The Super Curriculum
An Introduction to the Super Curriculum
Super curricular activities are those that take your regular curriculum further. They take the subjects you study in the classroom beyond that which your teacher has taught you or what you’ve done for home learning. For example, you may go into more depth on something you picked up in the classroom, or learn about a new topic altogether. This could be the difference between a Russell Group University place or not.
These activities are often in the form of extra reading but they can take many other forms, like watching videos online, downloading podcasts, attending lectures, visiting museums or entering academic competitions. Try to try a variety of different activities.
Engaging in super curricular activities will help you develop a love for your favourite subject or subjects. There are a range of activities, suggested by your teachers. They are by no means exhaustive lists but should get you started. You need to keep a record of your super curricular work by completing your record sheet on a fortnightly basis. You also need to file your evidence, eg notes, screenshots etc, in the independent work section of your folder.
Employers or universities will be interested to hear about what super curricular activities you have engaged in; they will be interested in what you have learnt and impressed by your efforts. These can help you stand out from the crowd.
Art
Watch
Videos linked to artists/themes being studied
Portrait artist of the year
Landscape artist of the year
Great pottery throw down
Read
Anything related to any artist who interests you or theme which interests you
Methods and Theories of Art History – Anne D’Alleva
The descent of man – Grayson Perry
Talk Art – Russel Tovey and Robert Diament
Listen
Talk Art
Tate Podcasts
Research
Research artists who relate your project or research a concept or theme which is important to you such as gender in art.
Create
Experimental art work
Work on location
Competitions
Websites
Colossal | Art, design, and visual culture. (thisiscolossal.com)
Apps
Adobe Photoshop
Visits
Tate Liverpool
Crosby Beach – Anthony Gormley
Birmingham Art Gallery
Manchester Art Gallery
Whitworth Gallery
Walsall New Art Gallery
V&A
Extensive list on this website: http://www.artcyclopedia.com/museums/art-museums-in-the-uk.html and https://www.redraggallery.co.uk/british-art-galleries.asp
Biology
Watch
Horizon Documentary with Michael Moseley
Read
Business
Watch
The bank that almost broke Britain
How Africia could one day rival China
Topical short videos from The Economist Publication
Topical short videos from The Financial Times
How Starbucks become an $80bn business
Business Boomers: Rise of The Coffee Shops
What it takes to be a great leader: TED Talk
Read
Exploring Corporate Strategy, Johnson, Scoles and Whittington
Principals and Practices of Marketing, David Jobber
Brick by Brick: How Lego rewrote the Rules of innovation and Conquered the gobal toy industry
The Business Book (Big Ideas) 2014
Like a Virgin : Secrets they won't teach you at business school Branson, Sir Richard 2013
Leading, Ferguson, Alex and Mortiz, Michael, 2016
The 7 habits of Highly Effective People Paperback Stephen R. Covey, 2004
The Essence of Success: 12 Mini Biographies including Richard Branson, Bill Gates, Nelson Mandela, Steven Spielberg, Stephen Hawking, Chris Evans, Frank Sinatra, Tony Blair, Imran Khan, Malcolm X, James Dyson, Margaret Thatcher, 2014
What You See is What You Get: My Autobiography Alan Sugar 2011
Strong Woman: the Truth about getting back to the top Karren Brady 2013
Steve Jobs, The Exclusive Biography Walter Isaacson 2015
Alibaba: The House that Jack Ma Built. Duncan Clark
If I could Tell You Just One Thing.... Most Valuable Advice from Remarkable People, Richard Reed
The Up Starts: How Uber and Airbnb are changing the world, Brad Stone
Listen
In Business(Radio 4) and Global Business 9BBC World Services
The Bottom Line Podcasts with Evan Davis
The Disrupters - Interviews with ground breaking entrepreneurs
Research
Research how shares, share prices and market capitalization work
Research 11 of the most influential entrepreneurs of all time and what made them so successful
Research careers in business, including average salaries!
