We offer a wide variety of opportunities alongside the curriculum and allow our pupils to widen their interests, meet new people and gain new experiences. Some of these areas are open to the whole school and provide an excellent way for pupils of all ages and interests to learn and contribute together; others are specific to the different year groups, making it easier to offer age-appropriate opportunities at a range of ability levels.

Involvement in music, art and drama sparks creativity and innovation in many areas of life and study as well as building our students’ confidence, improving their communication skills and sharpening their empathetic abilities. Engaging in the Arts has a positive impact on a pupil’s all-round academic performance, improving both their interest in other subjects and their results.

This is borne out in wider society: creativity is now one of the top five skills sought by business leaders when recruiting new talent; it has been shown that Nobel laureates in the sciences are 17 times more likely to be actively engaged in the arts than average scientists; and studies show that participation in the Arts increases civic engagement and leads to better overall social cohesion.

We also celebrate the Arts for their own value, embracing the richness they add to the life of the school and the lives of individual students. We take great pride in the creative endeavors of our students and showcase them throughout the school year, with numerous exhibitions, concerts and plays. Across all ages and abilities we offer ample opportunities for involvement in our vibrant Arts programs.

We have a highly diverse and accomplished team of art teachers, several of whom are practicing artists. They are committed to developing pupils’ practical ability and technique across a range of media from painting, drawing to dance, music, vocal and instrumental, in addition to growing their knowledge of the theory and history of art. Pupils are also strongly encouraged to initiate their own projects, whether in a lesson context or as an extra-curricular activity, as it is often when personal intellectual curiosity is worked out aesthetically that the most outstanding work is produced.

Observation and appreciation of the work of others is also encouraged within the school.

We have a vast array of art classes, many with specialist equipment. A number of our pupils continue to an art school, or pursue a related field and go on to achieve national and even international acclaim. However, in the context of the school we celebrate the diversity, imagination and innovation of all our pupils, with regular changing displays in most public areas in addition to the department gallery and studios.