are delighted to introduce you to the vibrant array of co-curricular activities available at
King Henry’s.
We encourage our pupils to pursue their interests, to challenge themselves and to try out new activities.
With over 90 activities to choose from
“Pupils enjoy busy and successful lives beyond the classroom and this represents a successful fulfilment of the School’s aims to encourage each pupil to discover and develop their talents.”
ISI INSPECTION 2023
Art and Photography Club Seeing Art Differently
YEARS 7 - 9
One lunchtime a week.
Pupils experiment and explore how to use photography, develop their creative skills and strengthen their knowledge
ART
Studio Sessions FOR GCSE AND A LEVEL
These studio sessions are run for our older pupils to further develop their work with additional support where needed.
DRAMA
We encourage everyone to be part of one our productions in their school career, whether as part of the cast, band or crew. Pupils enjoy our productions as they are a great opportunity to build skills, stage quality theatre, create lifelong memories and have lots of fun.
School Productions
Our Upper and Lower School productions alternate each year between a musical and a play. They are performed in the Burgess Hall and rehearsals take place during lunchtimes and after school. Recent productions include Hairspray, Christmas Carol, Little Women, King Matt and Sleeping Beauty.
House Drama
We run a House Drama competition each year where each house presents a short performance which pupils direct and perform themselves.
Drama Club
YEARS 7 - 9
Lunchtimes during Autumn and Spring terms. Drama Club builds teamwork and performance skills with an emphasis on enjoyment. Pupils devise original drama and explore scripts.
Technical and Backstage
ALL YEARS
Pupils learn about the processes of making a production, working closely with our performing arts technician and show directors. There is the opportunity to run all elements of our shows including lighting, sound, set, costume and make-up.
Studio Productions
YEARS 10 - 13
This club is a great opportunity for Upper School pupils to stage smaller scale productions in our Drama Studio. Pupils take on medium and larger-sized acting roles and hone their performance, design and technical skills. Rehearsals are great fun and take place during lunchtimes and after school. Recent productions include Blithe Spirit and Shakers
Sixth Form Drama
Ambassadors
YEARS 12 - 13
A leadership opportunity for post-16 pupils where they coach younger pupils. Ambassadors choose a role which can include assistant direction or choreography for productions. They assist in Drama lessons, represent the Department at key events through the year and lead the annual House Drama competition.
There are so many opportunities to be involved in Music at Henry’s. With over 20 groups and ensembles, and fabulous tours and performances, there is something for everyone.
Tours and Events
The Music Department goes on tour every two years taking a varied programme with them. Recent tours went to Prague where we performed in the same church where many of Mozart’s pieces were premiered and Venice where we accompanied a service in the beautiful St Mark’s Cathedral. On non-tour years, we perform a fantastic gala concert in the Butterworth Hall at the University of Warwick. This is a full-sized symphony concert hall and is a joint event between the Senior and Junior Schools featuring around 500 performers in front of an audience of over 1,000 people.
Senior Orchestra
INSTRUMENTALISTS GRADE 4 AND ABOVE
The Senior Orchestra performs in all concerts with a varied repertoire. Recent performances include Mozart’s overture to The Magic Flute, Vaughan Williams’ Folk Song Suite and the annual Christmas performance of Sleigh Ride. The Orchestra also accompanies our concerto performances given every year at the Summer Concert by our outstanding Year 13 students.
Junior Choir
YEARS 7 - 9
A fun choice for mixed voices. All pupils are welcome to come and sing a vast array of repertoire from show tunes to the latest blockbusters.
Senior Choir
YEARS 10 - 13
The School’s flagship choir, Senior Choir performs a wide repertoire including show tunes, classical and 20th century music. The choir recently performed the world premiere of a piece especially written for them in a gala concert in the Butterworth Hall at the University of Warwick.
Barbershop
A group of male voices that explores close harmony singing through a variety of traditional and modern works.
Henry’s 9
A chamber choir for female voices made up of the best singers in the School who perform a variety of different repertoire.
MUSIC
Outdoor Education Club
YEARS 7 - 8
This is an opportunity for our pupils to experience weekly fun-filled adventures both inside and outside (in the Yurt). Pupils develop their leadership skills and improve their physical, social and mental wellbeing.
Activities include fire lighting, cooking over open fires, cutting tool workshops, creative activities, nature art activities, rocket building and launching, campcraft, rope work, outdoor first aid and so much more.
Orienteering Club
YEARS 7 - 9
Pupils learn the skills of orienteering through a variety of fun activities. This includes how to read a map, map folding, orienting a map, taking a compass bearing, directional awareness, speed vs accuracy and much more. There will be a variety of orienteering courses both on our school site and at local parks with permanent orienteering courses. Pupils will be entered into competitions if they would like to compete.
