Research and Enrichment
Upper School
Expanding your horizons
Year 11 pupils spend two hours each fortnight taking part in enrichment activities as part of their timetabled curriculum.
Enrichment focuses on co-curriculum and ‘self-enrichment’ enabling students to:
- Develop leadership skills
- Learn new life skills
- Challenge themselves
- Start new hobbies and develop new interests beyond academic school work.
Pupils have the opportunity to enrol in practical courses and activities and academic non-examined courses. Options include photography, outdoor pursuits, cookery and musical theatre. There is even an opportunity to learn about broadcasting with our Perse Radio course.
Pupils develop into young adults with an understated self-confidence, self-discipline, self-knowledge and resilience.
ISI Inspection Report 2023
Developing lifelong research skills
We actively encourage all pupils to develop their abilities in independent research and provide many opportunities for them to identify areas of interest, conduct investigations and present findings in writing and in person.
Perse Research Website
Find out more about all the independent research opportunities on offer to students at The Perse on our dedicated website.
Year 7 – Perse Research Skills Qualification (PRSQ)
Pupils follow an independent online three-module course introducing and teaching key research skills as a framework to build on as they progress through the school. At the end, students receive the PRSQ and are invited to the Lower School Research Garden Party.
Year 8 – Perse Project Qualification (PPQ)
Students undertake an in-depth study of a topic of their choice working with a staff supervisor. They write a report and take a ‘stall’ at a feedback fair, at which they present their findings to all of Year 8. The year culminates with the Lower School Research Garden Party with the chance to discuss their research informally with teachers and Lower School students.
The pdf below is an example project by Hannah
Year 9 – Aristotelian Award (Research Essay Competition)
Open to Year 9 pupils nationwide, the Aristotelian Award is organised by The Perse with the aim of inspiring youngsters across the UK to develop their independent research skills.
The winners of this year’s competition can be found here. The 2023-24 competition will open in autumn 2023.
Year 10 – Higher Project Qualification (HPQ)
An externally-assessed independent research qualification worth half a GCSE, but with its real value in nurturing intellectual ambition and research skills.
The pdf below is an example project from Eduard
