Co-Curricular Clubs & Activities
St Bart’s offers a huge range of co-curricular clubs and activities. From drama to sport, science to textiles, eco club to retro gaming, dungeons & dragons to lego, music to chess, debating to dance, geoguessers to languages, book club to origami, manga club to cine club, moth club and friends of the honey bee club; the list is huge and there is definitely something for everyone.
Clubs are held during lunchtime (activity time) and after school every day of the week during term time. You can find a list of this term’s clubs below. Students are actively encouraged to get involved and each year we hold a Club & Societies Fair in the Autumn Term showcasing the many options available.
We also offer and support other co-curricular activities that give students the chance to learn outside the classroom and develop team working and leadership skills. These programmes include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Combined Cadet Force and our annual Sponsored Walk. You can learn more about other in-school leadership opportunities by visiting our Student Leadership page.
Duke of Edinburgh
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh first considered the idea of a national programme to support young people’s development in 1954, so that young people make the best use of their free time, find interests and acquire self-confidence and a sense of purpose that will support them into their future and help them to become well-rounded citizens.
The scheme is available to young people aged 14 to 24. There are three levels to achieve, Bronze, Silver and Gold, each with four sections for completion: Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Expedition, with an additional Residential section at Gold level. As the levels of the award increase each section becomes more challenging in the amount of time taken to complete so that, by the Gold award, it will take over a year to gain. More information can be found at the award website.
St Bart’s has our own Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Manager. Mrs Linnhe Lay is available each Tuesday from 3.10pm-4.00pm in C014 to help students with any questions they may have. No need to book – just drop in with any queries.
The Bronze recruitment process for Year 9 students will begin during the Winter terms, with Year 9 students receiving a letter from Mrs Lay. Students will also be informed about the DofE programme in an assembly at school. Please note, students in Year 10 and above must contact Mrs Lay directly if they wish to register for Silver or Gold Awards.
Those eligible for Pupil Premium/Sixth Form Bursary can receive financial support with the award.
CCF (Combined Cadet Force)
CCF aims to develop powers of leadership, self-discipline, responsibility, self-reliance, endurance, resourcefulness and perseverance through a wide variety of experiences and activities.
CCF is offered at St Bart’s as a KS4 Extra Option which takes place on alternate Friday afternoons. Students have the choice to pick CCF in Year 9 and then commit to CCF throughout Years 10 and 11. All cadets begin with basic training within the three services consisting of drill and inspection, map & compass and service knowledge. Thereafter some specialisation occurs relevant to the individual service chosen – Army, Navy or RAF.
Royal Navy: activities concerned mainly with water – swimming test, sailing, wind-surfing, navigation and knots
Army: land-based activities including field craft, skill at arms, battle craft and the use of camouflage.
Royal Air Force: flying and gliding courses, principles of flight, air navigation, engines, aircraft recognition and meteorology.
All cadets have the opportunity to take part in adventure training at weekends and during holidays. Activities include camping, fell-walking, climbing, abseiling, sailing, canoeing and orienteering. The CCF supports long distance events such as the Ten Tors walk across Dartmoor.
In addition, cadets can attend annual camps and a variety of courses run by the services. These involve spending up to a week at a military establishment and are attended in both large and small groups.
Sponsored Walk
St Bart’s annual Curriculum Days take place in the summer term. Alongside curriculum trips, it is a recent tradition that during these days all Year 7-9 students take part in the St Bart’s Sponsored Walk. Tutor groups, students and staff complete a 90-minute, 3.5-mile route around Speen Moor and the local area.
This is always a lot of fun and is beneficial for student wellbeing, giving our young people a chance to spend time in nature (and hopefully the sunshine!) with their tutor and tutor groups.
The walk also gives students an opportunity to fundraise for the school. Monies raised in previous years have enabled the purchase of table tennis tables, picnic tables for social areas and supported the funding of all students’ participation in co-curricular activities.
