Beyond the Curriculum

Beyond the taught curriculum, the department provides a rich, varied extra-curricular programme for all our students. This includes regular theatre visits and workshops, study days and lectures by visiting authors. In addition, the English department runs competitions for all ages in debating and creative writing, and all pupils are encouraged to submit entries to national competitions. Sofar this year, a year 8 student has had poetry published in a national anthology, and a year 11 student has seen her work in the Watford Observor.

The department encourages creativity by awarding a yearly prize for Creative Writing for Main School students, and the Halford Clark Memorial prize for Creative Writing for the Sixth Form.

Just some of this year’s highlights:
Theatre
The Department has run nine evening theatre trips, with more to come! These include an outstanding trip to the RSC’s production of Malorie Blackman’s Noughts and Crosses in Stratford, a trip to a magnificent production of Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse at the National Theatre and a visit to the Globe, to see Eamonn Walker and Tim McInnnerny (of ‘Black Adder’ fame) in Shakespeare’s Othello.

Workshops
A ShakespeareWorks, half day Shakespeare workshop on The Tempest and Much Ado About Nothing for Year 9
Best-selling author Katherine McMahon talking on the craft of writing in relation to her best selling novel The Rose of Sebastopol for Upper School
A visit to Waterstones for selected Y7 students to work with children’s author Will Peterson
Poetry Live! A chance for Y11 students to hear the poets they study perform and reflect upon their work
Chaucer Day at the Museum of London for Y13, handling authentic artefacts and hearing the language Chaucer spoke.
Y12 and Y13 students have participated in a full programme of professionally led study days on different aspects of their A Level texts.
Gifted and talented students have taken part in a range of Hertfordshire workshops eg. selected students attended a masterclass led by Michael Morpurgo, the Children’s Laureate.

Clubs
Weekly Writing club for Y7 & 8
Weekly Debating club for Y7-9
Weekly Drama club for Y7 – 9
Fortnightly Reading Group for Y7
Spring Term Y9 Inter-form Debating Challenge
Summer Term Y8 Carnegie Shadowing Group

And more…
Every year, we celebrate National Poetry Day with a day of poetry performance, competitions and special assemblies.
The Department arranges a popular Book Fair in November, run by Chorleywood Bookshop.


back