Climbing Club
WE HAVE THREE CLIMBING CLUBS: YEARS 7 - 8, YEARS 9 - 13 AND YEARS 10 - 11 (GCSE)
Pupils practice and learn about the sport of indoor climbing on our very own climbing wall. With around 30 routes for bottom roping ranging in grade from 3+ up to 6b with routes being changed on a regular basis. Climbers also have the opportunity to pursue the sport of bouldering and we hold an annual bouldering competition. We offer trips to other indoor climbing walls and an annual climbing trip for our older pupils. For GCSE pupils, there is an opportunity to fine tune their climbing skills and technique in the GCSE climbing grade. Pupils learn about coaching climbers and working towards accredited National Governing Body awards in the sport.
Sports and Outdoor Education Leaders
Pupils work towards an accredited award in this club and further develop their leadership skills through a variety of games and activities, as well as leading activities and events for activities for younger pupils including Junior School pupils throughout the academic year.
Other Sports Clubs
Fantasy Football Club
Pupils test their football knowledge and compete head to head against one another.
Girls’ Rugby
JUNIOR: YEARS 7 - 9
Lunchtime practice to start building towards rugby tournaments in March. It’s like netball but with a bit more ‘bosh’!
SENIOR: YEARS 10 - 13
Lunchtime practice developing Rugby 7s teams ready for the 7s season in the Spring term.
Gymnastics Club
Fun, fitness and opportunities to increase co-ordination, balance, strength, self-confidence and self-motivation.
Miss French, an ex-county squad gymnast and a Level 2 British Gymnastics coach runs the club and specialises in Women’s Artistic squad coaching. There is a wide range of equipment available including A-bars, P-bars, vault, beam and rings.
Pétanque/Boules Club
A lunchtime society where pupils play pétanque, a game similar to bowls but with smaller, metal balls that players aim to get near to the jack or cochonnet. Pupils can develop their skills as pointeur or tireur and find out what the ‘baguette’ is used for.
Table Tennis Club
This lunchtime activity gives pupils the opportunity to develop their table tennis skills. Hand eye coordination and quick reactions all play their part as pupils enjoy this fun game in a sociable environment.
Walk for Wellbeing
A weekly walk in the Memorial Park to recharge the batteries, chat with friends and refresh the mind.
Weightlifting Club
Weekly sessions with the goal of learning how to Snatch, Clean and Jerk.
Biology A Level Masterclasses
YEARS 12 - 13
Sessions focus on specific topics each week to ensure students are ready for assessments and A Level exams. Students may be invited to attend or can just drop-in.
Biology Extension Group
YEAR 12
A Summer term club to extend Biology understanding beyond the A Level specification. There is an opportunity to take the Intermediate Biology Olympiad at the end of Year 12 and Biology Olympiad in Year 13.
Junior Chemistry Club
YEARS 7 - 8
One lunchtime each week pupils have the opportunity to try something different and gain useful practical skills, whilst having fun. There are plenty of handson activities such as making oil paints, glass, bath bombs and soap as well as experiments and demonstrations to support Chemistry lessons.
Chemistry Olympiad and Cambridge Chemistry Challenge
YEARS 12 - 13
Weekly lunchtime sessions to provide a challenging forum for Year 13 to prepare for the Chemistry Olympiad. During the Spring term Year 12 are encouraged to participate in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge. Sessions involve dissecting difficult questions from past papers.
SCIENCE
Crest Science Club
Pupils develop a sense of curiosity by completing a real-world STEM project. Completing Bronze, Silver and Gold certified awards look great on any pupil profile.
Medical Society
YEAR 12
MedSoc is a hugely popular lunchtime club for students interested in a career in Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Medicine.
Our objectives:
• Help to prepare for the application process
• Support preparation for Admissions Tests
• Help to prepare for interviews
What is covered:
• Choosing your Med School – thinking about strategic applications and balancing this with teaching style, locations and other factors.
• Life as a Doctor, Dentist or Vet – a range of visiting speakers: undergraduates and Junior Doctors/Dentists.
• The NHS – hot topics and structures
Ethics:
• Looking at scenarios and how to approach them (the 4 Pillars)
• Reflective practice
• Looking at the Gibbs’ Cycle to help with Personal Statement writing
• Aptitude tests
• How to register/how to prepare
• Presentation skills
Students lead presentations to develop confidence, knowledge and understanding (excellent preparation for selection interviews).
At the start of Year 13, we also hold a Mock Interview Evening to help prepare for the real thing.
ROBOTICS
We are one of the country’s leading schools in the field of robotics, winning both the Junior and Senior National Championships in 2024. Our senior team were also UK triple crown winners in 2023 and became the most successful UK team ever at the World Finals in Dallas, USA.
VEX Robotics
Pupils learn to design, build, code and drive amazing robots in challenges against the clock. We take part in a new VEX game each year and compete in their global competition. We have several robotics arenas and a dedicated junior robotics suite, run a local primary robotics league, host one of the largest regional competitions and regularly qualify for the UK National and World Finals.
