Curriculum Enrichment

At JFS, we believe all children deserve a well-rounded, culturally rich, education. The enrichment curriculum plays a crucial part in achieving this objective, as such the purpose of the enrichment curriculum is to provide a broad range of opportunities to learn and develop outside of the classroom. Staff work together at JFS School, and within departments to implement varied opportunities for our students to develop; leadership skills, knowledge, and qualities they will need to carryout roles in the future.  Some provisions add to education, and some provide opportunities where the curriculum might not be able to give focus to our diverse student body.

We aim to provide a platform for our students to fulfil their curiosity, and to that end, we offer a wide range of opportunities both at lunchtime, and after school, clubs, societies, visits, overseas trips, and expeditions.  Our students can develop leadership and organisational skills; ‘Duke of Edinburgh’, show initiative in the Model UN, take responsibility with the school newspaper The JFS Journal, and above all, contribute to the wider community.

The practicalities of providing these opportunities are a welcome challenge at JFS where all staff are happy to give their time, and goodwill to run the activities and workshops. The quality of provision adds value to participation and some clubs are able to utilise the length of the lunch break, whilst others use time after school ‘Extended Services’ and there is transport available accordingly.

The trips we offer are a chance for our students to deeper engage with the school curriculum, and to seek opportunities for learning and to reward those who have shown commitment and effort in their studies. Successful trips have included a visit to the Houses of Parliament, and to Germany for the Belsen75 project.

Years 9 and up are encouraged to get involved with the Duke of Edinburgh programme run especially JLGB, and we often have several hundred students completing their Bronze and Silver awards.

Recently our provision had to go online, and we rose to this challenge and were still been able to take part in workshops with the borough of Brent, welcome guest speakers such as Lord Mann, and produce the school newspaper.

Enrichment at JFS is available to all year groups but the sixth form does have some more specific opportunities for students to develop and practice key skills which open up opportunities beyond school.

For the last three years, we have been privileged to welcome Lord Mann the government’s independent advisor on anti-Semitism.  He has spoken to the Year 12 students about his work and his aims for what he wishes to achieve with politician and sportsmen alike.

The Sixth Form have the opportunity to welcome Peers from the House of Lords as part of the ‘Peers in Schools’ programme.  This is an opportunity to hear first-hand of the work carried out by a member of the House of Lords, to ask questions on a range of matters and to gain an understanding of how the Lords contribute to the making of our laws and statutes.

“Events in Westminster can sometimes seem very remote but it is vital that people understand what goes on and how they are able to interact with parliamentarians to promote and progress causes which are important to them. I hope that Peers in Schools can contribute to developing that understanding among school students.” The Lord Speaker, Baroness D’Souza.

In autumn 2020 we welcomed Lord Borwick; and in 2021 Lord Russell of Liverpool, whose grandfather was one of the chief legal advisers during war-crimes proceedings, for both the Nuremberg trials.

This term we entered a team for the Micro-Tyco Innovate Competition where our students reached the regional finals for London and received the ‘Fan Favourites Award’.  The judges were really impressed with your group’s idea, they felt the students came across as very passionate and felt like their idea would be hugely beneficial and was scalable. To improve their pitch, the students could have identified the potential barriers/setbacks for their idea and how they would overcome these.

We welcome all input and if you have ideas, or are able to add to our provision please email: wolfson@jfs.brent.sch.uk