At St. Francis' College we have a very special community feel that ensures that all pupils feel welcomed and part of our community very quickly. Year groups meet together on a Monday for an assembly led by the Head and pupils have the opportunity to perform or read. It is an opportunity to meet together and start the week as one community.
We wanted to embed this culture into the Sixth Form and have one period a week of #SFC. S = Study, F = Friendship and Support, C = Contribute.
In the Autumn term of Year 12, students learn study skills such as taking Cornell notes, independent learning, personal organisation, time management, evaluation, applying knowledge and taking responsibility for their own learning in a new way.
We also use this time to offer support to students and give them opportunities to develop their mental health. We have team building activities, organise activities for #WellbeingWednesday, share struggles and achievements and ensure that everyone feels part of the team.
Finally, we use this time to offer opportunities for pupils to contribute to the College, the local community and the wider world. We spend time planning the organisation of the Fashion Show, students write and deliver assemblies, others take on the leadership of the Library including promoting books and competitions in addition to organising the stock. We discuss wider issues such as homelessness and poverty and students take on fund-raising challenges and involve themselves in community initiatives for example: 'Sleep Out' and 'Live on £10 for a Week'.
After the Christmas holidays, the students are introduced to the EPQ and enjoy tutorials to build up their project management skills, interviewing and questionnaire writing, Harvard Referencing and dissertation planning. After these tutorials they choose a topic they are passionate about and set themselves deadlines to achieve throughout the summer term. The College supports these pupils with a supervisor who monitors their progress and provides support.