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Co-Curricular & Enrichment

The feeling that you belong: you cannot measure it, but you sense it. People remark when they visit us that although we are a large School, there is a hum of harmony here, a sense of togetherness that defies the size of the place. Students at Brentwood are on a journey through education but they are also building relationships on many different levels.

The quality of these relationships is the key to the success of our community. We are keen to get to know you: what fires your imagination? What hidden talents can we uncover and grow? Our students have a strong sense that they are known and that they belong here: in many different ways to different kinds of people.

We provide a range of opportunities designed to enable every student to further their potential, enjoy their learning and achieve the best possible academic outcomes. We offer an exceptional programme of co-curricular and enrichment activities with a wide and diverse selection of trips, societies and clubs available including our Tennis Academy, Equestrian Team, Chess Academy, Fencing Club and Football Academy. Our co-curricular provision is inclusive in nature and we encourage all students to take part in activities and societies that they might find interesting.

Students may elect to take part in competitive and recreational sport (we were ranked 17th in School Sport Magazine’s ‘Top 20 Sporting Schools), musical activities (we are a Steinway School and have a partnership with the Guildhall School of Music), drama groups and productions, public speaking and Model United Nations, STEAM and much more. Some activities aim to stimulate and extend students with a particular subject passion whereas some are less subject-driven and more focused on broadening interests and knowledge. There is something for everyone.

"When I joined this school, I had never played chess before. But as I began to attend chess clubs in school, my rating and skill level began to rise rapidly."

Our facilities are world-class and include extensive playing fields, cutting-edge music and drama studios, science labs and plenty of well-equipped learning centres. Our 75-acre site offers many football, rugby, cricket and hockey pitches, tennis and netball courts and an athletics track. There is also an all-weather floodlit pitch and a refurbished astroturf pitch for our students to enjoy. The School has an on-site Sports Centre which features a 25m indoor swimming pool, a fitness suite with computerised equipment, 4 glass-backed squash courts, a main hall large enough to accommodate 7 badminton courts plus a multi-purpose room for dance and other activities. There is also a purpose-built Fencing Salle that is the practice home of the School's strong fencing community.

Flickr album: Senior Co-Curricular | Height: auto | Theme: Default | Skin: Default Skin

Students use SOCS, our online co-curricular system, to sign up to activities at the start of each term and organise their own individual co-curricular programmes. Form Tutors monitor students’ involvement and help them to co-ordinate their choices. Students involved in activities out of School may count these as co-curricular activities, provided that the Form Tutor is informed. Students are also encouraged to reflect on their co-curricular participation each half term to recognise the vital personal skills they are developing whilst taking part in activities they enjoy.

Every student in the school participates in timetabled co-curricular through their Tuesday morning lessons (Year 8 upwards) or lessons on a Wednesday and Thursday period 5 lessons (Year 7). We also encourage all students to take advantage of the wide range of before-school, lunchtime and after-school activities available to them.

Three popular additional options open to Year 9 and above that give students yet another opportunity to build relationships and be outward-looking are:

  • The Combined Cadet Force (CCF); one of the oldest and largest Combined Cadet Forces in the country. It mobilises hundreds of our students to be adventurous and team-spirited as well as focusing on leadership skills.
  • The Voluntary Service Activity (VSA); the centre of social enterprise, community and charitable promotion at the School. Find out more here.
  • The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE); a progressive award programme involving helping the community and environment; becoming fitter; developing new skills; and planning, training and completing an expedition. 

The Brentwood School programme of Sports, Performing Arts, the Combined Cadet Force (CCF), The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, community outreach and charitable work and other activities and hobbies is unrivalled in its breadth and quality. It is based on our view that participation in such activities helps students to cultivate a range of personal qualities, such as self-confidence and resilience, and acquire skills, such as leadership and teamwork, which will help them to develop into successful, rounded, grounded young people.

“I take part in different STEAM clubs within the school to enhance my personal statement when applying to university.”

Equally importantly, we hope that our students will enjoy the wide range of activities available. Expert coaching is on offer from outstanding teachers and we place as much value on the introduction of students to new activities as we do to the success of our students on the local, regional and national stage. As students progress through their Brentwood School career, their co-curricular activities will provide an important balance to their academic studies and prepare them to pursue varied interests and activities once they leave School.

For further details on co-curricular activities please contact the relevant staff for the activities as featured in the Co-Curricular booklet or Mrs McLeod, Director of Co-Curricular Activities.

Brentwood Stories