive by learning how to be both good speakers and listeners.
We will also look closely at how we develop our views; the factors that shape the way we see
the issues as they evolve. We shall explore how we can get to the ‘facts’ and, more importantly,
how we might know them when we see them.
Useful links
The Andrew Marr Show – the place where top politicians make news, cultural icons inform and entertain, and the UK’s most influential commentators share their analysis and insights. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0080bbs
Dispatches – Channel 4’s award-winning investigative current affairs programme. www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches
Panorama – the BBC’s investigative documentary series revealing the truth about the stories that matter. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006t14n
Newsnight – provides comprehensive coverage of the day’s important national and international news stories. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006mk25/newsnight
Radio 4 Today – long-running early-morning news and current affairs radio programme. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qj9z
Have I Got News for You? – comedy quiz show that grills celebrity contestants on the week’s top stories and news. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mkw3
How to Crack the Cryptic Crossword (Miss Eckhardt – 1 credit)
If you’ve ever looked at cryptic crossword clues and wondered how anyone ever begins to
solve them, then this elective could be for you. We shall study the logic behind these puzzles
and become cryptically expert at decoding and cracking the Daily Telegraph crossword. We
shall cover all aspects of cryptic clues, from anagrams and homophones to synonyms, and
soon you’ll be impressing those around you with your newfound skills!
Crosswords are an endless source of entertainment and a great way of exercising the mind.
Learn how to tackle a cryptic crossword – and become a fully-fledged cruciverbalist.
Art: Expressive Portraiture Painting (Miss Prescott – 2 credits)
You may record your life in diaries, through photographs or videos, but have you ever
wondered what your own story would look like in a painting?
This Expressive Portraiture Painting Elective gives you the chance to express yourself and
your story on canvas by using a range of art materials and techniques inspired by
contemporary and historical portraiture artists. Artists have explored portraiture for over 5,000
years and use the art form for several reasons, such as to show off the sitter’s attributes or to
simply provoke mystery. How would you portray yourself in a painting and what would you like
to say or not say? By choosing this elective you will conceptually reflect on your past, present
and future as well as develop artistic skills that will boost your confidence, curiosity, courage
and creativity – essential skills required for a successful, productive and exciting future.
This Elective is open to all abilities. Don’t worry if you’ve never drawn a portrait before, we will
be starting from scratch!
Escape Rooms (Miss Rainford – 2 credits)
In this elective you will design and make your own Escape Room. The project begins with the
theory behind play based learning and developing an understanding of the underpinnings of
complex multi-stream approaches to problem solving. You will work as a team over several
weeks to create a successful prototype. Once this is complete you will build this into a working
room before presenting your Escape Room to fellow sixth form students.
Games and Ideas – lots of suggestions to explore this more:
Minded to be Mindful? (Miss Rainford – 1 credit)
Do you struggle to relax? Always consumed by your busy life? Surgically attached to your
mobile phone? If this is the case, come and join the mindfulness elective! Escape the hustle
and bustle of the classroom and be prepared to explore a range of relaxation techniques to
help assist you in your sixth form studies!
Blissful Mind – a good blog to further your mindfulness. theblissfulmind.com/healthy-mindset-habits/
Dance Choreography (Miss Millin – 1 credit)
These sessions will give opportunity for sixth formers to develop their dance choreographing
skills. This elective will be carried out practically in the dance studio, looking at different styles
of dance. Using stimulus, props, lighting and music, different choreographing ideas will be
explored and developed. A range of choreographic devices will be used to enhance skills and
provide an in depth understanding around this topic.
Udoit Dance – a foundation that seeks to inspire, engage and empower young people through dance. www.udoitdance.com/
Voice and Presence (Mr Morrison – 1 credit)
Does your voice truly represent who you are, what you think, and how you feel?
When you speak are those around you compelled to listen?
Is your presence convincing?
Whether it’s an entrance interview for university, a presentation in class or simply a
disagreement among friends, we are constantly striving to make ourselves understood and
to change the mind, mood or actions of the people we are speaking to.
This elective takes the three pillars of rhetoric – ethos, logos and pathos – and offers you a
craft not only to understand these ideas but to embody them. What does ethos look like in
the body? What does pathos sound like in your voice? What does logos ask of your speech?
Speaking in public will always come with a degree of nerves or anxiety; it costs us
something. The difference is between those who have a craft and technique and those who
‘wing it’ and hope to ‘just get through it’.
