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Sherborne Girls runs a comprehensive Adventure and Leadership programme, building on the success and growth in popularity of our well-established expedition culture.
Our youngest girls in Years 7&8 (L4 & U4) regularly participate in challenging pursuits which aim to develop self-confidence, teamwork, outdoor skills and promote a healthy relationship with the environment. One of their early experiences here is an outward-bound weekend during which the girls get to know one another as well as experience the excitement of the great outdoors.
Girls in Year 9 (L5) have timetabled Adventure and Leadership sessions where they will pick up key skills required to look after themselves indoors and out; building towards two summer term expeditions. The extensive programme includes a number of day and night walks, environmental projects and other exciting activities such as coasteering, tree climbing, orienteering, sea kayaking and sailing. Girls in Year 9 (L5) are also expected to spend an hour a week volunteering their time in a way which benefits the wider community.
All of these activities link very well with the nationally recognised Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme (DoE) and girls in L5 will have the option to enrol in the DoE Bronze Award.
Girls in Year 10 (M5) also have the opportunities to enrol on the Sports Leaders Award and the DoE Silver Award which will include a 3-day walking expedition on challenging terrain in the UK.
Opportunities for leadership development extend further with many pupils in Year 11 and above participating in student led initiatives such as Model United Nations (MUN), the Young Enterprise Scheme, debating society and charitable fundraising activities. Girls can also sign up to the very popular DoE Gold Award. Recent years have seen a huge surge in the variety of expeditions available, including walking expeditions on Dartmoor, Exmoor and the Yorkshire Dales, mountaineering trips to the Picos de Europa in Northern Spain, cycling expeditions in Northern France and paddling expeditions on the River Wye and the Great Glen.
In addition to our Adventure and Leadership programme, we offer our students a wide range of opportunities for personal growth which go far beyond the classroom.
Girls can apply for a place on one of our many exchange programmes, the source of new cultural experiences and many lifelong friendships. Year 9 (L5) girls may exchange with students at Branksome Hall in Toronto and Sherborne Qatar; Year 10 (M5) can participate in an exchange with Launceston Church Grammar School in Tasmania and Year 11 (U5) girls can apply to the exchange with St Peters School in Adelaide and St Marys in Johannesburg. For the younger years, there is a one-day exchange with the local state school in Sherborne, The Gryphon School.
There are overseas expeditions to places such as India and parts of Europe, during which girls will deliver projects to help the local communities, while developing the skills of leadership and team working. The school also participates in the Warriors Accelerated Scholarship Programme, enabling three girls to travel to South Africa for eight days to undertake adventure and eco-tourism projects, while building social skills, entrepreneurship and work-readiness. Speaking about a trip that their daughter had been on, a parent said:
It really was a life changing experience for our daughter. She has gained hugely in confidence and become so much stronger mentally; the benefits will be with her for the rest of her life.
Gap year possibilities with our partner schools abroad provide further opportunities for personal development. We work across departments and outside the school to identify individual and group volunteering and language opportunities, helping girls to develop a ‘can-do’ attitude, and contributing to UCAS applications.
For more details, please email Amanda Mackintosh Head of Outreach and Community Liaison at [email protected] or call 01935 818323.
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