Enrichment

CCF

• Third Form – Compulsory
  Sixth Form – Additional option to complement A Level choices

Priding ourselves on offering all three Combined Cadet Force sections – Royal Navy, Army and RAF – our students get the flexibility to decide for themselves which path to take. Starting in the Third Form, they get a general introduction to each section, before deciding on the one they wish to pursue. Whichever cadet path they choose, their involvement in the CCF at the School will help to develop self-discipline, responsibility, self-reliance, resourcefulness, endurance, perseverance, a sense of service to the community and leadership skills.

All three sections have a common core of drill, navigation and skill at arms. Beyond that, the Royal Navy section specialises in lifesaving, sailing and powerboating, the Army section in infantry skills and tactics and the RAF in flight training, including gliding and flying. In addition, membership of the Signals and Shooting teams is open to all, from any section.

Our CCF programme runs on Wednesday afternoons during term time, but there are numerous opportunities outside of this time to get involved, including field trips, overnight exercises and longer excursions to military bases, adventure training camps and even overseas trips to the likes of Borneo, Brunei, Nepal and the United States.

Drama

The School is renowned for the quality of its theatrical productions, providing our young performers with a fantastic platform to showcase their acting abilities. We encourage students from all age groups to get involved, culminating in West End calibre performances that the whole School community comes together to enjoy.

Alternating between plays and musicals, both our Junior and Senior productions encourage our students to explore their imagination, giving them the freedom to be creative and learn how to engage and entertain an audience. The ability to perform alongside students in other year groups provides excellent social opportunities, helps to build their confidence and reinforces our community values. In recent years, our productions have included musicals such as Chicago, Les Misérables and The Sound of Music as well as plays such as Blue Stockings, Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet. All of these saw sold-out performances in our purpose-built, 200-seat Baughan Theatre.

Our students are also offered the opportunity to take the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) examinations, providing them with a widely-recognised qualification and equipping them with key performing skills to enhance their development as young actors. LAMDA examinations are about achievement and empowerment and we frequently achieve a 100 per cent pass rate.

The Drama department regularly invites professional companies into the Baughan Theatre, so that our budding actors can witness how touring companies set up and organise their shows. This can be of particular benefit for those interested in other aspects of stage production, who can also join the School’s technical crew to learn more about creating, designing and building a set, along with extending their knowledge about lighting and sound engineering.

Music

The Music School is a hive of activity where our student musicians strive to achieve their very best. With a genuine love of music, an appreciation for hard work and an inspiring atmosphere, our Music department truly stands out.

We encourage all our students to learn a musical instrument and, through our network of skilled peripatetic teachers, no instrument is off-limits. With termly concerts, both formal and informal, our young musicians are given regular opportunities to showcase their talent across a multitude of musical disciplines. Whether performing as part of an ensemble, such as our Chapel Choir, Orchestra or Strings Group, or as a solo performer, our music provision encourages the very best from our students.

Hosting performances in the Chapel, as well as Groves Hall, we regularly invite our community to enjoy the musical talents of our students. Further afield, we have performed at prestigious venues including St John’s Smith Square and Westminster Abbey and our Chapel Choir has enjoyed tours to Amsterdam, Prague and Rome, allowing them to sing in venues such as the Pantheon and St Peter’s Basilica.

Trips

Exploration, in any form, is always an important part of learning. Experiencing different cultures, surroundings and social situations gives our students a more tangible appreciation of the world outside of their educational bubble, helping them to become true global citizens.

Throughout the academic year, a variety of trips are planned to include art workshops, West End theatre experiences and educational conferences designed to increase academic learning and enhance the students’ knowledge.

We also schedule many longer trips, often abroad, to immerse our students in different cultures, languages and experiences. In recent years, these have included History trips to Poland and Russia, Modern Foreign Languages stays in Spain and Chile, as well as skiing trips, sporting tours and adventure training trips.

Activity Programme and Volunteering

Our comprehensive activities programme gives pupils the opportunity to enjoy enriching pursuits that extend and develop their skills, pushing the boundaries of their capabilities. Each term, they are given the freedom and flexibility to choose from an extensive range of activities; whether they are creative, academic, curious, active or simply looking to try something new. Every Wednesday afternoon, students take part in their chosen activity, through a variety of clubs, forums and societies. From Critical Thinking to Cardiovascular Training, Shooting to Sustainable Fashion – there is an activity for every passion.

Our Lower Sixth Form students can also opt to do a short course in Volunteering and Service on a Wednesday afternoon, combining the more practical aspect of volunteering, in which students find their own placements, and build a portfolio of written theory work. Our volunteering programme not only cultivates independence and self-discipline but also strengthens the community spirit that characterises all that we do at Sutton Valence. Some examples of recent volunteering placements include:

• Assisting in care homes for the elderly
• Teaching assistant in primary, preparatory and nursery schools
• Working in charity shops
• Work within charitable organisations doing administrative work
• Undertaking gardening projects within organisations such as schools and care homes where such projects are not affordable for the institution
• Litter picking around the village
• Students have also worked at various sports clubs and other venues on a voluntary basis outside of School time.

Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award

Completing the Duke of Edinburgh award, at any level, is a life-changing experience. Designed to be fun, an opportunity to discover new interests and talents and a tool to develop essential skills for life and work, the DofE is a recognised mark of achievement respected by employers.

The DofE can be completed at three progressive levels; Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each level involves several components focused upon helping the community, becoming fitter and developing new skills, as well as planning, training and completing an expedition. Students undertaking their Silver and Gold awards enjoy trips to the Lake District where they can truly test their navigation and teamwork abilities.

Completing the DofE award undoubtedly instils some incredible qualities in our students, including independence, collaboration, resourcefulness and commitment, enhancing their future prospects.

Extended Project Qualification

• Sixth Form – Optional

To enrich and enhance our Sixth Form students’ UCAS applications, we offer them the chance to undertake an optional Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). Designed to be fully driven by the students themselves, the EPQ study facilitates a more mature approach to learning, in which the students can choose the topic of study and carry out independent research to support their final submission. Their project can be a 5000-word written report or an artefact, such as a film, play script, lecture, exhibition or a piece of art.

Once the EPQ has been completed, the respective projects are presented to their peers, where they can review their findings throughout their EPQ journey.

Leadership Skills and Opportunities

To create the best foundation for adult life, we encourage all our students to develop their leadership skills through a range of opportunities transcending their School lives.

For our younger students, this leadership focus may take the form of leading their chosen sports team out onto the field or simply navigating a challenging situation. In addition, through our successful vertical tutor group model, there are regular opportunities for students to help mentor others and provide guidance on all aspects of School life. This is particularly relevant when students reach Sixth Form when their leadership abilities are truly tested as they are invited to take on roles such as Prefects and Heads of House, where they can build upon all they have learnt over their time at SVS and help lead the School community.

The feeling of empowerment that these leadership opportunities creates is an invaluable learning experience, not only teaching compassion, patience, consideration and intrinsic motivation but also promoting a sense of responsibility, self-reflection and ownership.