Sevenoaks School Middle School Diploma Middle School Diploma | Page 4

Key questions
What is the Diploma? HOW DO I QUALIFY FOR the Diploma? Which activities would count? What are the attainment criteria?
The Diploma asks you to make a formal record of your
learning in the Middle School, both inside and outside
the classroom. Provided you fulfil the core requirements,
at the end of Year 11 you will be rewarded with a
Diploma Certificate and a transcript that describes your
journey through the Middle School years. Students
who go consistently above and beyond the core
requirements may qualify for a Diploma
with Distinction. To qualify for the Diploma you need to have participated
in at least one activity in each of the five categories
described overleaf in Years 9 and 10. In Year 11 you are
not required to participate in all areas and may, if you
wish, focus on areas that are your particular passion.
In order to achieve a Diploma with Distinction in one or
more areas of activity you will need to show a sustained
commitment to an activity (which is characterised
by regular involvement over a period of time, usually
a term) and to have written at least one meaningful
reflection on your participation. These reflections will
be read by your supervisor who will then accredit
your participation. One of the categories, Academic
Engagement, is part of the Middle School Curriculum:
an assessment of your effort and commitment in the
subjects you study, as well as your engagement with the
Core Courses. You are not limited to only one activity
in each category; you can undertake any number of
activities and ask for any of them to be recognised
officially by a teacher. When you complete the activities
is up to you. Any activity that you do that is meaningful to you and
that fits into one of the five areas of activity. It may be
an activity you do in school or out of school. To fulfil
the basic requirements of the Diploma you just need
to have engaged in all five areas of activity (this may
be a one-off activity or one that you participate in
for a sustained period of time) in Years 9 and 10 and
continued participation in either all or just some areas in
Year 11. It is important that you have written at least one
meaningful reflection on your participation each time. In addition to the core values, each of the five categories
of activity have statements of achievement associated
with them. These describe qualities that we hope to
see bring developed through your participation in the
activity. You are invited to make reference to them when
you reflect on how well an activity has gone, as will your
teacher when she or he writes a final comment. Your
teacher will also make a judgement as to how well you
have either met or gone beyond them.
Activities are grouped into the following
five categories: When you have decided to choose a particular activity
for inclusion in the Diploma, and have approached a
teacher for accreditation, you should then navigate
to the relevant page on the Diploma online site and
enter some kind of reflection on the activity and your
involvement in it. The reflection might describe ways in
which you feel you have contributed, but also explore
and evaluate qualities and/or skills you feel you have
developed. The reflection could take the form of a
written comment or a short uploaded video.
How does it work?
The Diploma works in two main ways. The first is as a
record of any activity or experience that you would like
to record as a document of your learning in different
areas throughout the Middle School. The second is to
participate in an activity over a period of time and to ask
for it to be formally accredited by a particular teacher.
The teacher will most likely be the person who runs the
activity, but on some occasions it might be your tutor.
How long does the Diploma last?
The Diploma lasts throughout your time in the Middle
School. You will probably find, however, that you
have more time in Year 9 and to some extent Year 10,
but less in Year 11 when your examination courses
become a little more demanding. For this reason, our
recommendation is that you focus on breadth in
Years 9-10 and depth in Year 11. This means that you
might choose to do more activities in Years 9-10, but
develop your passions and interests in one or two
areas in Years 10-11.
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How am I accredited?
As soon as you have decided that you would like an
activity in which you have participated to be included
officially as part of your Diploma, then you must
approach the teacher you feel is best placed to provide
you with feedback. Typically, this will be the person
who has run the activity and who knows you best. The
teacher will expect you to have reflected on the activity,
the way you have contributed to it and what you feel you
have learned from it. When this has happened, she or
he will write a comment to acknowledge your effort and
level of accomplishment.
the MIDDLE SCHOOL DIPLOMA | AT SEVENOAKS
Making and Performing
Service and social impact
Physical and outdoor education
Academic engagement
Tutor recommendation
How might I qualify for a Diploma
with Distinction?
A Diploma with Distinction is earned if you have
consistently gone beyond the demands of particular
activities and the criteria associated with them. Towards
the end of Year 11, your tutor and Divisional Head will
look through your list of achievements and make a
decision based partly on the number of activities in
which you have participated, but more in terms of the
qualities you brought to them and developed through
your time in the Middle School.

How do I reflect?
What about ‘non-official’ activities?
As mentioned above, the Diploma provides you with a
means to reflect on the way you learn in and through
elements not associated with traditional classroom
teaching, but also – quite practically – to make a record
of things that you have accomplished or simply been
interested in during your time in the Middle School.
The Diploma online site therefore has a place in which
you can write comments, upload photographs or brief
videos to do with any element of your time in the Middle
School which you would like to preserve. You might see
this as a kind of personal blog, or a transcript – a bit like
an ongoing Curriculum Vitae.
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