Enrichment programme and careers guidance - Cheltenham Bournside School

Personal development and growth

During your two years at Sixth Form you’ll be making some of the most important choices of your life. Our experienced team will keep you on track with preparation for mock examinations, interviews, personal statements, and university applications. They'll also help to ensure your time at Sixth Form is well spent, by taking advantage of a wide range of academic and co-curricular enrichment opportunities available to you.

To further support and inspire your studies, you'll have the opportunity to join a huge range of trips and visits. From UCAS conventions and university trips for all students, to a wide range range of subject-related trips, these memorable experiences with friends often stand out as highlights for graduating students.

Recent UK trips and visits have included: Tate Britain, the V&A and the Design Museum, London (Art), Brick Lane, London (Geography), Hampton Court Palace, London (History), Houses of Parliament/Westminster, London and Cheltenham Literature Festival (Politics).

Further afield, recent trips abroad have included: Ardèche, France (Week-long Residential), Lourdes, France (Religious Studies), Geneva, Switzerland (Physics).

Enrichment Options

We're here to help you make the most of your time at Sixth Form, so as well as your course choices, it's not too early to start considering what you might choose for enrichment.

You can start to explore the academic and co-curricular enrichment opportunties that will help to make your time here both meaningful and memorable. There’s something for everyone, but if you have a new idea, talk to the Sixth Form team. A group of Year 12 students launched a new Student Magazine this year. What could you do?

Arts Award and Drama

The Arts Award inspires young people to grow their art and leadership talents: it’s creative, valuable, accessible, and perfect for students who wish to pursue arts beyond Sixth Form.

Every year at Bournside, the school puts on a production that runs for four nights to sell-out crowds. These wonderful events showcase what Bournside is all about.

Sister Act cast and crew take audiences to heaven with 'best school production' yet! - Cheltenham Bournside School

Cast and crew 'blow audiences away' with outstanding production of Joseph - Cheltenham Bournside School

Aspire Programme

Our Aspire Programme offers additional support throughout year 12 and in Terms 1 and 2 in year 13 for students who wish to apply to Oxbridge, study abroad, a course in medicine, dentistry or veterinary science. Students receive tailored support from internal and external experts to help them with early applications to these highly competitive destinations. As well as application mentoring and interview preparation, we run events throughout the year such as hosting guest speakers from Oxbridge and bespoke interview practice. All students are enrolled on the HE+ Programme which is a collaborative programme between the University of Cambridge and its Colleges, working together with groups of state schools and colleges.

The programme provides access to super-curricular activities designed to stretch and challenge the students academically and delivers advice and guidance sessions and study skills support in order to help ensure students make both a successful application and also a successful transition to highly-selective universities.

Education for Life (E4L)

Throughout Years 12 and 13, you will follow an E4L programme delivered by the Sixth Form leadership team and Careers staff to help you aspire high for life beyond Bournside. This varied programme of careers guidance, higher education planning, and life skills looks at all aspects of your future choices from university, to apprenticeships, gap years, and foundation learning programmes.

The timetabled bespoke sessions include presentations from guest speakers, CV preparation, mock job interviews and university interview practice, university skills conferences, visits to careers fairs, and online university sessions. You will also be encouraged to undertake super-curricular reading and work experience to broaden your horizons in preparation for making competitive applications.

Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

The Extended Project Qualification is an additional qualification you can take alongside your A levels. It helps to develop research skills, time management, essay writing and a whole host of other skills that would be very useful at university and in your future career. Many universities make lower A level offers to students undertaking an EPQ.

It lets you study your own interests. Whether it’s focusing on subjects such as Type 2 Diabetes and abortion, which will be relevant for those applying to study medicine at university, or a subject like Disney princesses, because you like Disney and have an interest in feminism, an EPQ gives you the freedom to study what you want and will look great on your university and your CV.

Duke of Edinburgh

The DofE is the world’s leading youth achievement award, giving millions of 14 to 24-year-olds the opportunity to be the very best they can be. Every year, our students have the opportunity to embark on this wonderfully enriching challenge completing charity placements and venturing to Dartmoor, Brecon and the French Alps!

DofE at Bournside - Cheltenham Bournside School

Peer Mentoring

Numerous students in the Sixth Form train each year to become peer mentors and work with individuals in the main school helping them with their homework and studies, and being both a role model and a friend when school life might become tough.

Sports and fitness

Bournside Sports Centre offers an array of top-class facilities, including our brand new Fitness Suite, so you have the opportunity to take part in a range of competitive and non-competitive sports as one of your Enrichment Options.

Follow @Bournside_PE on Instagram.

Subject Ambassadors

Sixth Form students can opt to be ambassadors in their A Level subjects. This Enrichment Option allows you to go into main school lessons and support the teaching, lead activities, and generally inspire the next generation of Sixth Form students in the subjects they love.

Work placements

You are encouraged to access an appropriate work experience placement whilst in our Sixth Form. This can be during a focused work experience week, or taken as part of your personal enrichment time. You will work with Bournside’s Careers Team to secure a regular work placement that can be accessed as part of your timetable.

Young Enterprise

Taking part in the nationwide Young Enterprise competition allows students with creative entrepreneurial flair to set up and run their own businesses, competing against schools from across the country.

If you are someone with exciting ideas, or can spot gap in a market, then why not pick this option? The aim will be to bring a new concept or service to market, with the aim of making a small profit whilst in competition with county wide schools. Weekly sessions are overseen by the Business Department and a local business expert who are on hand to support you through this unique and rewarding experience.

The main event for Young Enterprise is the annual Trade Exhibition which takes place in March each year. The team will need to organise a professional looking trade stand and pitch their progress to date to four business experts in a Dragons Den style event. Winners of this County event will go through to the regional final and then onto the Nationals.

Young Enterprise news

Team Transcend reach regional Young Enterprise Final - Cheltenham Bournside School

Young Enterprise Team scoop award for Best Company - Cheltenham Bournside School

Inspiring careers advice and guidance

Our careers team have excellent relationships with businesses across Gloucestershire and beyond, and they are dedicated to guiding you as you explore your future ambitions. They are here to inspire you, open doors for you, and to support you every step of the way.

From our energising Inspire Lectures and Education for Life lessons to personalised one-to-one careers sessions and weekly careers newsletters, you’ll be surrounded by opportunities to grow. You’ll gain confidence through mock interviews, build experience through meaningful work placements, and meet employers face-to-face through our vibrant careers fair and external careers trips.

The annual Destinations Day for Year 12, usually held in January, is an exciting opportunity to gain practical experience and advice with experts in your chosen pathway, be that an apprenticeship, employment, or university. Whichever future path is right for you, we will help you find it.