We're aware that applications to university and competitive apprenticeships now require more than your hard-earned grades. It's the super curricular activities you undertake that allow you to stand out and show admissions staff your desire and determination, but when is the 'best' time to start?
It's important to remember that it's never too late to start focusing on the activities that matter. Even if you only have a short period of time to dedicate to super curricular, you will still reap the benefits. However, the more structured and pre-planned your approach is, the better the results will be, and it will have less of an impact on your other work and social activities.
Starting super curricular activities during Year 10 or Year 11 is a great way to explore, gain knowledge, and understand your chosen path. But don't worry if you haven't started yet - it's also common for students to begin during their Key Stage 5 studies. Just remember, the earlier you start, the easier it will be to fit these activities into your already busy schedule.
How to fit super curriculars in, very much depends on the type of activity, most activities we suggest are short or can be broken into manageable chunks of perhaps an hour or two per week.
One podcast 👂, a couple of videos 📽️, one section of a MOOC 💻, a few chapters of a book 📖 can all be done in this timeframe and with little impact on your studies. In fact, it may increase your enthusiasm for your studies or you may find the material you want to introduce to the classroom. Some of our activities are only 5 minutes in length.
Consider using your journey to school: this is a perfect time to get some of your super curriculars done each week, listening to a podcast or watching a video. Perhaps you can allocate a session each week just to engage in your super curricular activities.
My Super Curricular website will help you to find activities of different lengths and commitment requirements so you can fit them comfortably around your schedule.
