We are extremely proud of the wealth of opportunities we provide for students to go ‘beyond the curriculum’, which exist to enhance their personal development and support their cultural and social awareness, so that can flourish into well-rounded individuals. This underpins our commitment to values, care and achievement. Below are examples of the types of experiences we can engage with, as well an example of our Extra-Curricular Timetable, which changes every term.
Sporting Opportunities
The school has an excellent sporting reputation and the PE department are committed to providing a varied range of extra-curricular activities, which change each half-term. There are a variety of opportunities available to students depending on whether they want to pursue competitive team practices and fixtures or take part in recreational sessions. With activities ranging from individual activities such as Boxing academy, trampolining and use of the fitness suite, to team sports such as netball, basketball, rugby and football. We also have a fantastic swimming pool where we offer extra classes after school for beginners, as well as offering the Rookie Lifeguard course to our strongest swimmers.
We have strong links to the primary schools within the MAT and our students are given the opportunity to become Sports Leaders by helping run primary events throughout the year. They receive leadership training and then will help to organise and officiate a variety of competitions.
As part of our Restart a Heart week every year, we give every pupil the chance to learn the lifesaving skill of CPR. Within their PE lessons, students learn how to recognise a cardiac arrest and what to do if they found an unconscious casualty. They are taught hands only CPR and how to use a defibrillator. We are a long-term supporter of the Yorkshire Ambulance service’s Restart a Heart Day and have volunteers from the emergency services come into school to assist with delivering this vital training.
The department also run Inter house competitions throughout the year where all students represent their houses in a variety of activities, such as, netball, football, basketball, swimming galas, orienteering and cross country. The year then culminates in the fantastic whole school Sports Day at the end of the summer term where we find out who wins the Inter house cup.
During Enrichment week, the PE department run off timetable days for each year group where students get the opportunity to experience different activities from organisations such as Speed Kix, Nerf, Olympian leadership, York Knights and York City.
Duke of Edinburgh
AHS prides itself on going ‘beyond the curriculum’ and this includes getting students outdoors! Mr Goldsmith, as well as other willing staff volunteers, work hard to ensure students can complete the Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE) should they wish.
Students can start their DofE journey by completing the Bronze award in Y10 and have the option to achieve the Silver award in Y12. The DofE is a fun, challenging and rewarding experience for all involved and gives participants an opportunity to improve their communication, problem solving, map reading and interpersonal skills.
Arts and Crafts
Our Art and Textiles departments are second-to-none and teachers are happy to give up their time at lunch and after school, so that students can take part in a variety of activities, examples of which include:
- ‘Quick Draw’ and animal drawing clubs for Key Stage 3 students challenge students with a range of drawing techniques.
- Photography Club introduces year 10 students to digital SLR cameras and challenges students to shoot in full manual mode, controlling speed, aperture and the sensor settings.
- Needlecraft Club, which seeks to encourage students in developing their needlecraft and textiles skills.
- D&T Club which runs after school, allowing students to master their workshop skills.
- Food Tech Club, offers KS3 pupils the opportunity to perfect their culinary skills, making dishes such as pasta and apple and blackberry crumble.
Hobbies and Interests
Staff at AHS are committed to encouraging students to develop their hobbies and interests, as well as introduce them to new ones! In addition to some of the clubs on offer (of which, a few examples are listed below), staff also provide students with the chance to try something they’ve not experienced before, or spend time doing something they love on the final Friday of Enrichment Week. This might involve learning how to create henna art, or spending time lost in a good book for an hour.
Extracurricular Activities
- Allotment Club
- Feministas Club
- Speak up ‘Debate Club’
- Chess Club
- MFL Film Club
- QUILTBAGS
- YoYo
- Meanwhile…Elsewhere – History Club
- Poetry Club
- Further Maths
- Lego Friends
- Science Club
- Benevolent Buddies
- British Sign Language Club
- Book Club
Music and Performing Arts
Our Performing Arts team at AHS aim to provide a range of opportunities for all our students through acting, singing, dancing, performing in the Orchestra or Band or by working as part of the Backstage team, teaching students to use cameras, manage lighting and visuals required to enhance a performance. We have an outstanding reputation for our annual Musical shows, most recently, ‘Matilda’, ‘Fame’, ‘Sister Act’ and ‘Joseph’.