Create
Create a virtual portfolio of shares from the London Stock Exchange and trade a fictions £10k!
Competitions
Set up a share training league and compete vs your friends using a fictional £10k
Vodafone's Think Big Competition
Websites
Financial Times - ask teacher for free subscription available through FT
Taking The Biz A Level Business Help
Apps
The Economist
Yahoo Finance
Bank of England
Bloomberg Trading App
Financial Times
Visits
Bank of England, London
Museum of the Docklands, London
Canary Wharf, London
Cadbury's World Birmingham
Land Rover Manufacturing Tour, West Midlands
Museum of Brands, London
Tour of the Audi factory in Germany - Book your slot here!
Chemistry
Watch
NurdRage - Practical Chemistry
The Royal Institution Christmas Lectures
The Imitation Game Movie- Alan Turing
A Beautiful Mind - John Nash
Hidden Figures - African American Females vs NASA
Hawking - Stephen Hawking
Periodic Videos - Nottingham University
Read
The Science of Everyday Life by Marty Jopson
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
The Poisoners Handbook by Deborah Blum
Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
Quantum: A Guide for the perplexed by Jim Al-Khalili
The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean
The Billion Dollar Molecule by Barry Werth
Moles: A Survival Guide for Science by Keith Brown
Periodic Tales: The Curious lives of the elements by Hugh Aldersey-Williams
H2O: A Biography of water by Phillip Ball
Uncle Tungsten by Oliver Sacks
Obsessive Genius: The inner world of Marie Currie by Barbara Goldsmith
Why Chemical reactions happen by Keeler and Wothers
Listen
Research
Oxford Sparks - Find a topic of interest and do further research into it!
Independent Learning Project for Chemistry
Create
Follow 'Compound Interest' on Twitter. Make your own 'Infographic' on a compound that interests you.
Competitions
Peterhouse College "Kelvin" Science Essay - Cambridge University
UK Chemistry Olympiad - The Royal Society of Chemistry
Newnham College Essay Prize - Cambridge University - Year 12 Females only
Stockholm Water Institute Essay writing competition
Websites
CEN Online - Chemical Engineering News Channel
The Chemistry Engineer - News FAQs and Features
Chemistry World - Royal Society of Chemistry
Tyler Dewitt's YouTube Channel
Apps
iChemistry Pro
Periodic Table App
Learn Organic Chemistry App
Mechanisms: Organic Chemistry App
Equate formula Solver App
Visits
Museum if Science and Industry - Manchester
the Royal Institution - London
The Science Museum - London
The Old Operating Theatre - London
@bengoldacre
@edyong209
@NatureChemistry
@ChemistryNews
@NottsChemistry
Computer Science
Watch
Mysteries of the mind can be solves: A brain in a supercomputer - Henry Markram
Big Data: Watch the TedTalk on The year open data went worldwide - Tim BernersLee
Read
MagPi is the official Raspberry Pi magazine
The Register (nicknamed El Reg) is a British technology news and opinion website. Keep up to date by subscribing and reading news articles regularly.
Algorithmic Puzzles by Anany Levitin and Maria Levitin. The emphasis lies in training the reader to think algorithmically and develop new puzzle-solving skills.
How Google works by Eric Schmidt and Jonathan Rosenberg. How Google works shines a light on the hiring and operating processes of Google, which have enabled it to come up with great products continuously and stay visionary over the past 17 years.
Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human decisions a fascinating exploration of how computer algorithms can be applied in our everyday lives.
Listen
Computer Science - University of Oxford Podcast - Audio and Video Lectures
Spark- is an ongoing conversation about our rapidly changing world. Along with you, host Nora Young explores how technology, innovation and design affects our lives.
Create
Quantum computing: Shor's Algorithm focusses on quickly factorising number into primes. Write a short essay summarising how the birth of quantum computing allowed for efficient integer factorisation.
