SERVICE
SERVICE
Service is at the heart of our school . Sevenoaks was one of the pioneers of school-based community service in England , creating its Voluntary Service Unit ( VSU ) in 1960
Today , over 450 students engage in our weekly service programme , which enables students to choose from over 45 placements linking with over 60 partner schools and community organisations . We enable our students to become informed ahead of action , asking students to reflect on concepts such as sustainability , inclusivity and partnership , whilst positioning student leadership and reflection at the centre of our service model .
Many students enjoy the hands-on experience of working alongside local people , whether writing poetry with older people , teaching the Minimus Latin programme in local primary schools or getting to know refugees through conversation lessons . Other groups work to support the production of new drugs , explore the promotion of positive wellbeing in our community , and create educational resources that are used across the world . community-led development practice . Students have been able to travel to engage with community partners in South Africa , Ghana and Morocco , forming long-term relationships .
Empowering students to make positive choices in the field of environmental sustainability is also central . Students can also choose to work on our allotment , help extend our student- led footprint calculator website , or support the development of our Eco-schools partnership . We have an active student-led Eco-Committee , enabling students to contribute to the school ’ s wider sustainability education and practice .
Sevenoaks has a strong culture of student-led social entrepreneurship with many students creating their own organisations responding to needs that they identify and analyse . Our social leadership programme and social entrepreneurship competition provide a structure for speaker talks and mentoring , also connecting students to national competitions .
Students recognise the skills , understanding and relationships that participating in service fosters ; service is also a compulsory element of the Duke of Edinburgh ’ s Award Scheme and the International Baccalaureate Diploma .
Service can certainly be a transformative experience , promoting a stronger sense of self -awareness , positioning us all as active and responsible citizens , and enabling students to recognise their ability to lead meaningful change .
Indeed , we have a number of global partnerships which aim to improve our collective understanding of global issues and contribute to sustainable and
50 THE IB AT SEVENOAKS | CREATIVITY , ACTION , SERVICE