St Helen’s pupils of all ages enjoy a broad range of activities beyond those available in the classroom, and can be found every day engaging in co-curricular activities which genuinely broaden their experiences and horizons, and build the character attributes which will equip them for their adult lives.
Our co-curricular programme is wide-ranging and constantly evolving, and the school day is organised to accommodate a great many co-curricular activities during lunchtimes and after school.
Prep School
Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1
Pupils in Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Key Stage 1 explore and play in their respective well-resourced playgrounds. Pupils in EYFS may be asked to become an Eco Elf, while Key Stage 1 pupils may be elected to become members of the School Council or the Eco Council.
In Key Stage 1, girls are encouraged to participate in after-school clubs such as woodwork, board games and cooking. They may also take part in Music lessons after school where they are introduced to learning a variety of instruments in small groups.
Key Stage 2
In Key Stage 2 pupils have access to a wider range of co-curricular clubs, such as coding, mindfulness and table tennis. Girls have the opportunity to play in a variety of ensembles including the Prep School Orchestra, Jazz Band and a range of smaller ensembles.
Girls may trial for the Prep School swim squad (from Year 3), and the dance, gym or netball squads (from Year 5), where they can compete against other schools.
There are additional inclusive co-curricular sports clubs for all pupils to enjoy, irrespective of squad selection.
Senior School
When students enter Senior School, the co-curricular programme becomes even more varied and exciting.
From Robotics Club and Debating Club, to the Photography Club, the Feminist Forum and Young Enterprise, the pupils have opportunities to discover new passions and develop new interests, and have a vast array of opportunities to participate in social and elite sport, music and drama.
Our unique relationship with Merchant Taylors’ School (MTS) allows our students to enjoy joint ventures with the boys from MTS, including the Combined Cadet Force, Phab, and joint concerts and productions.
Trips and visits
We believe that educational trips and visits provide opportunities to extend our students’ horizons, to set the work they do in the classroom into a wider context and bring it to life, and to develop crucial skills of curiosity, leadership and cultural awareness.
Participation in trips and visits is part of every girl’s experience of life at St Helen’s, and many of these augment the curriculum.
For example:
- Visiting Aldenham Country Park in Nursery or Chiltern Open Air Museum in Reception
- Learning about religions and cultures of the world by visiting local places of worship and enjoying a five-day residential trip to France in Year 6
- Learning about history by visiting Bletchley Park in Year 8 and the WW1 battlefields at Ypres in Year 9
- Practising fieldwork skills on Geography field trips
Older students are given opportunities to attend lecture days and conferences in a range of academic subjects, where experts in their fields challenge the girls to extend their learning in new directions. We also offer an extensive range of overseas trips, which enable our students to develop a sense of the wider world with all its opportunities and challenges.
Students with a taste for more adventurous activities can take part in expeditions in the UK and overseas as part of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, participate in Combined Cadet Force adventure training, or join the ever-popular ski trips to Europe and the USA.
At St Helen’s, there is always a new opportunity just around the corner, a lifelong passion waiting to be discovered.