Competitions
National Cipher Challenge: In the lead up to WWII the British intelligence services were flooded with reports of Nazi spies and sympathisers. With war fast approaching and limited resources the task of vetting al these reports was [assed to a fledging security organisation knows as BOSS. As a new recruit you are given the job or decoding the secret messages that will expose the enemy agents!
Bebras Computational thinking challenge.
Websites
CyberFirst - residential and non-residential courses.
Apps
Mimo
SoloLearn
Programming Hub
Visits
Economics
Watch
The Big Short (2015)
Inside Job (2010)
Freakonomics (2010)
Inequality For All (2013)
Too much maths too little history: LSE Lecture
Bank that almost broke Britain
Panic: The untold story of The Financial Crisis
1929 Stock Market Crash and The Great Depression
How Africa Could one Day Rival China
Topical Short Videos from the Economist Publication
Read
CoreEcon - helping you bridge the gap between A-Level and undergraduate Economics
Economics is not a dismal science
The Dangerous Economist Blog
The Crunch, A Brummer
Marginal Revolution Blog
The Growth Map, J. O'Neill
Fifty things that made the modern economy T Harford
Tescopoly A Simms
Bankrupt Britian D Dorling and B Thomas
The Economics of Football S Dobson
The Great Divide J Stiglitz
Economic growth and Inequality J Siglitz
Keynes Jayek: The clash that defined modern economics N Wapshott
Freakonomics Blog
The Undercover Economist Blog
Think like a freak, S Levvitt and Dubner
Sloman Economics News site
Listen
Economics Detective Radio Podcasts
Research
Create
Create a macro profile of 2 DCs, 2 MEDCs and 2 LEDCs.
Create a map or infographic using using IMF app showing differing global economic indicators - e.g. inflation, GDP, BofP, Interest rates
Competitions
Websites
Apps
The Economist
Oxford Economics Dictionary
International Monetary Fund
Yahoo Finance
Bank of England
Visits
Bank of England, London
Museum of the Docklands, London
Canary Wharf, London
English Literature
Watch
Watch a (Netflix) programme/documentary that explores criminal behaviour and psychology
Watch a range of plats for free from the Digital Theatre
Watch 'The Life and Times of William Shakespeare'
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Read
Subscribe to The Times Literary supplement
Expand your understanding of Death of a Salesman by reading some critical articles looking more closely at theory along with some reviews.
Research dystopian fiction and read a dystopic novel.
Listen
The Kite Runner (BBC Radio 4) Podcast
Create
Deliver a talk to your peers on your NEA project
Create a poster on each of your socio-political theory from your critical Anthology to it - Present it to peers
Research a current protest and deliver a speech about it to your peers.
Competitions
The Best in English Competition
Websites
Subscribe to the times of literacy supplement
Visits
Visit the home of Lord Byron at Newstead Abbey
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, London
Visit Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford Upon Avon
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Initial reading George Eliot, a Life by Rosemary Ashton (Hamish Hamilton Ltd, 1996) George Eliot, Voice of a Century: a Biography by Frederick Karl (WW Norton, 1995) |
French
Watch
Elle s'appelait Sarah
Amelie
Un long dimanche de fiancailles
Any Marcel Pagnol film
Etre et avoir
Videos relating to current affairs and news
Watch a French TV series or film on Netflix
Read
Over 5000 books available to download for free
articles relating to current affairs and news
Listen
A huge variety of podcasts here for you to listen to
A great resource for new daily content from RFI (Radio France International)
Searchable MP3 clips by topic and level
French music with lyrics here and here
Research
Plan a trip to a new area of France.
Find out about a Francophone country and make a short presentation to share with others
Research the possibility of working in France.
Create
Watch another film by the film maker or with the same actor as the one you study and write a review. Watch first with English subtitles and then with French.
