Extra-Curricular Opportunities
At Abingdon, our extra-curricular offer is shaped by our children. We listen to what they enjoy, what they want to try and what might prevent them from participating, and use this to design an offer that is broad, inclusive and accessible.
Importantly, our clubs are free. We do not want cost to determine which children can access enrichment, develop a talent or discover something new.
Our current offer includes:
Karate · Football · Gardening · Badminton · Afro Beats · CATS Dancing · Gymnastics · Table Tennis · Urban Gym · Roller Skating · Cycling
Removing Barriers to Participation
We recognise that after-school provision does not work equally well for every child or family. Rather than expecting families to fit around our systems, we adapt the offer around them.
Some clubs take place during breakfast club and at lunchtime, allowing children who cannot stay after school to participate. Others run at different times, including 4.15–5.15pm, giving children the opportunity to develop the commitment and responsibility that comes with belonging to a club over time.
Our roller-skating stay and play provides another flexible model. Parents and carers are invited to join in alongside their children, and families can leave when it suits them if they have other commitments before the official 4.15pm finish.
We also extend opportunities beyond the traditional school day through partnerships with community organisations. Our relationship with Middlesbrough Football Club provides opportunities such as the girls’ Tuesday evening session and the MFC Foundation Saturday morning session. This means our school continues to be a place where children and families can access positive experiences, activity and community beyond the formal school day.
More Than a Club
These opportunities are about much more than keeping children busy. They provide authentic opportunities to develop confidence, communication, teamwork, resilience, responsibility and commitment.
Children learn to turn up, participate, persevere, support others and take responsibility for belonging to something beyond themselves. For some children, this is the first opportunity to discover a talent or interest; for others, it is a chance to develop an existing passion.
This is our Abingdon ARCH in action:
Aspirations – discovering what they enjoy and what they might achieve.
Resilience – persevering, practising and learning from setbacks.
Harmony – participating, supporting others and belonging to a team or community.
Commitment – turning up, taking responsibility and seeing something through.
By creating opportunities at different times and in different ways, we aim to ensure that every child can participate.
Our extra-curricular offer is therefore another expression of our commitment to belonging, flourishing, thriving and achieving. We do not simply offer clubs; we create opportunities for children to find their place, develop their interests and discover what they are capable of.
