It's what goes on outside the classroom that really sets Independent schools apart from their maintained counterparts. Trips to far flung destinations, speech and drama, sports fixtures, and music concerts are just some of the extra-curricular activities that independent schools offer their pupils. Recent Independent Schools Council (ISC) research drew direct correlations between extra-curricular activities and academic performance based on a sample of 508 schools. It's never been a better time to take advantage of all the extra-curricular activities that independent schools in your area offer to pupils.

Some examples of the range of activities schools offer to pupils:
-James Allen Girl's School, Dulwich, currently have a Grade 1 Challenge where members of staff have been learning to play musical instruments from scratch with the aim to pass grade 1. Many teachers are in fact being taught by pupils themselves!
-Pupils at Taunton School, Somerset, are off to Thailand and Laos for5 weeks this summer as part of a 'gap style' adventure. They'll be living with the native Akha Hill tribe and working in their school for a week while also day trekking through the jungle learning to make jungle shelters.
-Dollar Academy, Clackmannanshire, allows pupils to join an onsite Falconry club giving them the opportunity to experience learning how to handle, fly and look after a variety of birds of prey. The students are then able to take a government recognised qualification (LANTRA Award).

Everything from speed stacking to knitting is offered by ISC schools in order to give pupils a more rounded educational experience rather than simply a classroom based one. Some activities serve as a welcome distraction from the classroom curriculum where as others compliment taught lessons with the term 'co-curricular' being used more and more by schools in order to demonstrate that what goes on outside the classroom is clearly linked to what goes on inside.

Duke of Edinburgh is also a scheme has been available to pupils for years but schools are coming up with more imaginative activities to keep the scheme fresh and current. University applications benefit from a personal statement laden with extra-curricular activities and students that demonstrate a commitment to an all-rounded education will generally fair better than those that don't take advantage of the opportunities available. Teamwork and leadership skills that are evident by a pupil's participation in something like CCF (Combined Cadet Force) are things that stay with a child for life. Just click on any school's website and you'll see examples of the array of activities on offer, enough to make any parent jealous!