A continuous programme of extra-curricular activities runs throughout the year in a range of sports. The programme changes to suit the seasons and is available to all pupils.
At Lymm High School we are proud to offer a range of activities for students to take part in sport and physical activity at lunchtime, after school and Saturday morning rugby fixtures. Some students may also get the opportunity to take part in sports trips to Europe and even as far as South Africa. Other than keeping your body physically fit and healthy there are a multitude of additional benefits for taking part in extra-curricular clubs:
- Enhanced academic attainment
Extracurricular sport can help students develop their focus, psychological stamina and an ability to deal with a variety of situations. These are all clearly traits required for academic exams. Students who complete forty minutes of extracurricular sport a day are more inclined to have higher levels of academic improvements than those who do irregular or no extracurricular sport a day (Salkid et al 2008).
- Seek out new talents
Extra-curricular sport is a fantastic opportunity to teach students to go beyond their comfort zone and to explore hidden talents they didn’t know they possessed. If students engage with a wider range of extracurricular sport they are more likely to develop in confidence and overall satisfaction with themselves.
- Increased self-esteem
When we achieve success our self-esteem gets a boost. If during extra-curricular activities we can create a relaxed environment where learning new skills is fun and with some elements of competition, we promote success and self-esteem without pressure from assessment.
- Social freedom
With each new extra-curricular activity attended, the more students will socialise with their peers outside of the classroom setting. This allows them to create new relationships with a wider range of peers (Allen et al 2018). These social situations give students the chance to develop key social skills such as teamwork, listening and leadership.
- Constructive academic breaks
Extra-curricular sport offers students a chance to break away from everyday school life so they can recharge their batteries and top-up their motivation for when they return to studying (Bryant et al 2015). Giving the students the chance to ‘switch off’ their academic thoughts can be the relaxing break they need, and as we know, what better break is there for the body than exercise?
- Fundamental life experiences
Extra-curricular sport promotes vast amounts of essential life skills required by students. Within a controlled and relaxed environment, students can develop skills such as goal setting, teamwork, time management, prioritisation, problem-solving, analytical thinking, leadership and public speaking.
Please click here to see our latest extracurricular timetable.