We aspire to engage and inspire students to develop a love of music and the performing arts and their individual talent, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement and we hope that these opportunities enable our students to play an active and positive role as members of the school and the wider community.
We have an extensive extra-curricular music programme which encourages all students to participate in weekly sessions. Instrumentalists can join the Junior or Senior Soul Band, Jazz Band, Orchestra, String Ensemble or Flute Choir. Students who don’t play an instrument are welcome to join the Soul Bands, Academy and Unity Choirs, Folk Band, Music Technology sessions. We invite staff and family members to join our Community Choir for the Carol Service at York Minster.
The students are also allowed to book practice rooms after school to further develop their solo/group performance skills on instruments they choose.
The Music department offers whole school concerts every year where all extra-curricular groups have the opportunity to perform their on-going work to a large audience and students are also invited to perform as part of the Worship Band to support the Easter and Christmas Services in school each year.
We offer a bespoke Primary Music outreach programme to all our MAT and feeder schools. Through this work we support a variety of creative projects which aids the transition process from year 6 to year 7. The Primary Schools are invited to sing with us at our annual Carol Service in York Minster.
Enrichment Week
A week with a twist…
Our annual AHS Curriculum Enrichment Week offers the whole school community the opportunity to work together in new and exciting ways. Through a mix of in-school and out-of-school activities we hope to get students ready to enjoy their summer holidays by providing enriching and fun whole-day experiences.
The week gives departments and subject teachers the opportunity to work with students in different ways that are not possible during the normal working day.
Whilst the structure of the week is fixed, the content varies every year, allowing us to timetable new and exciting topical, yet thought provoking, sessions.
Some students will be out of school on international experiences with school trips to places like Paris, Munich, Barcelona or even Vienna! Those remaining in school will take part in a varied programme, which includes two subject enrichment days, one sport enrichment day and a year group-based reward trip. The whole school then comes together on the final day for mixed activities chosen by the students from an enormous list of choices.
Trips and Visits
At Archbishop’s, we take great pride in offering an exceptional range of trips and visits both locally and internationally that play a vital role in enriching our curriculum and providing students with invaluable life experiences. These opportunities create lasting memories and form a key part of our commitment to the Personal Development of every student, inspired by the words of John 10:10:
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Our programme of educational visits begins in Year 7 and is designed to foster community, build confidence, and develop essential life skills. This marks the beginning of each student’s AHS Journey, a journey that continues throughout their time at Archbishop’s including in the Sixth Form ensuring that every young person flourishes both inside and outside the classroom.
Our residential opportunities are diverse and exciting, including annual ski trips, as well as planned visits to Naples, Iceland, and Uganda.
We also offer an outstanding programme of culturally enriching local trips for all 300 students in Year 9. Each term, a third of the year group takes part in these experiences on rotation, visiting sites such as York Minster, the National Railway Museum, the William Wilberforce Museum, and the Hull and Streetlife Museums. These trips provide students with unique opportunities to engage with art, history, and culture beyond the classroom.
At Archbishop’s, we are deeply committed to ensuring that no student is left behind due to financial circumstances. Through personalised payment plans for students eligible for Pupil Premium, we ensure that every child can take part. Our students have enjoyed memorable enrichment experiences in Liverpool, London, York, and Newcastle thanks to this inclusive approach.
The school also proudly participates in the Turing Scheme, having successfully secured placements in Sicily and Vienna. During these life-changing experiences, students spend two weeks immersed in a new culture, undertaking local work placements that build their confidence, broaden their horizons, and prepare them for Further Education and future employment.
At Archbishop’s, we wholeheartedly believe that learning extends far beyond the classroom walls. Our programme of educational visits and experiences enriches each student’s personal learning journey providing opportunities, skills, and memories that truly last a lifetime.
Select a year group for our extra-curricular and enrichment opportunities
Year 7 - Joining In
Starting secondary school can be daunting, this is why strong emphasis is placed on pupils joining in. Research has shown that social development ‘helps children learn and understand themselves as well as others and can adapt themselves to society appropriately.’ We believe that pupils joining the school community must have the opportunity to adapt, form friendships and make Archbishop Holgates their home.
Y7 pupils have enhanced encouragement to take part in extracurricular activities. We ask that all students participate in at least 1 extra curricular activity a week. This activity could be at either lunch time or after school.
