Beyond the Curriculum
Outside our regular curriculum, the BOS offers a wide range of activities to enrich the education and enhance the personal development of our children and students.
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Enrichment Activities
The aim of the Enrichment Activities Programme is to provide as wide and varied a range of activities as possible in order to help our students to explore new skills, rediscover old ones, make new friends, get fitter and healthier and, above all, find enjoyment and fulfillment outside of the everyday school curriculum. They are also important vehicles for helping children to develop their personal skills of independence, organisation and commitment.
The programme is open to children from Reception upwards. A diverse range of activities is offered each term, which are taught or facilitated by members of the teaching staff, volunteer parents and skilled, outside providers. The activities include a range of sports, art and craft, needlework, cookery, signing, drama and a variety of instruments.
Debating is a prominent feature of the Enrichment Programme in the Secondary School. Key Stage 3 students begin debating as an enrichment activity and as preparation for joining the BOS Debate Team in the senior years.
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Physical Health, Fitness and Sports
Whatever your age physical health and fitness are extremely important. At the BOS we try to inculcate this message from a very early age.
Of course, PE is part of our curriculum, but our philosophy of health and fitness is integrated into daily life at the school. In the Primary School that includes a healthy eating policy and throughout the school a ban on energy and ‘fizzy’ drinks. Also, as with Modern Foreign Languages, the PE Department is included in planning to ensure a cross-curricular approach to health and fitness.
Sport is an integral part of life at the BOS, including a series of events that are highlights of the school year: football nights, cricket nights, sports days (and nights). These events take place across age-ranges and are very popular with children, students and parents.
Many of our sports events are organized on a House basis. As in most UK independent schools all of our students and teachers are members of a house:
• Iroquois
• Mughals
• Spartans
• Vikings
Competition between houses is intense, but so is the leadership, teamwork and support that binds each house together.
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Student Voice & Student Leadership Role
In both the Primary and Secondary schools there are opportunities for children and students to voice their opinions. Student Voice is institutionalized by Student Councils in both schools.
The Councils take the lead in organising events for their peers. These include the Spring Ball, film nights and open-mic nights as well as a variety of charitable work.
In addition to the Student Councils, children and students also have the opportunity to take on positions of responsibility from an early age. In the Primary School there are Reading Supervisors, Prefects in years 2 and 5 and House Captains in Year 5 also. In the Secondary School we have Prefects, House Captains and a Head Girl and a Head Boy.
Beyond these institutionalized opportunities for students to be heard, as a school, as a staff, we also pride ourselves on our openness and the value that we place on student opinion. It is rare that big changes take place in the school without seeking input from students beforehand.