Enrichment
All of these opportunities prepare our young people for the adult world, building confidence and broadened their educational provision. Students who are part of the Model UN were able to compete with other schools at the annual conference in Oxford and students working on the Lyme Disease Action project presented their findings at Cambridge University.
In addition to these highly successful extra-curricular groups, there music groups, sporting teams, debating club, the Duke of Edinburgh award, mentoring throughout the school, Japanese and Russian language classes, drama societies, a programme of STEM groups and various student initiated charity events all throughout the year.
Political Engagement
In the Thomas Hardye Sixth Form, we believe it is vital that students have the opportunity to become more aware of the political world. This is central to them becoming a well-informed adult, who has the ability to think about and question the world around them.
Being a part of the Student Union is one way of doing this and our students will also have the opportunity to take part in Model United Nations, which takes part in conferences every year in Oxford. We like to mirror what is happening in Westminster, so we often run mock general or European elections, where students campaign on behalf of a political party and there is a whole school vote. We have also hosted debates on the EU and between local election candidates.
Personal Wellbeing
At the Thomas Hardye School we are not only concerned with the academic success of our sixth form students, but we are also committed to their personal wellbeing and helping them to flourish into well-informed and mindful adults who take an interest in their own health. Through a range of guest speakers, tutor-time activities and in-house seminars we provide a full and cohesive Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship and Emotional education programme which focuses on ensuring the wellbeing of students both physically and emotionally now, preparing them for a future beyond sixth form.
Travel & Visits
During their time in the Thomas Hardye School, students can take part in many exciting visits, locally, nationally and internationally. Most of these will be subject based, but there are also whole sixth form visits.
Some of the national visits include a visit to the Clothes Show for textile students, the Buddhist Centre for theology students and Winchester Crown Court for law students. Business studies, psychology and politics students benefit from subject conferences during the year. International visits include a geography trip to Iceland and a history trip to Berlin and for the past two years an exchange programme with a school in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, USA.
Performing Arts
Our Sixth Form take part in a wide range of the performing arts. Including our Dance Showcases, Stage shows and talent shows.
Speakers
The sixth form run a wide and varied guest speakers programme, where students get to hear inspirational speakers from the world of law, business and politics. Highlights include a talk from Clive Stafford Smith, a leading human rights lawyer and our debate on EU membership, between the European Movement and UKIP. We have also had speakers on the topics of feminism, women in business and Islamophobia. The talks usually occur half termly in the school theatre.
Sport
Sixth Formers have a range of sporting activities open to them. In recent years the sixth form has run an extremely successful Football team and Rugby team in the autumn and winter months. In terms of helping our students advance or maintain their sporting careers, sixth form PE staff also have excellent links with both Dorchester Rugby Club and Football Club and indeed many other sporting clubs within Dorset. Many of our students go onto earn both county and national honours.
In the summer sixth formers have also been part of the school Cricket team. Our cricket ground looks out over the extremely picturesque Maiden Castle and benefits from a well maintained wicket and astro- turf strip. Our sixth form has an enviable record in various competitions in recent years and sixth form sport is characterised by an atmosphere of both excellence and inclusivity. This year we were delighted that Adam Greaves participated in the Rio Olympics as crew support for the Paralympic sailing.
Women’s sport in the sixth form is also thriving as hockey and netball take centre stage. A range of interschool matches and extra curricula clubs are offered in these sports. Of course the opportunities for running and athletics more generally are also excellent as the school is situated on a beautiful open sight with copious space to exercise. The sixth form has also benefitted in recent years from the 1610 Gym which offers a state of the art gym facility and a fantastic swimming pool. Memberships are discounted for students and many take this opportunity to either unwind or work out at the sports centre. We also have a superb 3G all-weather pitch that students take great advantage of.
Community
In the Thomas Hardye Sixth Form, we believe strongly that students should be given the opportunity to contribute to the wider community. To help with this we run a volunteers’ fair with local charities and organisations who outline the volunteer opportunities that they offer. In the past we have had the National Trust, Dorchester Police and Julia’s House, to name a few.
Union have taken part in charity events such as Stand up for Cancer and HIV Awareness. We have also worked with the Royal Volunteer Society to run an annual Big Brew where local care home residents come into school for tea and cake and music. For the past two years we have been working with the Dorchester Volunteer Centre’s Company at Christmas programme where students organise Christmas Hampers for the elderly who are alone over the Christmas period.
Visual Arts
As well as running a wide range of visits and clubs, the Art and Photography department offer a fantastic range of enrichment activities. Every year, Art and Photography students enter the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition Competition, with a chance to have their work displayed here. Last year, Emily Young, one of Thomas Hardye’s Year 13 photography students was selected to have her work displayed over 2000 other entries.
The Photography department are currently collaborating with Age UK, to put together a calendar, “Growing Old Disgracefully”, which they plan to sell to raise money for the charity. As well as this, the Art and Photography department have links with renowned artists, photographers and illustrators. Last year Marc Wilson, Paul Cleden and Tim Warnes ran workshops for our students.
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