What's the take up of extra curricular activities at your child's school?

[seeker]

And how do you know what activities there are? Does your school tell you about fixtures and training?

The take up at ds's school is woeful- 4 turned up for year 7 boys's rugby yesterday out of 90 odd possibles. And football last term wasn't much better ? they could muster a team for fixtures, but hardly any came to training. The facilities and coaches are, as far as i can tell, excellent. There are about 6 regularly at Art club, and and a rotating handful at book club, so it's not just a sport thing.

I want to go to the school with some suggestions about how get more kids involved- but I don't know whether I'm expecting the impossible. Any ideas?

I have no idea how many DCs turn up at the clubs at DD1s school, but there was huge frustration amongst parents voiced at meetings, that the parents just didn't know what was available, and so couldn't encourage, or even have a conversation with the DCs about what was available.

So, a full timetable of possibilities has been posted on the school website, with times, year groups etc, and posters put up in the public areas of the school. The PE block and theatre are used a lot by the community, so are a good place for posters and info to be sited. The local paper was also good at putting in small news pieces about what was going on, and adding in a couple of photos from time to time.

So far, it's made a noticeable difference, more DCs in the clubs, and for me, what's better is that I know DD can try things out if she wants. All clubs at the school are free, which might make a difference, though that means they are massively reliant on the good will of the teachers!

I think the problem is that many parents/children simply don't know what's going on. Solved at my DS's school by putting it on the website and sending home a comprehensive list at the end of summer term so they can get started quickly in September.

At DS's school: adequate in the school teams, about 60 in the drama club, 3 in the environmental club!

There is seemingly a huge range of extra curricular activities at DC S London comp: Fencing, animation, rock band, any number of musical clubs, bands, choirs and orchestras, chess, dance, boys only dance, football, gilrs only football, drama, STEM, and many others, from before school, during breaks and after school.

Take up seems good.

How it works:

We were introduced to some of the activities during our Induction Interview in the run up to starting school. Each new pupil and parent/s has a long one-to-one interview with a member of staff, to go through all sorts of issues - all the usual policies and procedures, how to get uniform, a cashless lunch card etc, who you friends are, and they also covered what you are interested in. They then offer the chance to sign up for some of the after school clubs there and then..
They circulate a timetable amongst pupils, send one home, and put it on the website.
They put photos and news of activities in a range of clubs in the 'news' section of the website
They thus let it be known that various clubs go on exciting trips and get interesting opportunities
They arrange performance opportunities, and a stupendous school concert for the musical groups.
All the clubs are free except the occasional musical one run by an outside agency. (e,g we pay £30 per term for the weekly 2 hour rock band tuition club) All are free to students on FSM.

Most pupils live within a 20 minute walk from the school, so transport and getting home is not an issue.

The school my DD's go to has a huge array of after school sporting activities of which my two do Netball. Well, DD1 did until this term as they are finding it harder and harder to get the team to commit with exams coming up. They did very well to run the team from Y7 to Y11 (I think they have been the only year to do this so far).

But as these are after school activities the only children who can do them are the ones who can be collected afterwards or live close enough to walk. So I don't think it's a case of children not being bothered to do them but the logistics of getting them home afterwards.

At my DSs' school it is compulsory to take at least one co-curricular activity and there is a space on the report for it to go. Loads of kids do loads more than one though. The list for each year is on the website. It's more about the ethos of the school though - full of motivated kids and motivated staff.

DS's school has a "freshers fayre" type thing for the year 7s with stalls in the school hall to show them what's available and there is plenty of information on the school website about what is happening.

When new activities start teachers will certainly encourage pupils to come along - the debating society is new and the teacher running it has asked DS to try it.

There is masses of stuff going on and all seems to be well attended.

It's pretty huge at our school. We get a termly email, giving a terms advance, and you have to decide there and then, tick what your child wants to do and return it ASAP, it's on a first come first served basis.

There are loads of activities after school at my Ds4 primary
As he is the youngest & the other 3 are much older & can sort themselves out DS4 goes to an activity 4 out of 5 days. He adores all of them... Obsessed by some in fact!
It's great for me as it means I don't have to pick him up until 4.30 on the 4 days, so I can get more work done.
School email all the activities, letters sent out each half term. DS seems to know what's going on, even if I don't.

About 90% of children at DS's school (he is in Y8) stay for one activity each night - (there are 4 or 5 different activities or sports on offer as well as prep). Some children don't do any - ever.

Parents are informed what activities are happening in first newsletter of each term, this is also on the school website. Some activities change termly, some are on year-round (choir for example).

Agree that making parents more aware of what is on offer is key.