Co-curricular activities sit outside regular classroom teaching which enhance and complement learning, allowing students to explore different areas of interests. They encompass things like music and the arts, sports, debating and more. While they may not form a direct part of the main curriculum, they’re certainly an important part of an all-round education.
Why do Co-Curricular Activities matter?
These efforts should not just be tacked on to the school day or considered ‘nice to have’. They help children to develop skills for life, from critical thinking to teamwork, time management and independent research. Co-curricular activities also contribute to overall physical and mental wellbeing, self-esteem and resilience, while cultivating a greater feeling of involvement in a school community.
At the same time, a shared interest often makes it easier for friendships to form.
Finally, far from being a distraction, co-curricular activities can actively contribute to and improve academic performance.
Co-Curricular Activities at St Joseph’s College
At St Joseph’ s College, we place a high value on this aspect of education and believe human resources in schools should focus on providing a rich co-curriculum. We’re proud of our own programme, which is part of our catholic ethos of educating the whole child. We fully understand that lifelong interests and passions often develop outside the classroom.
Student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with over 90% reporting that co-curricular activities (CCAs) challenge them, provide clear focus and help develop essential soft skills beyond the curriculum.
Year 12 student Nana shared:
“This term I joined the netball team. I’ve always enjoyed playing netball for games before I started Year 12, but I’d never been part of the actual team. Training definitely has a different feel to it than doing it just for fun, but it’s also more structured, which has helped me improve a lot. I’ve learned more about positioning, strategy, and how to play as part of a proper team. The team is really supportive, and the matches have been a great experience— even when they don’t go our way. It’s also been nice having a regular commitment outside of school work that’s active but still enjoyable. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season and seeing how much we can improve.”
Gabby, a Year 6 student, also reflected on her involvement:
“Co-curricular clubs are a fun thing to do and I like to keep busy and learn new things. The skills I learn in Orchestra and Prep Chamber Choir could help me in future activities and things I want to do in life.”
The success of our Co-Curricular Programme is evident in the outstanding achievements of our students across a range of competitions. At the Woodley Festival of Music and Performing Arts, both our Senior and Prep Chamber Choirs won their categories, earning exceptional scores of 96% and 97%—a clear reflection of the strength of our Music CCAs.
Our F1 in Schools teams have also excelled, with eight teams crowned London South Regional Champions over just three years. Last year’s team, Speed Divas, reached the National Finals and set a record for Fastest Car. This year, our teams Red Hot Rims and Lightning Lions also made it to Nationals, winning Best Reaction Time and earning a nomination for the Judges’ Choice Award.
These achievements highlight how co-curricular activities equip students with real-world skills in areas such as teamwork, innovation, and STEM.
Key Co-Curricular Activities:
- STEM – Standing for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – we are one of the leading STEM schools in Reading, with countless opportunities to get involved throughout the school. Our stimulating programme is designed to inspire and excite the coders, engineers, medics, scientists, and mathematicians of tomorrow.
- HaLe – This stands for Humanities and Languages Enrichment and encompasses Geography, History, Religious Studies, modern foreign languages, English, Latin and Classics, Economics and Business Studies. This is our newest society, but our school has already achieved a huge amount with it, from public speaking competitions to the Geographical Association Worldwise Quiz to our award-winning Young Enterprise Programme to students in Year 12, involvement in the European Youth Parliament and more. We have clubs focusing on everything from model-making to journalism and creative writing, debating and geography.
- The Arts – As one of the leading arts educational schools, we are always keen to encourage students’ creativity and help them to realise their artistic ambitions. To that end, we offer musical activities to interest everyone. For some of these, we ask pupils to audition first. Our school also wants pupils to develop a passion for the visual arts, and we have numerous opportunities for children to display their work. Meanwhile, we’re also proud of our drama offering, with first-class productions staged at our drama studio or theatre. Those who don’t fancy treading the boards can get involved backstage instead or learn about lighting or set design. Regular theatre visits support this element of our co-curricular learning.
- Sports and Outdoor Learning – As one of the best schools with sport facilities in the Reading area, we offer a wide range of activities to suit every child, whatever their ability or fitness level. At the same time, we understand the value of open-air education and want pupils to appreciate the great outdoors, in the interests of their mental and physical wellbeing. As part of this, we offer the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme, including the Gold Award for sixth-formers, and involving expeditions to places like the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia.
Our Enrichment and Student Extension programme
We refer to our co-curricular activities outlined above as STEP – our school-wide Student Extension Programme.
It gives students the chance to explore subjects outside the boundaries of the regular curriculum and work with peers who share their interests, as they challenge themselves to embrace new opportunities or improve skills they have already acquired. Through the programme, we aim to foster what we all our five C’s:
- Commitment
- Collaboration
- Confidence
- Compassion
- Communication
The success of the Enrichment and Extension programme is evidenced by outstanding achievements in various competitions. Year 10 student Nathan, a member of the Student Extension Programme (STEP) for Drama, successfully auditioned for the National Youth Music Theatre and will perform in Tuck Everlasting at the Birmingham Hippodrome. His acceptance into this prestigious programme showcases the effectiveness of STEP in providing talented students with the opportunities and mentorship needed to compete at the highest levels. Nathan said: “I’m really excited to get a taste of the rehearsal process in the professional world of musical theatre and meeting the rest of the cast & crew!”
Year 9 student Isla, part of the STEP Music Programme, secured a place in the National Children’s Orchestra, a testament to the expert training and enrichment opportunities provided by the College’s music extension initiative.
Learn more about our comprehensive approach at St Joseph’s and what we could do for your child. Browse our website to learn more about our admissions process and to arrange your visit today.
