This story is sponsored by Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate.
The autumn term is in full swing at Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate, and new pupils are already enjoying all the activities that make it a unique place to learn.
Chapter House, which accepts children from three months old up to Year 5, is set within a campus offering over 100 enrichment activities on site, ensuring the engagement and enthusiasm of every child.
Two days a week before school, the school’s Sport Curriculum leader runs Wake Up, Get Up, Move Up, an energetic activity to develop physical and mental wellbeing.
There’s also a dedicated 45-minute slot each lunchtime for a wide range of activities, including football, swimming and gym and dance, as well as the science club, the art club and the Blue Peter badge club.
Two of the more popular activities are Digital Leaders and Mindful Moments. The KS2 Digital Leader Jedis help deliver a digital wellbeing message to their peers through assemblies and focus weeks, and the KS1 Digital Leader Padawans start their computing journeys by learning to build, program and play with robots and other hardware.
A teacher and pupils enjoy an outdoor lesson at Queen Ethelburga’s Chapter House school.
Mindful Moments focuses on mindfulness, which can boost concentration, lower stress and improve emotional regulation skills. Pupils take part in lots of child-friendly activities, such as guided meditation, simple massage and different breathing techniques.
With a trained specialist in Chapter House, all ages participate in Forest School sessions during the school year. Each class spends two hours a week over a half-term period learning through play, exploration, and discovery in a natural outdoor environment, including cooking on the fire pit!
After school, children can join Homework Club to have support from academic staff with their prep and every Wednesday there is a sporting activity linked to the main focus sports for the term.
Even more opportunities for enrichment are provided as part of the curriculum. The Accelerated Literacy and Mathematics activities have in the past included participation in the Quiz Club National Mathematics Championships and creating a school newspaper.
There are also frequent visits and presentations from professionals working across a range of scientific and related fields.
Girls singing in the choir at Queen Ethelburga’s Chapter House school.
Karen Kilkenny, Head of Chapter House, says that the wealth of extra activities is part of a deliberate strategy to provide a broad, dynamic and engaging educational experience for all of Queen Ethelburga’s pupils. She said:
“As every parent knows, there’s far more to children’s development than just formal education. Our traditional curriculum is of course excellent – our pupils do well academically – but we also do everything we can to ensure that their horizons are broadened well beyond the confines of the classroom.
“We want every one of our pupils to leave Chapter House and Queen Ethelburga’s with the best academic qualifications they can attain, but also with rounded personalities, enriched by the skills and abilities learnt during the many extra-curricular activities we provide.”
Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate was founded in 1912 and in 1991 moved to the Thorpe Underwood estate, between Harrogate and York, where it has what are widely regarded as some of the best educational facilities in the country. It welcomes children from three months old and supports them through its four schools: Chapter House (3 months to Year 5), King’s Magna (Years 6 to 9), The College and Faculty (both Years 10 to 13).
Find out more:
Queen Ethelburga’s will be holding a Whole School Open Morning on Saturday, September 30. One-hour tours begin at 9.30am and run every half-hour till 11am. After the tour, the academic and admissions staff will be available to answer any questions in The Atrium, where visitors can also enjoy a light lunch.
To book a place, go to the Queen Ethelburga’s website.
More open days will be held on November 18, January 27, March 9 and April 27.