In addition to extracurricular activities Y7 pupils are also presented with the following joining in development opportunities:
- Singletons Saturday – for pupils joining AHS individually or in a small group
- Residential trip – in the past these have been to activity centres
- Welcome Evening – for pupils and parents
- Y7 Christmas Fayre
- Carol Service at York Minster
- Whole School Rewards Celebrations at Christmas, Easter and Summer
- School Show
- Sports Day
- STEM Day
- Enrichment Week
- Bikeability
- Healthy Heart Week
- Inter House Competitions including a swimming gala, tech competition and football and netball tournaments
- Anne Frank Exhibition
Year 8 - Opportunities
When pupils progress into Y8 they feel more settled and confident within the school community. At this time it’s important to present pupils with a range of further opportunities to develop their character further. Opportunities presented are focused on allowing pupils to improve their independence and begin thinking about career/subject based opportunities that will be a key area when progressing into Y9.
Alongside the schools extensive extracurricular activity program, Y8 pupils look forward to have the opportunity to take part in the following:
- Language Trips to:
- Spain
- Germany
- France
- Ski Trip opportunity
- Volunteering at Open Evening – either within department areas or leading tours of the school for prospective pupils and parents
- Trading Game – Careers
- Christmas Fayre
- Carol Service at York Minster
- Whole School Rewards at Christmas, Easter and Summer
- Speech Night
- Healthy Heart Week
- Mental Health Week
- Inter House Competitions
- Sports Day
- Enrichment Week
- Yorkshire Wildlife Park (or similar during enrichment week)
- Anne Frank Exhibition
- UKMT Maths Challenge
- Flamborough Head Trip
- The Big Talk
Year 9 - Understanding Yourself and Others
Y9 is an important year here at Archbishop Holgate’s School, with some important decisions for pupils to make. Y9 is the year of choices and these can only be made using personal development undertaken throughout Y7 and 8. Pupils in Y9 will make decisions about their future career pathways and be provided with an education on the world around them and the importance of understanding others.
As well as continuing to enjoy the schools extracurricular program, Y9 pupils will have the opportunity to take part in/complete:
- An options assembly – to allow pupils time to process and begin to think about their next steps
- IAG Day – allowing pupils to experience GCSE options subjects not already embedded in the curriculum, assisting them to make informed decisions on their options choices
- Targeted Trips – we offer targeted enrichment trips aimed at widening the experiences of our disadvantaged pupils, helping them to develop confidence, self-awareness, and a deeper understanding of the world around them.
- Options Evening – focused on the final stage of option selection, giving opportunity for parents and pupils to meet with heads of department to ask questions in relation to potential subject choices
- Primary School PE Festivals
- An Inspector Calls Practical and Theatre Experience
- Speech night
- York Maze (or similar visit)
- Enrichment week
- Culture trip to Hull
- Culture trip on a York City Sightseeing Bus around York and visit to the National Railway Museum
- Nestle Workshop
- Industry day
- Residential trip to London
- School Show
- Restart a Heart Week
- Mental Health Week
- Minster Carol Service
- Whole school rewards celebrations at Christmas, Easter and Summer
- School Ski Trip
- International trip opportunity to Uganda
Year 10 - Responsibility and Resilience
Y10 presents an exciting time for pupils at Archbishop Holgate’s School. This year pupils begin their KS4 journey, start their option subjects and coverage of content they will need for their GCSE examinations. With the combined development undertaken between Y7 and Y9 pupils at Archbishop Holgate’s School are more than ready to take this next step. What comes with the transition into Y10 is that need for responsibility and resilience. As well as capturing this within our curriculum and extracurricular activities, we also embed it with further opportunities of enrichment.
Whilst many of the points identified below are repeated from KS3, our Y10 pupils are given greater responsibility and leadership opportunities to build and develop their progress on the AHS Journey.
