Heart of England School actively encourages our Year 11 students to take part in National Citizenship Service (NCS), a government funded initiative that takes place during the summer holidays for Year 11 students and continues with additional activities for Year 12 students during the following year.
Over the course of three weeks, young people take part in a mixture of adventurous activities, sessions on independent life skills, and community action in their local area. Because of significant government funding, all this is offered at very little cost which helps the project be more inclusive.
Students take part for a number of reasons: it is a fantastic opportunity to try something new, have fun, make new friends and develop skills that equip them for life. For students pursuing an academic route beyond Year 11, NCS provides skills and experiences that strengthen UCAS applications. For those taking a vocational route it provides real-life experiences that will prepare them for the world of work, improve their chances at interviews and give them skills that will enhance their CV.
As a school, NCS ties strongly to our Core Values, particularly of Determination and Courage, which is why we strongly recommend the programme to all of our Year 11 students. As a result, every year we’ve seen a significant increase in the number of our students who take part. Simon Nance who is our Lead for Learning Outside the Classroom said: “Last year we were awarded a Gold Award by NCS in recognition of our uptake of over 50% of students in the target years. We hope to see equal or greater numbers this year.”
Those interested in the programme can find more information on www.ncsyes.co.uk.