At Eaton House The Manor Girls’ School we offer a comprehensive range of activities beyond the classroom: clubs and societies, visits and residential trips, inter-school sports tournaments and academic competitions.
The benefits of extracurricular activities are many and varied:
- Improved academic performance – by taking part in extracurricular activities the girls achieve higher grades and exhibit a more positive attitude towards academic studies than they otherwise might.
- Learning life skills – working in teams, problem solving, leadership, setting and achieving objectives.
- Increased self-confidence – entering competitions against their peers is a great way for students to improve their self-confidence (and not only for the winners).
- Exploring interests – today’s extracurricular activity might be tomorrow’s passion.
- A welcome break from school routine and a chance to socialise – clubs provide a safe and informal environment where the girls can bond and relax after a hard day of academic study.
Inter-School Competitions
Every year the girls compete in a variety of competitions against children from other prep schools around the country. Here are just a few examples:
IAPS Small Schools Netball Championships
With netball being our primary sport in the autumn term, we are not only keen to put out teams in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 for fixtures against other local prep schools; we also compete in national tournaments. In 2017, our Year 6 girls very much led by example by winning the IAPS Small Schools Netball Championships.
Gymnastics Competitions
As a result of recent investment in our gymnastics equipment and thanks to an experienced coach, our girls are rapidly going from strength to strength. Eaton House girls are now winning medals at competitions such as that hosted by Newton House Prep School.
SATIPS General Knowledge Quiz
Another national competition, the SATIPS General Knowledge Quiz, is entered each year by all the girls in Years 5 and 6. After they sit the quiz here at Eaton House, the papers are sent off and we eagerly await the results. With thousands of children entering, the competition is always fierce, but in 2017 we were delighted that two of our Year 6 girls made the top 20.
Cross-country Races
One of the fastest growing sports at Eaton House, in terms of popularity, is cross-country running. Over the past few years, our girls have achieved considerable success both individually and collectively. For example, in October 2018, our team of Year 3 and Year 6 runners began the season by winning the Garden House Cross Country event, and this was quickly followed by another victory for one of our Year 3 girls at the hotly contested Rosemead Cross Country race.
Hockey Tournaments
Over the past two years, Eaton House Girls’ School teams in Years 4, 5 and 6 have won their respective age groups in the Dolphin School Hockey Tournament, which features a number of local schools.
SATIPS Handwriting Competition
The girls have achieved a high level of success in the last few years with the quality of their handwriting. Although this is a national competition, Eaton House girls have regularly been in top spot or highly commended in their respective age groups. Two years ago, a member of the Girls’ School staff was also recognised in the teachers’ category!
Academic Competitions
In addition to all these competitions, the girls are encouraged to compete against their national cohort in areas such as science, creative writing and art. The feedback and praise received from judges is always well received and often inspires an increased passion for the relevant subject area.