Using Shakespeare, poetry and storytelling, this is an exploration of your own voice,
presence and power – offering you a way of making yourself more convincing, persuasive
and expressive when you speak.
Dance your cares away (Mrs Stewart/Mrs Goodeve - 1 credit)
This module is for those who want to spend an hour having a bit of fun dancing, laughing
and relaxing with the group. It’s a great form of exercise without the pressure of being in a
gym.
We put on a music video of your choice and then those who want to can join in. The video
takes the lead and shows you the steps.
Just Dance – continue following these animated routines!
Speech Making (Mr Morrison – 1 credit)
“Only the prepared speaker deserves to be confident.” Dale Carnegie
In a world of rapid technological advancement and ever-increasing forms of
communication and media sources, the art of public speaking remains one of the most
effective ways in which to communicate a clear message. From Prime Ministers to climate
change activists the importance of the spoken word is still the go-to medium for winning over
hearts and minds.
Through rigorous and practical voice exercises, by working on our presence and confidence,
and by the study of the rhetoric of great speeches from history, this elective will help you to
structure and deliver your own speech with confidence, craft and authenticity.
“In making a speech one must study three points: first, the means of producing
persuasion; second, the language; third the proper arrangement of the various parts
of the speech.” Aristotle
If you have something to say and an insuppressible need to say it then this elective will help
you to remove the barriers that are getting in your way. If you feel that you do not have
anything to say then this elective may help you.
Relaxation techniques and Yoga (Ms Adderley) – 1 credit
This elective focuses on techniques that can be helpful in reducing stress and increasing
wellbeing in everyday life. It introduces yoga and other practical exercises that can improve
mood and restore a sense of calm.
Medicine and Society (Mrs Hussain) – 1 credit
In this course, we will look at current issues in Medicine and explore their implications. The
importance of public health promotion, the role of the doctor as well as practical sessions on
applying for Medical courses will also be included.
CISI (Mrs Dangerfield – 2 credits)
Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments (CISI) level 3 Certificate for Introduction to Securities and Investment
The CISI qualification is an introduction to the financial services sector with a focus on investment management. It will help you develop your skills in planning, collecting, analysing, managing, evaluating and presenting financial information.
You will learn the nature and purpose of the retail and wholesale (professional) sectors, the main products they sell to customers and market structures for the trading of equities, debt, commodities and derivatives. There is a multiple choice exam for this component, taken at the end of the summer term in Year 12.
In Year 13, you complete an extended essay, choosing from a selection of titles, which will allow you to investigate further aspects of financial services. You’ll submit your essay in the spring term of Year 13.
Please be aware that the CISI certificate is a significant undertaking, and a commitment throughout Year 12 and Year 13. Additional work will be done in your own time, on top of your other commitments.
The EPQ: Extended Project Qualification (equivalent to an AS qualification) (Mrs Dangerfield )
The EPQ provides you with the opportunity to undertake independent research, to plan and
to implement a project into an academic subject area of your own choosing, whilst
developing research and project planning skills that will make you successful in future study.
It also provides you with the opportunity to work at university level, in conjunction with
leading Russell Group universities, e.g. Sheffield and Manchester.
We highly recommend that those students intending to make a competitive entry to
university (either institution or course) seriously consider the EPQ.
Please be aware that the EPQ is a commitment through the rest of Year 12 and continues
into Year 13. The vast majority of EPQ work will be done in your own time, on top of your
other commitments and not delivered in the Elective sessions.
Visit our EPQ page here.
Sound and Light (1 credit)
Have you ever wanted to work backstage on sound and lighting? This is your opportunity to
learn how to set up and operate professional sound and light equipment in a stage
environment. This would enable you to work backstage in CHHS productions, but this could
be something that you explore further at university and beyond… No experience necessary,
just willing to roll your sleeves up and an interest in the performing arts.
The group size is restricted to six people owing to constraints of equipment and the intensity
of training.
Spanish for Beginners (Mr Pratt – 2 credits)
¿Quieres aprender español? If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart. (Nelson Mandela). To visit another country is great. To be able to succesfully communicate in the native language once there is even better. We will get to grips with some basic knowledge of the Spanish language. This will then allow you to have conversations, visit important sites and really immerse yourself in any Spanish speaking country. You do not need any prior knowledge of Spanish. We will not only look at the Spanish language but also its origins and the culture surrounding it. Impress everyone with your knowledge of Spanish on your next trip!
