Academic enrichment

Academic enrichment is at the heart of every lesson at St Helen’s; dialogue and discussion encourage curious and creative thinkers who make links within and across subjects.

Our teachers are subject experts, keen to explore topics from all angles and to share their fascination with our students, whilst well-paced lessons provide opportunities for all to challenge themselves and academic texts are broken down to make accessible to all. In addition, every department curates a selection of materials for The Helena Catalogue which provide suggestions of reading, listening, watching and visiting to enable students to develop a rich understanding of each subject.

Students can choose to follow The Helena Programme, a bespoke programme of academic enrichment tailored to suit their own scholarly interests and designed to generate an academic CV that facilitates successful applications to competitive universities.

Learn more about The Helena Programme:

The Helena Programme

Outside the classroom

Trips and visits

Students benefit from many different trips and visits which enrich the curriculum. For the Junior Department this might be a trip to the Cotswold Wildlife Park to learn about animal species from across the continents, while Sixth Form physicists visit the House of Lords to learn about the latest advances in engineering.

Competitions

Students enjoy participating in a range of academic competitions. From Crest Awards in science to Oxford and Cambridge essay competitions, there is something to engage every learner. These competitions provide a fantastic opportunity for students to engage in scholarly activity from Lower School right through to the Sixth Form and allow our students national recognition for their efforts.

Clubs and societies

Lunchtimes and after school sees an array of academic clubs and societies. Sixth Form students facilitate these opportunities for students in Lower School allowing them to mentor and engage younger students. In Middle School and Sixth Form subject teachers offer everything from Classics to Maths and from Biology to Creative Writing.

Lectures and Debating

Lectures and dinners throughout the year bring together students of St Helen’s with others from schools across the OX14 Learning Partnership to hear inspiring speakers and engage in debates. They provide the opportunity to hear experts in their fields and discuss their ideas in more depth.

Recent speakers include Professor Susan Doran of the University of Oxford, Laura Farris, former MP for Newbury and photojournalist Jeremy Hunter. The annual Radley Conference, Debating Dinner and joint subject society dinners are also invaluable as opportunities for sharing ideas.

Model United Nations (MUN)

MUN is an exciting simulation of the United Nations which develops students’ research and debate skills. Teams take on the roles of member countries to propose and discuss a range of resolutions. We also take part in a number of MUN conferences throughout the academic year.

Oxbridge support

Opportunities for academic enrichment, including the Helena Academic Programme, begin to prepare students for Oxbridge application and other competitive university applications from the very start of their school career. By Year 11 students have the opportunity to work with students from across the OX14 Learning Partnership at Oxbridge Club, a group that meets regularly to work on critical thinking skills and to hear from Oxbridge undergraduate students and admissions teams. In the Lower Sixth preparation begins in earnest as students are allocated a subject specialist to guide them through the preparation and application process. These specialists will guide them through supra-curricular opportunities and preparation for the personal statement, admissions tests and interviews.

Learn more about Oxbridge preparation:

Oxbridge

MedSoc

Our Medical Society (MedSoc) is an opportunity for all students from Years 11–13 to come and learn about careers in dentistry, veterinary medicine, medicine and allied healthcare professions. MedSoc meets once a week and students participate in a variety of sessions both onsite and externally in collaboration with the OX14 Learning Partnership. Sessions include career talks given by alumnea, practical sessions on the basics of suturing, interview practice, UCAT/BMAT preparation and personal statement support. Aspirant medical and veterinary students in Years 12 and 13 are supported extensively with their university applications and in interview preparation.