Research a historical figure from the French speaking world and create a quiz for other students to complete
Research a traditional French recipe, bake, cook and try the dish and bring in your photos/reviews
Competitions
Websites
Apps
Memrise
Duolingo
Radio garden
Lyrics training
Visit
Geography
Watch
Netflix: Into the inferno (12)
72 Dangerous Place Live (PG)
Crash Course (endorsed by Downing College University of Cambridge)
BBC iplayer Science and Nature
David Attenborough documentaries
Hans Roslin the facts about population
Chris Packham: 7.7 Billion People and Counting
Why climate change is a threat to human rights
Worlds worst place to be a woman
What if a single human right could change the world?
Read
Prisoners of Geography Marshall T
introduction to the water cycle
introduction to the carbon cycle
the geological society : coasts
Changing Spaces, Making Places
Listen
Over-populated or under-developed? The real story of population growth
Health & Social Care
The Children Act (2017)
Observe GP
Read
The Guardian, Social Care Blog
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
Jasper M - Beginning Reflective Practice (Nelson Thornes 2003)
McGee P - Principles of Caring (Neslon Thornes 2005)
Miller J - care Practice for S/NVQ 3 (Hodder Arnold 2005)
Spector A - Making a Difference (Hawker 2006)
This is going to hurt; Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor, Adam Kay
Listen
Podcast on thinking differently about social care
In sickness and in social care podcasts from the BBC
Open University Podcasts on social care
research
Careers in the NHS
Careers in social care
Observe GP
Websites
NHS Website
Age UK
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
Mental Health and wellbeing using the Mind Website
Department of Health and Social Care
Visits
Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood
Florence Nightingale Museum
London Medical Museums
Examine Public Health at the Science Museum
History
Watch
Nicholas and Alexandra
Dr. Zhivage
Burnt by the Sun
The Way Back
The Death of Stalin
Bitter Harvest
Britain’s Bloody Crown, The Made King and the War of the Roses
Feature History, The War of the Roses
The Russian revolution – Netflix
Read
The White Queen by Philip Gregory
The Red Queen by Phillip Gregory
Winter Garden Kristin Hannah
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith
Revolutionary Russia by Orlando Figes
The Wards of the Roses and the Yorkist Kings John Warren
The History Magazine
Journal of Contemporary History
History Today
Listen
Russian History on Auidible
Lancaster & York on Audible
Derek Birks’ History Podcast
BBC Witness History Podcast
BBC History Podcasts
Research
Trinity College Cambridge Robson History Prize
University of Oxford Julie Wood History Prize
Sheffield of University History Essay Competition
Websites
Virtual tour around 9 historical monuments
Apps
The History of everything
Historical calendar
History Timeline
Visits
Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre and Country Park
Watch Henry VI or Richard III by the Royal Shakespeare Company
The Tower of London
Ludlow Castle
Russian art and culture gallery
Maths
TED :Maths Talks to Blow your mind
Hannah Fry (Associate Professor in the Mathematics at UCL)
The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry
A Beautiful Mind
Hidden Figures
Good Will Hunting
The Imitation Game
Stand and Deliver
The Man Who Knew Infinity
Pi
A Brilliant Young Mind
Listen
Oxford Podcast - the secret of Mathematics
Research
Competitions
Websites
Advanced Maths Support Programme
ResourceAHolic
Apps
Sumaze!
