Co-Curriculum

Pupils develop a deep love of music from their earliest days with us. We offer over 100 individual instrumental lessons each week in our Performing Arts Centre. We develop talented and accomplished musicians; pupils achieve high grades in external music examinations, and some are awarded instrumental or choral scholarships as they move on to Year 7. We have very popular orchestra, brass, jazz, guitar, recorder and string ensembles, and four large choirs from Years 1 to 6 – testament to the girls’ love of singing. Close links with the Senior School Music department bring great opportunities: pupils from Reception to Year 13 take part in the STAHS Young Musician Competition and our most accomplished musicians join the Townsend or Ringwood Bands, Intermediate Orchestra or Junior Chamber Choir at the Senior School. 

We stage productions for each class in our Performing Arts Centre annually, giving pupils lots of opportunities to develop their dramatic talents. Many girls achieve highly in the LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts) awards. All pupils enjoy a weekly drama lesson which enables them to develop confidence in speaking in front of an audience, as well as expressing feelings and developing communication skills through games and role play. There are numerous art clubs encompassing drawing, painting and photography, and these are a popular choice for many girls. The girls enjoy entering local and national competitions and have had some notable successes. 

All pupils participate in a wide variety of sports. We make the most of our extensive grounds with our own cross-country course, orienteering course, three netball courts, fields and a multi-purpose gym. The girls have their swimming lessons at the Senior School and participate in the biannual Gym and Dance Display alongside Senior pupils. We offer a daily run around our cross-country course before school throughout the summer months. Every week the children enjoy a range of competitive and non-competitive activities to suit all abilities, and we work with them to help them develop a strong understanding of health, fitness and its links to wellbeing.  

Our sports clubs are very popular and high numbers of girls attend weekly. Competitive sports are supported by numerous fixtures and tournaments against other schools. We support and develop some very able sportswomen and we have recently competed in national finals in swimming, gymnastics, tennis, athletics, cross country and orienteering.  

In addition, we run a rich programme of physical and outdoor activities encompassing archery, yoga, disco dance, fencing, karate, ultimate frisbee and ballet so that every child can find something active that she enjoys. Wild Woodland Adventure is particularly popular with more than 80 girls taking part each week, exploring and learning from our woodland environment, as well as cooking tea around the campfire.  

Many girls enjoy exploring more academic pursuits, so we encourage them to join one of our Book clubs, Spanish, Latin, Lego Robotics, technology, creative writing, debating, Mad Science or global club. Some girls enjoy the companionship that cookery, knitting, gardening, Lego or Modern Board Games provide, and we encourage them to find activities which help them to relax with friends. Festivals We warmly welcome our local community to join us for a range of festivals and events across STAHS. The Prep School hosts an annual Children’s Book Festival and biannual STEM Festival. The Children’s Book Festival, attended by over 1,000 people, brings inspiring talks from some of the biggest names in children’s literature, fancy dress, local schools’ competitions, a multitude of brilliant book-themed activities and food options. At our 2020 STEM Festival, 800 people enjoyed an action-packed afternoon of activities ranging from robotics, engineering and virtual reality experiences to innovative medical technologies, mesmerising science shows and a spectacular birds of prey display.

Our extensive trips programme includes visits to the theatre, historic buildings, exhibitions, places of worship and nature reserves. This helps to bring learning to life and provides a practical context to lessons. All girls from Years 3 to 6 take part in our residential trips programme, which becomes more challenging as the girls mature. In Year 3 they spend a night away from home in a local centre engaged in nature study, whilst in Year 4 the girls camp overnight in Celtic Roundhouses as part of their history project. In Year 5 they spend three days away, engaging in challenging outdoor activities such as canoeing, climbing and paddle-boarding and in Year 6 they travel to France to further develop their language skills. Through gently increasing the level of challenge in a secure and caring environment, the girls develop both in independence and self-confidence.