Dungeons & Dragons (D&D)
A co-operative role-playing game where pupils work together with other players to go on adventures in the D&D universe.
Food Group
YEAR 7
An informal gathering to have lunch together which takes place outside during the better months in the Summer.
Geography Society
YEARS 12 - 13
An informal opportunity for students to ask for help, support or extension opportunities to support University applications in Geographyrelated courses.
History Society
The chance for pupils to explore areas of History not covered in curriculum time. Pupils carry out research and mini presentations about a topic of their choice which then feed into the School’s History magazine which Sixth Form editors take a leading role. There is also an opportunity to enter the Historical Association’s annual Great Debate competition.
History Club
Activities that differ from the classroom to encourage pupils to develop an enjoyment of History. These include creative projects like building a medieval castle and making a board game.
Italiano
Conversational Italian where pupils have a virtual tour of Italy and practice ordering food and drinks, and how to introduce themselves.
Junior Classics Club
This club enhances pupils’ understanding of the ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian world and immerses them in ancient myths and legends as well as modern retellings and creative interpretations through arts and crafts, puzzles, escape rooms and drama.
Law Society
The Law Society enables pupils to experience law in action as real-world cases are investigated and a variety of contemporaneous topics are debated. Henry’s competes in the National Mock Trial Competition against other independent schools at crown courts to play out a criminal case taking the role of barristers, witnesses and other vital members of criminal proceedings.
Linguistics
A lunchtime club that delves into the exciting world of minority languages from across the world, from scripted languages to hieroglyphics. We enter the Linguistics Olympiad and recently won three bronze awards.
Maths Club
YEARS 7 - 10
Pupils learn exciting uses for Maths outside the classroom through arts and crafts, games, puzzles and even magic tricks. The club also tackles some Maths Challenge problems.
Maths Enrichment
YEARS 11 - 12
Pupils prepare for Maths Challenges and Olympiads as well as entry level preparation for University entry papers.
Maths Mentoring
This is aimed at particularly able Mathematicians to support them in tackling challenge problems from Olympiads and similar challenges.
Model United Nations
An exciting opportunity for pupils to engage with a variety of different skills from debating to public speaking as well as considering the legally and politically important legislation relating to topics of the day. Pupils take on the roles of different members of the UN General Assembly and negotiate in the best interests of their state and the world. There is a final competition in Oxford between different schools.
National Cipher Challenge
People have been using ciphers and codes to send secret messages for thousands of years. The National Cipher Challenge gives pupils the opportunity to crack the code with language, maths and programming skills, and compete with teams and individuals from across the country.
NCH Philosophy Certificate
YEAR 9
The NCH Philosophy Certificate is an opportunity for pupils to take their learning further in the field of Philosophy and stand them in better academic standing in their subjects across the board. This is also a chance to explore a topic or issue of their own choosing and develop their essay writing, project planning and reference use skills to a level beyond their peers.
Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) Society
A society for exploring, analysing and considering current affairs through the interconnected disciplines of Philosophy, Politics and Economics. Key questions are explored arising from today’s society, enabling pupils to enhance their critical thinking, debating and research skills.
Psychology Workshop
A drop-in support session for pupils every Monday lunchtime delivered from the departmental base in the Sixth Form centre.
Public Speaking & Debating Club
YEARS 12 - 13
An after school club that covers the analysis and construction of logical arguments as well as how to present and respond to arguments under timelimited conditions. Topics chosen are relevant to today’s society, including social media, climate change and democracy.
Puzzle Club
Pupils can test their brainpower as they investigate logic puzzles from basic sudoku to more complicated puzzles from around the world.
STEP/MAT/TMUA Preparation
YEAR 13
This is invaluable support for students who will take the Sixth Term Examination Paper (STEP), Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT) and Test of Mathematics for University Admissions (TMUA) in preparation for university applications.
The Marketing Squad
At the forefront of our news is the Marketing Squad, a team of pupils who attend many of the School’s activities, creating video snippers, interviews and photo montages. News is shared on the intranet and on our social media channels. Look out for the termly ‘social media takeover’.
Vanguard Society
YEARS 10 - 13
The Vanguard Society develops a broad academic interest in all subjects within the curriculum and outside of it. It is closely linked to the scholars.
World Languages
Learn new languages from around the world including Panjabi, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese and Mandarin.
Young Explorers
YEARS 7 - 9
A Geography-based club that uses games and quizzes to expand global knowledge. The club also practices for the World Wise Geography quiz team, competing against other schools.
Young Journalists
ALL
YEARS
Pupils can be part of an inaugural team designing, researching and editing a pupil-led newspaper. Led by inquisitive pupil journalists, the newspaper reports on all things in our community, from current affairs to the latest sport fixtures. This is best suited for pupils who are eager to have a platform to express their opinions and improve their writing skills.
