Enrichment Activities
At Aquinas we have an inspiring programme of activities that will enable you undertake sporting, recreational, artistic and creative activities.
The following list is a guide to the enrichment activities the college have running in the 2024-25 academic year. Please beware that activities are subject to demand.
For general enquiries about Enrichment programmes, please contact kelley.dawson@aquinas.ac.uk.
List of Enrichment Activities
| Activity | Description | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| AQ Citizens | Politics enrichment will be an opportunity for active debate and discussion of current political developments, and a chance to plan for campaigns and events YOU are interested in. You don’t have to be a Politics student to join. | luke.watson@aquinas.ac.uk |
| AQ Magazine | The college magazine “AQ” has been developed to involve students as partners in capturing the very best of Aquinas College. Facilitated by the guidance of staff, students are given a voice and the chance to offer unparalleled insight into college life. | jack.tomlinson@aquinas.ac.uk or jim.temple@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Arts Award | We offer the Gold Award in 1 year. The Arts award is a portfolio based qualification worth 16 UCAS points. With the support of your teacher, you will create a portfolio of work and lead on an arts project. This is a unique opportunity to expand your artistic horizon and give you hands-on experience across different art forms. | kelley.tomlinson@aquinas.ac.uk or rick.harris@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Aquinas Medics | We offer support for any student aspiring to go into the professions like medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, nursing, midwifery, pharmacy, physiotherapy and radiography. We help students find work experience through Stepping Hill hospital and the colleges SVP programme (volunteering in a care home). | anna.knowles@aquinas.ac.uk |
| AQ Psychology | The description for this activity will be included shortly. | sarah.harris@aquinas.ac.uk |
| AQ TV | An exciting and dynamic student-led news magazine-style show featuring the vibrant and diverse happenings within the Aquinas community. This show is a platform for students to inform, entertain, and engage their peers while highlighting the accomplishments, stories, and events that make Aquinas special. There are various roles to choose from: presenter, producer, camera operator, floor manager, motion/graphics, editor, and many more. | karl.mitchell@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Book Club | The book club meets every 2 weeks. We have open discussions and sometimes we also have set questions to drive conversations. | rachael.woolfenden@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Chemistry Stretch & Challenge | In the chemistry stretch and challenge group you will be able to; learn about chemistry that is beyond the scope of the A level chemistry course, apply your chemical knowledge, understanding and scientific skills to find solutions to problems about lots of different chemical reactions, many of which are not covered in A level chemistry, enter the Cambridge Lower 6th Chemistry Challenge and Royal Society of Chemistry Olympiad, improve your chances of achieving an A* grade. | sana.anwar@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Computing (Inversity Programme) | The description for this activity will be included shortly. Inversity Programme Website | james.corner@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Debating | The Debating Society provides great opportunities for those who see value in looking at both sides of the argument, who want to challenge views, address the topical issues of the day, and discuss and disagree with others. Debating is a valuable life skill to develop. It is especially useful for those considering careers in areas such as the law, public service and journalism. | laura.starkey@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Film Club | Film Club is an opportunity to broaden your knowledge of Film and meet fellow minded film fans. A selection of films will be shown weekly ranging from Classical Hollywood to Cult Classics. Each film will come with a brief introduction and there will be the opportunity for a chat after | tom.dixon@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Grade 5 Theory | Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Grade 5 Theory is a qualification that many students benefit from. This can support UCAS applications and also open the pathway to higher instrumental practical grades. This is a supportive session working with individuals to further develop theory knowledge and ability. | claire.dixon@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Literacy Workshops | The programme consists of four 50 minute sessions which can be delivered according to your timetable. Bridge workshops recognise that good writing skills are key to pupils’ success not just in academic work but in all aspects of life. | |
