Co-curricular: Confidence, resilience and independence
Co-curricular at CLC
Confidence, resilience and independence for life
Podcast Episode 16
In this episode of our Fearless Conversations Podcast, Co-curricular Director, Mr James Pothecary, reflects on the breadth, purpose and impact of co-curricular life at CLC, drawing on over two decades of experience at CLC and more than ten years leading the programme.
"We're trying to embody excellence, independence, and that empowerment and inspiration in the education of women. Without the Co-Curricular Programme, I don't think you can do that... It's part of what makes education really special at CLC.” - Mr Pothecary
Pastoral wellbeing, academic learning and co-curricular activity are three interconnected and important strands of a CLC education.
"I would say without a doubt, the most important of those is the pastoral side. Because without the students being happy and settled and feeling good in themselves, they're not going to achieve in anything else... But once you come away from that, I like to think that there's no importance given to the academic above the co-curricular or vice versa. They work together. They complement each other.”
“So you might have some real high flyer in an academic, let's say, in an academic chemistry lesson, somebody wants to go off and do chemistry at university, or maybe it's English at university. The Co-Curricular Programme complements that. It's part of their education. The student's education is enriched by the co-curricular and its links. It's so difficult for me to even try and separate them." - Mr Pothecary
Performance plays a particularly powerful role in students’ development, whether on stage, on the sports field or in academic forums.
"I think that it really accelerates them as an individual. It's not just about knowing things and being able to pass tests. It's also about being able to go out into the world and present yourself."
Mr Pothecary, Director of Co-curricular
Central to the success of co-curricular life at CLC is its flexibility and responsiveness to students’ individual needs.
“When you think about getting the balance right, there is no one answer to that. The balance being right depends on the student, and that's what we really strive to get right here at CLC. Every student is an individual, what's right for one student is not right for another and vice versa. It's that personalised programme." - Mr Pothecary
Student voice shapes the programme in meaningful ways. More than 50 clubs each year are entirely student-led, and new proposals are welcomed enthusiastically. However, although we offer an abundance of varying clubs and activities, the number isn't important.
"There is no metric that we have, which is we must offer X number of clubs and activities, or we must try and offer more than we did last year, for example, because the number isn't important. What's important is that we're offering opportunities for the students we currently have in the school. What do they want to do? That really broad programme enables students to determine their own route."
Ultimately, Mr Pothecary believes co-curricular involvement instils confidence, resilience and independence - qualities that prepare students not only for university but for life beyond.
