Truro and Penwith College

At Truro and Penwith College the enrichment offer is split into five areas.

1. Specialist academies enhancing employability and improving chances of securing a place at university, including art and design, travel, languages, marine, performing arts, and STEM
   
2. Competitive sports in which students compete on behalf of the college
   
3. Extra curriculum programmes developing holistic skills such as creative writing, EPQ project, volunteering, Duke of Edinburgh Award and cooking
   
4. Recreational sport and games promoting physical and mental health and wellbeing
   

The mental health and wellbeing offer sits alongside these four areas and is a drop-in programme for staff and students with different activities each term. Mental health and wellbeing is a priority for Truro and Penwith College and being able to offer this to both students and staff has been very well received.

Enrichment activities provide a range of benefits for personal development but have the biggest impact on students with SEND or high needs as it provides an opportunity to build confidence, social skills, and resilience.

Enrichment also offers a great way to explore career opportunities that students may not have considered and sometimes results in students changing their career paths.

“My two left feet and no sense of rhythm doesn’t matter, the dance classes are all about having fun, exercising and meeting up with other people,” said one staff member. “The team are patient, professional and full of fun. I can thoroughly recommend these sessions.”

“The physics academy was really helpful for the Physics Olympiad, as we were preparing every Wednesday by looking at past papers. We entered the challenge feeling fully prepared and confident,” said one student.

Two of the biggest challenges cited by colleges were around timetabling and funding constraints. However, Truro and Penwith College believe that those students who need enrichment the most are often the most disadvantaged and because of this enrichment is either free or subsidised. Find out more here.