Co-Curricular

"An age-appropriate range of co-curricular opportunities at lunchtime and after school provides pupils with opportunities to develop skills for their future lives, make new friends and have fun."



ISI INSPECTION REPORT, FEBRUARY 2024

Learning Beyond The Classroom

At Dover College we are delighted to offer an exciting co-curricular enrichment programme made up of sport, academic societies, adventure, arts and charity. With over 50 activities spread out over the week, and with more at the weekends for boarding pupils, there is something to entertain, thrill, motivate and develop every pupil.

We strongly believe that pupils’ all-round development and readiness for life beyond school requires participation in a range of activities and experiences that are not delivered in the ‘regular’ curriculum between 8.30am and 4.20pm. Co-curricular activities therefore play a crucial role in a child’s development and we want all pupils at Dover College to have access to a range of experiences, which will add value to their education and experience at the College.  

The expectation is that every pupil will participate in at least one co-curricular activity every week. 

Most activities are open to all and it is worth checking out what we have on offer every day. With so much choice, here has never been a better time to develop hobbies, passions and interests to run alongside our academic curriculum. 

Listed below are the key areas of Round Square, Drama, Music and Sport. These will give you the ethos of each area and the flavour of what the college has to offer. Also included is a brief synopsis of each co-curricular activity listed on our Co-Curricular Timetable. Most enrichment is free apart from sessions run by outside providers. For these, a small fee will be added to your school bill.

Round Square

Each day after school, pupils are given the opportunity to take part in co-curricular activities designed to further their learning and understanding. Each activity complements one of the Round Square IDEALS of Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership and Service. 

For example, in order to improve their Leadership or Service skills, students may opt to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award or volunteer for the Charity Committee. If they want to gain a better understanding of Democracy, they may attend the Debating Club. Or, if they would like to learn how they can improve the environment around them, the activities in STEM club could allow them to do so.

Every year we take students off timetable for one week to take part in a Round Square Activity Week. Activities are varied, and include our annual sponsored walk along the famous White Cliffs.

Drama

Challenge and creativity are at the heart of our co-curricular Drama programme. Pupils are encouraged to explore all the opportunities Drama can offer, whether it’s performing in a school production, exploring the art of prop making, or creating performances that can tour to our feeder schools and local primary schools, there is something for everyone. 

Each year we alternate between a large school musical, and a classic play. In recent years we have put on productions of Beauty and the Beast and Legally Blonde The Musical. This year it is Oliver The Musical. In the Summer Term, our younger pupils have a chance to take part in an outdoor performance.  

We take pupils on trips to local theatres to see plays, as well as productions in London and further afield. LAMDA lessons are popular across the school, and pupils work towards their LAMDA exams.

Music

Music plays an important role in the life of the school with plenty of opportunities to learn, develop and share in music making activities. A team of instrumental teachers visit the school every week providing individual tuition on musical instruments of all shapes and sizes. There are opportunities to share in fun and the satisfaction of performing together in ensembles, ranging from rock bands through to traditional ensembles. The College Choirs rehearses weekly. Our chapel services and concerts cover a wide range of repertoire from classical to pop and musicals. For those not so keen on performing, the school has a suite of iMac computers running music production and composition software.  

If you are a budding future professional musician or just want to foster a lifelong, enriching hobby,  you will find a musical home here at Dover College.

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