Masterminds Society
At Bishop’s Hatfield Girls’ School we endeavour to enable more able pupils to have aspirations, opportunities and experiences that stretch and challenge them beyond their context.
In order to achieve the intention stated above, we endeavour to achieve the following four aims:
- To provide opportunities both within and beyond the classroom to support students to demonstrate their full potential.
- To enable all the society’s members to develop their cultural capital.
- To raise the aspirations and life chances of all the society’s members, celebrating diversity and individual ability.
- To involve and encourage parents and carers in supporting the needs of their children, both within and beyond school.
Programme overview
Students identified as having enthusiasm and ability for a specific subject that results in outstanding progress are invited to join the Masterminds society. This offers the chance for them to build an extensive knowledge and passion for their subject due to the wider academic opportunities afforded them. These include; engagements with speakers involved in Higher/Further Education in that subject; presentations from speakers involved in careers which harness the subject; and visits/events linked to their subject area. This enables the learner to grow their knowledge and understanding of a subject beyond the realms of the classroom, creating a foundation from which they can build aspirations for the future.
In addition, pupils who show the potential for progressing to Oxbridge and Russell Group universities will be supported through the programme. They will be given opportunities to build aspirations and cultural capital through; debates, presentations from academics and institutions, and meetings with local business leaders and forward thinkers. This will serve to build confidence in our learners’ academic direction. Which in turn will enable each individual to develop into a genuine and independent thinker, capable of communicating their interests and passions in their personal voice.
Benefits for Masterminds Society membership
Society members have access to:
- A diverse lecture series from external and internal speakers
- University and College visits
- Personal statement and university application support
- Support and advice on making informed choices at transition points
- Engagement with a rich super curriculum
- Work experience support
- Interview preparation for university and apprenticeships
- Subject specific competition entry
- The Cambridge higher aspirations programme
Masterminds Society Concepts
The first concept to come out of the Masterminds Society is our Super-Curriculum. The Super Curriculum is different from extracurricular or enrichment. Extracurricular activities are those outside of your chosen subjects, and usually unrelated to your studies, whereas super-curricular activities take the subjects you study further, beyond what you learn in the classroom and outside the prescription of exam board specifications and assessments.
The timeline of Masterminds society membership
