“Among the enrichment opportunities offered to students are the Close Reading Group and the Elite Challenge Award: opportunities for students from key stages 4 and 5 to engage in academically and intellectually challenging reading and research. They build skills in preparation for ELAT or similar examinations and Oxbridge applications. The award is achieved following a 90-minute assessment which demands both conceptual and linguistic analysis. Students have expressed their enjoyment and enthusiasm for writing at this standard with some successfully entering wider writing competitions or applying to Oxbridge colleges. Elite participation for mathematics and sciences are encouraged through STEM projects and mathematics or science Olympiads. A wide range of participatory opportunities exist across all areas of the curriculum, with clubs or external partnerships providing experience, challenge, and enrichment. Music plays a strong part in the life of the school with over forty ensembles. Students also have sporting and performance opportunities which include an annual dance show.” (NACE Challenge Award Assessment Report, September 2024)
Overview
Chelmsford County High School prides itself on offering a broad and enriching experience for students. To this end, we recognise that learning does not take place only in the classroom. Extra-curricular activities allow students to deepen their interests and broaden their horizons. It is for these reasons that we strongly advise students to become involved so they can become full members of the School community. A rich and vibrant culture of extra-curricular activities exists at the School. Students participate in activities during lunchtimes, after school and over weekends and many of these activities are led by students themselves. Such activities clearly feed into our mission and aims as a School. Crucially, these activities allow students to organise and take responsibility for events, thus allowing them to develop their leadership skills.
We have two main strands of extra-curricular work:
Academic Enrichment gives students the opportunity to develop their knowledge and love of their subjects beyond the syllabi they study in lessons. This can include subject focused work on one of our three Enrichment Days, lectures from visiting academics, regular societies led by staff or senior students and visits to galleries, museums, performances and sites of interest.
Wider Enrichment gives students huge opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge in ways that complement their success in their academic learning. CCHS is hugely proud of the range of activities we support; these range from Musical Ensembles, Dance, Drama and Sport to Duke of Edinburgh’s Award via our Global Citizenship work and our Year 12 Community Service initiative. Students are also involved in outreach to primary schools as part of our Fair Access Work, encouraging students from all backgrounds to apply to CCHS.