| Maths Challenge | Throughout the year we will be tackling a variety of external mathematical puzzles/challenges/competitions as well as starting preparation for university maths admissions tests. During the first half-term of Lower Sixth we focus on gearing up for the UKMT Senior Maths Challenge. This is held in mid October in college and is open to all students. You have the chance to win a bronze, silver or gold certificate and potentially gain entry to the follow on rounds, including the British Mathematical Olympiad | eleanor.kelly@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Maths Enrichment | The description for this activity will be included shortly. Inversity Programme Website | dan.slobodian@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Mock Trials | The Mock Trials enrichment will offer you various opportunities to obtain a realistic insight into the legal world. The events that will take place over the year include: the Bar Mock Trial Competition; an intercollege Mooting Competition through the University of Law; and internal Mooting opportunities. You will be presented with creative and exciting ways to find out more about your legal rights and responsibilities, the Criminal Justice System and the legal process and profession. | mike.barber@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Printmaking | The description for this activity will be included shortly. | hannah.dixon@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Share Game | The Student Investor Challenge competition involves teams of 4 students and has three rounds of investing £100,000 of virtual money on the London Stock Exchange. Students will need to keep their portfolios healthy by following the ups and downs of the market, judging when to buy and sell in order to make a profit. It is a UK wide investment game for students with a top prize of a trip to New York. | david.fowell@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Sign Language | Sign Language is a visual means of communicating using gestures, facial expression, and body language. Sign Language is used mainly by people who are Deaf or have hearing impairments. This course is perfect for people with little or no experience of sign language. There are no entry requirements. | kelley.dawson@aquinas.ac.uk |
| TEFL (Teaching English as a foreign Language) | This is a 2 day intense course, TEFL deliver this course at college. This is a fantastic course to do if you are thinking of taking a gap year after college or even if you fancy travelling abroad in the future - this is your ticket to travel the world! | kelley.dawson@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Tomorrow's Engineers | Tomorrow’s Engineers is designed to help you discover the huge range of roles within engineering to help you explore the path for you. It includes talks from industry and education experts to guide you on the skills and experience you need to help you enter this sector. You will explore the routes you can take, including apprenticeships and university. | marina.bowden@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Tomorrow's Teachers | This programme is for anyone interested in a career in teaching. It is a short six week timetabled programme looking at current issues in teaching including safe guarding, lesson observations, teaching standards giving you a real flavour of a teacher training programme.. | john.morrison@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Train to Tutor | Train to tutor is a short digital course which teaches students the core skills needed to set themselves up as a private tutor. The sessions focus on leadership, teamwork, communication, teaching pedagogy, commercial awareness and more. |
| Activity | Description | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Art for Wellbeing | During busy or stressful times, allowing yourself to engage in simple, playful and intuitive art activities can encourage mindfulness and relaxation. When you engage in art, your brain releases dopamine regardless of whether the resulting work is any good or not. It is the process of creating something that gives the benefit, not the end result. | nikita.austin@aquinas.ac.uk |
| The CAFOD Global Justice and Peace Group | The Global Justice and Peace Group help Aquinas students become young leaders in their own right. Students who take this enrichment will be given the opportunity to learn about the greatest issues facing our contemporary world. They will be asked not to raise money, but to raise awareness. This year we are looking at the topics of emergencies, climate change, HIV/AIDS and poverty. Our students are then invited to go into feeder schools and deliver workshops and assemblies about these issues with the aim of spreading the message of hope. | laeticia.sibeh@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Christian Union | At Christian Union students explore aspects of faith, discuss topical issues and spend time together in prayer and worship. Whether you’re a Christian and want to grow in your faith or you are curious as to what Christianity is all about, feel free to join us – everyone is welcome! | zoe.hancock@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Ethics Cup | The Ethics Cup is a tournament in which teams discuss ethical issues of public concern. The cup is a project that explores ethics, philosophy and public affairs | laurence.hughes@aquinas.ac.uk |
| India Project | The India Project raises money to support a charity in India called ‘Prem Dan’ who help underprivileged children. Many of the children live in the large slum areas of Mumbai which are among the largest in the world. Students meet weekly to plan and organise fundraising activities from cakes sales to large scale sporting and entertainment events. Some students also come to India to work with the children we help; this trip takes place in February half term. Students learn and develop many skills through their involvement in the India Project and also make many new friends. | priya.bradshaw@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Japanese Culture | The description for this activity will be included shortly. | tomomi.mccormick@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Pathways Volunteering | The Pathways Learning Support Experience offers mainstream students