Sumaze 2
Visits
Bletchley Park Home of the Codebreakers
Mechanical Art and Design Museum
Media
History of MTV
Top of the Pops 1981
It’s a Sin
Ted Talks Media issues and debates
Read
Stuart Hall’s Race, Gender, Class
Paul Gilroys The Black Atlantic
David Gauntlett’s Media Gender and Identity; An Introduction
Why am I no longer talking to white people about race by reni eddo-lodge
Listen
The BBC Media Show
Media Literacy
Thinking Outside the Boxset Podcasts Media Studies A Level Podcasts
Research
Use the Media Insider YouTube channel to research key media theories and frameworks
Visit Media MacGuffin’s blog pages for additional notes on all CSP’s
Create
BBc Young Reporter Competition
Create a Short Film
Apply for a place on the BFI Film academy course
Website
Guardians newspaper education resources
Visits
BFI London
Broadway cinema
National Science and Media Museum Bradford
Physics
Minute Physics
Veritasium
Interstellar Movie
The Martian Movie
The Theory of Everything Movie
TED Talks on Physics and Science
Royal Institution Channel
Read
Surely You’re joking Mr Feynman: Adventures of a Curious Character by Ralph Leighton
The Physics of Super Heroes by James Kakalios
Forces of Nature by Prof Brian Cox and Andrew Cohen
A Brief History of time by Stephen Hawking
The Other of Time by Carlo Rovelli
Why Does E=MC2? By Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw
The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene
Buy a copy of New Scientist and read about current research topics
Listen
Infinite Monkey Cage Podcast
Physics Weekly Stories
Physics World Stories
Supermassive Podcast
In Our Time Podcast
Create
Record and explain a demonstration of a key physics principle.
Competitions
Complete the British Physics Olympaid
The Oxford Scientist Essay writing competition
Apply to a Physics summer school
Websites
Royal astronomical Society
I want to study engineering
Sign up to Isaac Physics problem solving events
Visits
Attend a Public Lecture about physics at Nottingham University
CERN
Jodrell bank
Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition
Physical Education
Watch
Anatomy of an Olympian
Icarus
Supersize Me
The Last Dance
The High Performance Podcast
Sonsational Documentary on Prime
The Barcelona Way
Quiet Leadership
All or nothing amazon series Manchester City/ Tottenham Hotspur
Fittest on earth
Sky Sports News
Game changers
Truth of a lie
Drive to survive series
Tom Brown's Schooldays
Read
The Latest copy of the PE review (New releases in September, January and April)
Is money ruining our beautiful game?
The Sports Gene by David Epstein 2013
Bounce by Matthew Syed 2011
The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle 2009
Read the Journal of Applied Physiological Sport and
Sir Clive Woodward
The sports gene
Bounce
Tom Brown's Schooldays
Listen
The Real Science of sport podcast
Radio 5 Live
Talk Sport
BBC Sport Podcasts
The High Performance Podcast
Nike training podcast
Research
Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment
Create
Write an essay to critically review one technological advancement which has influenced sports performance.
Apps
My fitness pal
BBC sport
Sky sports
Workout planners
Visits
The National Football Museum, Manchester.
Sheffield institute of sport
Birmingham commonwealth games stadium/campus
Websites
The Everlearner
Examine a heath dissection here
TopEnd Sports – Sports Science Resources
Investigate Sports Science Degrees at University of Glasgow, Loughborough University & University
Psychology
Watch
The Stanford prison experiment
One flew over the Cuckoos next - Jack Nicholson
Good Will Hunting
Memomto
READ
Bad Science - Ben Goldacre
Affluenza - by Oliver James
Bounce by Matthew Syed. The Myth of Talen and the Power of Practice
Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. How to achieve happiness.
Mindset by Dr. Carol Dwek. Changing the way you think to fulfil your potential
Thinking Fast and Slow b Daniel Kahneman
Outliners: The Story of Success by Malcolm
Authentic Happiness by Martin Seligman
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. the power of thinking without thinking.
Phantoms of the brain; probing the mysteries of the human mind by V.S. Ramachandran. Unravelling the weirder cases in neurology can provide insights into how we perceive ourselves.
Steve Pinker: How the mind works. Why do memories fade? Why do we lose our tempers? Why do fools fall in love? Why do we pursue higher callings like art, religion and philosophy?
Carol Jung; the Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious. Our minds are connected to a deeper layer of consciousness that speaks n terms of imagery and myth.
Listen
Competitions
National Psychology Competition Royal Holloway University
Websites
Psychology Playlist from Oxford University
APPS
Illuminate Publishing
Research Digest BPS
Visits