Useful links:
Duolingo – This is highly recommended by language learners. It’s free to use and the app for your mobile is great. It builds grammar and vocabulary logically to suit the pace you want to learn at.
Mi Vida Loca – an interactive learning drama from the BBC. It’s a bit like a soap but it teaches you Spanish along the way as you watch it get into the storyline. It’s not going to win any TV awards but it is certainly entertaining!
Italian for Beginners (Miss Licata - 2 credits)
Italy is a country full of rich heritage, fascinating history and culinary delights! Come and learn la bella lingua with a beginners’ course in Italian. In this course we will cover basic vocabulary from food and drink to family and work life, which will be the springboard from which you can take your language study further or simply enjoy conversing with the locals on a future trip to Italy.
German for Beginners (Mr Chamberlin - 2 credits)
Have you always dreamed of attending Oktoberfest? Want the skills to talk to people on a weekend trip to Berlin? If so, then this elective will provide you with the tools to go to Germany, Austria, or Switzerland and confidently strike up a conversation with a native, order a delicious Currywurst and/or other German delicacies, as well as other basic conversation skills and relevant cultural information. Komm mit!
Ancient Heroes and Heroines in the Modern World (Mrs Beresford - 1 credit)
Learn about the Greek and Romans heroes and heroines and see how they are portrayed in ancient art. They may be ancient, but they’re certainly not dead! This elective will show you how they are all around us in the modern world. If you love romance, adventure and monsters then this elective is for you…
Bar Mock Trial (Miss Rainford - 1 credit)
The Bar Mock Trial Competition is an EXTERNAL competition. By taking part in this elective and competition, you will understand how the law touches every aspect of your life and gain insight into how the legal justice system works. The Competition is based around a legal problem and students will take on the roles of barristers, court clerks, witnesses and even the defendant themselves! This is a fun and engaging experience. You will be encouraged to think critically, build arguments and gain confidence in your public speaking. There are speaking & non-speaking roles in this competition…don’t let a fear of public speaking prevent you from taking part!
Amnesty International (Miss Eckhardt - 1 credit)
Are you somebody who feels strongly about injustice in the world? This elective will provide an opportunity for students to explore and engage with big moral issues involving human rights – war, torture, poverty, religion, migration, women’s rights and freedom of expression, for example. Having identified and researched issues of particular interest, we will be learning how to take appropriate action.
Greek as a Treat (Miss Eckhardt - 1 credit)
Do you fancy learning Ancient Greek, the language of Plato, Socrates and Sophocles? If so this is the Elective for you. We’ll begin with the alphabet (that’s Greek btw) and also learn something of Ancient Greek culture too. So, if you want to find out about Drama and Comedy, the difference between Philosophy and Philology or Greek myths, this could be your bag. Don’t follow the ‘hoi polloi’, take Greek as a Treat.
Philosophy Through The Ages (Miss Rosser - 1 credit)
Take a trip through time and discover some of the great minds of days gone by. Philosophy through time is a chance to wrestle with the human condition, discuss big ideas and debate with your classmates. We will cover a wide range of scholars and ideas ranging from the Ancient Greek Philosophers, Plato and Socrates, to 19th century moral philosophers John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham. A perfect choice for those looking to exercise their brain and voice.
Salsa Dancing (Beginners) (Mrs Brooks - 1 credit)
Not the sauce you dip your tortilla chips in, but the Latin dance with Cuban and African roots. Salsa dancing is popular all over the world and is a sociable and fun way to dance your worries away, as well as exercise. It is an easy to learn dance and there is no partner necessary!
Football (Mr Preston/Mr Lawton - 1 credit)
If you’re interested in playing football for the college team or just coming along on a Wednesday afternoon for some friendly 6 a side matches then this elective is for you. An opportunity to get to together with friends, release those endorphins or just keep healthy. Games will be organised each fortnight so don’t forget your kit!
Basketball (Mr Steer - 1 credit)
Anyone interested in basketball then this is elective for you. Come along on a Wednesday afternoon, all abilities welcome. There is an opportunity to get some specialist coaching and play some matches developing your skills and team work.
Click on the icon below for a list of websites you might find useful for your wider reading over the coming weeks. The list has been compiled by Corpus Christi, Oxford, and we think you’ll find it helpful in keeping your brains agile and your minds alert. There’s a variety of material so do make sure you are looking at Year 12 and Year 13 resources!