the opportunity to collaborate with Pathways students, taking on the role of a learning support assistant. This programme provides valuable experience working with students who have special educational needs (SEN). It is particularly beneficial for those considering careers in Teaching, Nursing, Social Care, Sociology, Psychology, Cognitive Therapy, or Physiotherapy. | thom.greensill@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Pet Therapy | We have pet therapy sessions available throughout the year. These sessions are led by an external agency who bring a wide selection of animals into college and you can take time out of your busy day to relax and enjoy some time with lovely animals! | kelley.dawson@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Student Council | Want to have your say at Aquinas College? Then join the student council! Students meet regularly to discuss college wide issues and represent student voice. The president and vice president are also invited to bring ideas to the board of governors. | studentunion@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Youth SVP | The description for this activity will be included shortly. | laeticia.sibeh@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Zanzibar Personal | A unique opportunity for you to engage in global citizenship, sustainable development and environmental conservation whilst snorkelling over coral reefs! A conservation trip where you will work for 2 weeks on several projects. Ideal if you are studying an EPQ. | kelley.dawson@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Activity | Description | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Basketball | The basketball team play weekly fixtures in the Men’s U19 Conference South. Recreational basketball is also available to those who do not want to play competitively and there are weekly training sessions for both men and women. The team also compete in regional qualifiers for the AOC national finals. | richard.mcdonald@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Book Club | The book club meets every two weeks. We have open discussions with the occasional questions to drive conversations. | rachel.woolfenden@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Chess Club | Students of any ability are welcome to drop into chess club. New high quality chess sets and chess clocks have been purchased for the club and instruction for novices can be given when required. We will organised some chess tournaments later in the year and possibly to have a league table. All that aside though, the main purpose of the club however is to promote an appreciation and enjoyment of chess. | steven.taylor@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Creative Writing | The class is open to anyone with an interest in creative writing. We cover all genre of creative writing - novels. poetry, drama, song lyrics, script writing, etc.- and no previous experience is required. Sessions combine feedback on students' work, where students will ask the group to respond to writing they bring to class, and creative writing activities that require no prior preparation. | anthony.trevelyan@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Duke of Edinburgh | Aquinas College is an approved centre for the delivery of the D of E award. We are currently offering Gold and Direct Gold awards. Students who have no prior award can join direct gold and complete the full award in 18 months. For students who have already achieved silver can complete gold in 12 months. | hayley.pell@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Euroweek | The description for this activity will be included shortly. | judy.bartlett@aquinas.ac.uk |
| First Aid | The first aid course is a full course (including paediatric first aid) that is worth 16 UCAS points. You will complete it in 1 full day at college. You will also gain a certificate on completion of the course. | kelley.dawson@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Football (boys) | The first and second Football team train and play weekly in competitive fixtures in the North West College’s league. Aquinas College has been extremely successful and have recently won the league and knockout competition. The football team also enter the Greater Manchester Cup (2016 finalist) and the national AoC cups. | josh.eason@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Football (girls) | The description for this activity will be included shortly. | TBC |
| Netball | The first aid course is a full course (including paediatric first aid) that is worth 16 UCAS points. You will complete it in 1 full day at college. You will also gain a certificate on completion of the course. | carrie.ferris@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Sewing | A class for anyone wanting to learn to sew, or anyone wanting to improve their skills. There will be projects set or you can set your own projects with help. The first project will be making a tote bag to carry your projects to and from college. | jeanette.archer@aquinas.ac.uk |
| Tabletop Gaming | We explore all aspects of Tabletop Gaming, from Dungeons and Dragons to Warhammer. Whether you enjoy roleplaying, gaming, building models or painting them we can accommodate you with materials and like-minded people. All experience levels are welcome, it doesn't matter if you have never picked up a dice or are a veteran Dungeon Master! Every year we have several student-lead DnD campaigns running as well as demonstrations of a variety of tabletop wargames. We also run a painting course if you would like to learn to paint models or improve your skills. Everyone is welcome! | dan.slobodian@aquinas.ac.uk |
