Senior School Clubs and Enrichment

Enriching the experience.

We use the term Enrichment to refer to all the opportunities your child will have access to in addition to their teaching and learning. We pride ourselves on going the extra mile to make a Downsend broad, immersive, challenging and eye-opening.

Clubs

Explore our Clubs Programme.

In the Senior School, clubs are offered on different days of the week depending on your child’s year group and finish at 5:30pm. Many are provided free of charge.


Our Clubs Programme is designed around our Future Skills vision and offers opportunities ranging from Podcasting, Robotics, Lego Engineering to Public Speaking, Experimental Chemistry or the iDEA Award, the digital equivalent to the Duke of Edinburgh Award, providing pupils with digital skills they need for the future.

Sports

Sports practices.

Every year group will have dedicated evenings for sports practices which are open to every pupil to attend. Running from 4:30-5:30pm, the practice is dedicated to the sport that is being played that term and will focus on conditioning, technique, strategy and teamwork. We often use this as an opportunity to review VEO footage taken at matches to review match play and discuss tactics for future games.

Music and Drama

Encouraging future musicians.

The opportunity to enjoy and learn a musical instrument, and be part of groups, bands or choirs is extensive. Pupils can take additional lessons through our peripatetic specialists as well as joining our rock bands, brass, string, wind or percussion groups at lunchtimes or after school.

Performing Arts.

Our Drama department produces several high quality performances every year which are performed to packed-out crowds in our Creative Arts Centre. From Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat to High School Musical and the Lion King, pupils are asked to audition for parts and then attend rehearsals both during lunchtimes and after school.

Trips & Visits

Broadening horizons.

Our curriculum is rich and broad and so there is no better way to bring learning to life than to provide pupils with the chance to see concepts brought to life and given context.

Linked to our curriculum, every year group has the chance to join day trips to establishments such as the Bank of England. We regularly run a curriculum collapse day around particular themes, such as STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths) to take learning out of the classroom and into real life.

Our programme of trips is designed to enrich both the curriculum, and our students’ life experiences, developing independence and self-awareness. Many trips sit alongside the curriculum and many are open for pupils to opt into.

Opportunities this year include:

Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Year 10
Year 11
Ski TripSki TripSki TripSki Trip
Dubai, UAE - Sports TourDubai, UAE - Sports Tour
Normandy, FranceSpainTenerife, SpainTenerife, SpainNew York, US
Rome, ItalyRome, Italy

Before and After School

Opportunities before and after school.

At the Main School, Early Bird Breakfast Club is offered from 7:30am at a cost of £6.50 per day for all Junior and Senior School pupils. Held in the Dining Hall, a healthy breakfast can be purchased from 50p.

In the Senior school, pupils are able to attend Supervised Study until 5:45pm. This is an opportunity for pupils to tackle their homework whilst in the presence of teaching staff. Supervised Study is bookable in advance at a cost of £12 per day and includes a sandwich tea.

Downsend School

Admissions: 01372 372311

General: 01372 372197