Skills Week 2026

February 2026 saw the return of Skills Week during which our Y12 students had a second opportunity to drill down on their skills in preparation for the working world. Our students hone and develop their skills in every subject on a weekly basis, however, Skills Week shines the spotlight on student skills and provides the opportunity to reflect on their own practice, evaluate their areas of strength and improvement, whilst putting specific skills to the test.

One example of this was evident within our Business lessons in which students took on the role of business consultants tasked with the completion of complex calculations (problem solving) and forecasting in order to advise their clients (speaking & listening) as to how to improve labour productivity, staff attendance and turnover.  This is a prime example as to the real world opportunities provided to our students.

Our Performing Arts and Theatre Studies students are finalising their assessed performances, developing honest and insightful self-reflection skills (adapting) in order to improve further whilst also working on their communications skills in providing tactful and supportive feedback to others (staying positive).  In conjunction with this, our students are preparing for the DSFC theatre production of The Tempest taking place this month which again is a prime opportunity to put their learning to the test with a live audience.

The English department asked students to action their analytical and problem solving skills to source a powerful political speech of their own choosing and to evaluate its level of style, impact and influence.  Alongside this, the department has led the school stage of the annual ‘Poetry by Heart’ competition with three of our students currently working on their entries for the national competition. We also, in this week, hosted author Barbara Henderson, who provided us with an insight as to the process by which novels are published, also presenting the students with some wonderful opportunities to demonstrate their creative writing skills.

Our Y12 Extended Sport students used their creativity and adapting skills to plan a set of gymnastic sessions which they will deliver to a primary school class throughout the remainder of this year.  They have delivered mock sessions, providing constructive feedback to one another, working out whether the plan is sufficiently meeting the intended objectives.  The skills honed within this process provide quality transferable experience, making them a prime candidate in a job interview.

Overall this was another successful Skills Week and we know our students have taken a great deal from it.