For personal inspiration, advancement and sheer joy, there’s nothing to rival the enrichment opportunities offered by the co-curriculum at Uppingham.
From creative arts to academic clubs, from volunteering to fundraising, from the Combined Cadet Force to the Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme, we provide a multitude of experiences to enrich pupil’s lives and cultivate new talents, passions and interests.
Life-enhancing opportunities
Pupils choose enrichment activities from an enticing menu of varied, challenging and often unusual clubs, pursuits and experiences. These activities are integrated into the school day, providing balance and fulfilment across the week, and reflecting the importance we place on ensuring pupils enjoy stimulating and life-enhancing experiences throughout their time at school.
Some of the options available include debating, drone racing, linguistics, games club, philosophy, science reading, memory skills, songwriting, beekeeping, electronics club, classical film society and a whole host of musical clubs and activities, plus many sporting options from the mainstream to the more unusual.
Life-changing Make A Difference programme
In addition, our thriving ‘Make A Difference’ (MAD) programme gives all pupils valuable opportunities to look outwards, to serve others, to lead and to take responsibility. Through the programme, we help pupils to volunteer in the community, to support charities, to create opportunities for local people or to participate in conferences and debates – helping to prepare them for life beyond the safety net of school.
Our pupils never cease to overwhelm us with their ingenuity, their kindness, their humanity and their willingness to reach out to others. Some of the MAD activities they undertake include visiting elderly people in the community or in care homes, organising fundraising events for chosen charities, giving up their free time to volunteer for causes they care about, and working together to organise and manage community events and activities. These have included musical instrument lessons for primary school children, drama workshops for local people, masterclasses in a whole range of disciplines for high-school students, and so much more.
Experiences that last a lifetime
Our co-curricular enrichment and MAD opportunities create a real buzz among pupils and staff. We are constantly awed by the enthusiasm and commitment of our pupils not just to get involved, but to lead, to organise and to inspire others. Through these memorable experiences, we help pupils to unlock the potential in themselves, but also to unlock the potential in others. We enable them to experience the joy of bringing life-affirming opportunities to communities beyond the school, and of exercising selflessness for the greater good.
These activities are at the centre of our drive to develop confident, enthusiastic and compassionate young people. The skills they develop as a result – from time management to empathy, from logistical planning to mindfulness – will stay with them for life, enhancing their health, well-being and value to society.