Throughout Y10 pupils will have the opportunity to take part in:
- Oracy Workshops – for English speaking and listening exams
- A Christmas Carol theatre trip
- Restart a Heart Week
- Open Evening
- Inter House Competitions
- International trip opportunity to Uganda
- Ski Trip
- Targeted Trips
- Carol Service at York Minster
- Whole school rewards celebrations at Christmas, Easter and Summer
- Careers Fayre
- Hospitality and Catering Cookery School Day at The Grand Hotel in York
- Mental Health week
- Geography field trip to Leeds
- Geography Rivers field trip
- Hospitality and Catering – External visitors
- Work Experience week – pupils undertake a week’s work placement within career pathways of their choice
- Graphics Design Awards trip
- Sports Day
- Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award
- Sport Trip to Dalby Forest
- Theme park visit to Alton Towers
- The Big Talk
Year 11 - Next Steps
Whilst Y11 is a very important year for Archbishop Holgate’s pupils, the school would not be fulfilling its personal development obligations without ensuring the continued opportunities for pupils to develop and begin thinking about next steps. Pupils within school have a vast number of options available to them. The school has an outstanding 6th form provision or pupils can choose to progress into other education establishments, whether they be 6th forms or Further Educational Colleges.
The school encourages pupils to explore what next steps are available to them, whilst the school is thrilled when pupils choose to stay, we know that this isn’t always the right provision or environment for them.
Pupils in Y11 still have the ability to take part in the enriching extracurricular activities available to them. In addition, Y11 pupils can also look forward to the opportunity to take part in:
- IAG Days – spending the day as 6th formers and following a 6th form timetabled day
- IAG Meetings – Meetings with members of SLT designed to allow pupils to ask questions in relation to next step opportunities
- 6th Form Open Evening – to support the two previous ‘next steps’ elements, pupils, along with parents have the opportunity to attend an open evening
- External IAG Days – the opportunity to attend IAG days in external educational providers
- Careers Meetings – pupils in Y11 have access to the school’s career advisor, enabling pupils to explore additional next steps such as Apprenticeships and Levels
- Open Evening
- Restart a Heart Week
- Inter House Competitions
- Boggle Hole – revision residential
- School Show
- The Big Talk
- Whole school rewards celebrations at Christmas, Easter and Summer
- Ski Trip
- Triple Science Day
- Carol Service at York Minster
- Y11 Prom
- International trip opportunity to Uganda
- Results Day in August
Year 12 - Examples to Follow
Archbishop Holgate’s 6th form provision is one of the best within the city of York. Not only do pupils benefit from a broad curriculum but they become role models and leaders within the school community. Expectations of pupils within Y12 is high, the school prides itself with the expectations set of Y12 pupils, as it fulfils its educational and enriching responsibilities of ensuring pupils leave education as wholesome young adults.
Y12 pupils are still very much part of the school community and are invited to continue taking part in the school’s extracurricular program. In addition Y12 pupils have the opportunity to:
- Lead the schools open and progress evenings as tour guides/helpers
- Apply to be School Captains and leaders, filtering into subgroups which have specific areas of focus
- Academic Enrichment
- Arts Award
- Book Club
- Debate Club
- Duke of Edinburgh Award (Silver)
- Food
- Green Leaders
- Mental Health Champions
- Mentoring
- RE Enrichment
- RSE
- Sports
- Work Experience
- School Ski Trip
- Protective Services Army Look at Life Residential and Camping Expedition
- Geography Field Trip to York
- The Big Question
- York Minster Carol Service
- Forensic and Criminal Investigation visit to Bradford University
- Art trip to Edinburgh
- Politic trip to London
- Speech Night
- UCAs Discovery Day University of Hull
- Enrichment Week
Year 13 - Your Future
As time at Archbishops begins to come to an end, it’s important that we prepare our pupils for the wider world. Pupils are still very much part of the school community and have access to the wider curriculum, enrichment and extracurricular programmes. In addition and to ensure pupils are prepared for the future, they have the opportunity to take part in:
- Child Development Work Placements
- Business RAG Week Christmas Fayre
- Opportunity to complete Extended Research Project
- Geography field trip to London
- Travel and Tourism Visitor Attraction trips to Yorkshire Wildlife Park and Alton Towers
- Leavers celebration evening
- Prom
- Speech Night
- University Cooking Course at The Grand Hotel York
- Application Support and Evening in relation to UCAs and Apprenticeships
- Careers Advice and Guidance
- School Ski Trip
- Speech Night
- York Minster Carol Service
- Schools Open and Progress and Open Evenings
- Guest Speakers covering Gap Year’s
- Preparation for the workplace, including role play interviews and job application completion exercises