Co-Curriculum offer
A broad yet bespoke co-curricular offer.
Humanities &
Media Studies
This option is designed to provide students with a unique opportunity to engage with the complexities of global affairs and international politics. The Politics & IR option is a platform for in-depth discussions, debates, and insightful analysis of critical world issues. It’s dedicated to nurturing informed and responsible global citizens, ensuring that students are well-prepared to make a positive impact on the world.
Activities include understanding different political ideologies and concepts, collaborative research projects, mock election campaigns, international relations study trips, documentary screenings and discussions, leadership workshops and partnerships with local organisations to address global challenges. We believe that understanding the political landscape is essential for young minds as they prepare to navigate an interconnected global community.
The Virtus Journalism co-curricular option is a dynamic platform fostering a passion for journalism and storytelling among students. Through hands-on news gathering and narrative crafting, students gain practical skills and a sense of responsibility in disseminating information ethically through monthly publications of The Virtus Herald, the school newspaper. The option emphasises adapting to various media forms, including words, images, and collaborative projects, reflecting the modern digital landscape. Its commitment to promoting informed discourse and critical thinking stands out, empowering students to discern truth and contribute meaningfully to society. Overall, it provides an enriching space where students can develop their communication skills and contribute to society through impactful and ethical storytelling.
The Virtus Digital Media option offers students a unique chance to explore the digital landscape, express their creativity, and acquire practical skills crucial in today’s world. Through hands-on experiences in visual design, video production, audio creation, and social media management, students not only enhance their digital literacy but also foster collaboration and communication skills. This co-curricular activity empowers students to become effective digital storytellers, giving them a competitive edge in academics and future careers. It’s a dynamic platform where innovation thrives, and self-expression flourishes, making it an invaluable addition to a well-rounded school experience.
Business, Finance &
Entrepreneurship
The Finance option at Virtus is a dynamic club dedicated to promoting financial literacy and fostering a deep understanding of finance-related concepts among its members. Through engaging lessons and interactive discussions, the option aims to empower students with essential financial skills, preparing them for future challenges and opportunities in the financial world. In collaboration with the prestigious London School of Banking & Finance, the option offers the internationally recognised Certificate in Finance Programme, providing members with a unique opportunity to gain industry-recognised qualifications. By bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, the finance option equips its members with the expertise and confidence necessary to thrive in the complex realm of finance.
Young Enterprise is an entrepreneurial option for pupils aimed at nurturing students’ skills and developing business acumen. Pupils form their own companies, working in teams to conceptualise, develop and operate a real business over the course of the year. Young Enterprise fosters pupil personal development and prepares them for life beyond Virtus as students gain hands-on experience in product development, marketing and branding, sales, financial management and report writing. Pupils learn the risks associated with financial investment, and the importance of communication and time management, as they work together to augment their share capital.
Throughout the academic year there are mini competitions allowing the companies to showcase their work, concluding the programme with ‘The Virtus Company of the Year’ event. Here students will display their products, presenting their successes and challenges for the other teams to learn and share from each other.
Engineering,
Maths & Physics
The Coding option at Virtus offers an exciting opportunity for students to embark on a coding journey. Throughout the term, our programme aims to introduce students to the dynamic world of Python programming and equip them with essential skills, regardless of their future career choices. They will gain a strong foundation in programming concepts, covering variables, data types, control flow, loops, and advanced data structures.
The curriculum also includes an introduction to numerical data processing and graphing, file handling, and image processing. Finally, we delve into classes and culminate with a collaborative project in the form of a web application. The Coding option’s objective is not only to teach coding but also to nurture systematic thinking, problem-solving skills, and prepare students for their university studies.
The Mathematics option aims to enhance students’ analytical skills through challenging mathematical problems, promote advanced problem-solving abilities using various strategies, facilitate collaborative learning through group activities, encourage creative problem-solving approaches, and connect mathematics with real-world career paths by inviting guest speakers from different fields. These objectives aim to strengthen students’ analytical thinking, problem-solving capabilities, teamwork skills, innovative thinking, and their understanding of how mathematics is applied in various professions.
Biomedical
Sciences
The Psychology option is designed to provide A-Level students with a comprehensive exploration of various psychological topics, fostering a deep understanding and appreciation for the field. The option aims to facilitate discussions on mental health, debunk myths and misconceptions about psychology, delve into behavioural psychology, and explore the intriguing realm of forensic psychology. By structuring the option’s activities around these themes, the intent is to promote critical thinking, engagement with real-world scenarios, and the development of essential skills for future academic and practical pursuits
The Biomedical option is focused on extending classroom learning and explores complex diseases and disorders or global issues such as climate change amongst others. In addition, they will design and complete projects, experiments and make presentations while learning to access, read and write articles for scientific journals. Emphasis is placed on ethics with diagnosis, practices, research, and how the different biomedical industries blend into this complex scientific world.
Stage Space
Skills such as critical thinking, communication skills, performance under pressure or intellectual curiosity are highly demanded in the working world and are essential in many spheres inside and outside of it. The Stage Space, a programme in which all students participate, seeks through its activities the development of these skills while presenting stimulating topics and global problems to the student.
The weekly Stage Space Programme combines debates in small groups with performing arts and theatre. Our approach in these areas is key to generating a sense of community and working on personal development.
Debating
All of the students are expected to participate in the debating programme, in order to enhance their oracy and public speaking skills, as well as gaining a deeper understanding of the global society we live in and the challenges the world faces in the current political and economic climate.
Drama
Through performing arts and theatre, we help our students develop their verbal and non-verbal communication, their imagination and creativity, as well as their ability to work as a team.
