Outdoor EducationEach year group from Junior 6 to Senior 3 spends a week during the Summer term at a residential outdoor centre. The potential for personal and social development is considerable. Boys and girls learn to live and work together away from home, enjoying activities as diverse as rock climbing and canoeing.
CCF Through its Royal Navy, Army and RAF sections, the CCF offers pupils the opportunity to develop qualities of leadership and self-reliance. Apart from a weekly programme of activities, there are opportunities to join numerous adventurous training camps and courses, both during the holidays and at weekends.
Although boys and girls wear Services uniform (provided for them) for certain activities, the CCF is not a specifically military or recruitment organisation: its aims are similar to any of the uniformed youth groups, with the advantage of access to specialised training teams and equipment which the others do not enjoy. All pupils in Senior 3 must join the CCF, but they may opt out of it in later years.
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme is introduced in Senior 3. All pupils will have the opportunity to complete the Bronze level expedition during the residential week in May. Pupils who opt out of CCF after Senior 3 may still continue on the Award Scheme.
Holiday ActivitiesSkiing trips to the continent are arranged annually. There is a regular trip during the October half-term week, when previous destinations have included Paris, Russia, Normandy and New York. The CCF contingent holds camps in the summer holidays, and there is an adventurous training week over Easter. A biennial trip to Kenya has also been established. Sports tours are a regular feature of school life and Canada, Australia, Dubai and many European countries have all been visited in recent years.
Social/Non-Sporting ActivitiesAll pupils are encouraged to join the clubs and societies which meet at lunchtimes or, in some cases, after school. Space dictates that the list here should be selective, and it should be noted that the situation changes year by year as new clubs are founded and old ones decline according to shifts in pupils' own interests.
Chess, Board Games, E-Mail Club, Science Club, Environment Club, Young Engineers are among those currently flourishing in Senior School, with Scripture Union, Young Enterprise and Debating also featuring.
School dances, ceilidhs and discos are organised for different age groups. There is also a programme of Inter-House competitions, embracing music, debating and other activities.
Charity and fundraising events occur throughout the year. Indeed the trips to Kenya have established a link with a school in Nairobi which is the focus of sustained fundraising.
The over-riding principle in these and all other activities is that the more a pupil is prepared to contribute to the life of the school, then the more he or she will gain from it.
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