The provision of co-curricular activities at Pate’s is unrivalled by any other state school, regionally or nationally. During lunch times and after school Pate’s buzzes with activity, allowing students to be creative, perform, play sport and be active to their heart’s content. Indeed, so committed are we as a school to a true breadth of education, that on Tuesday afternoons lessons are suspended, allowing all students to access the ‘exceptional range’ (Ofsted) of enrichment activities that are on offer. Furthermore, for two weeks each summer, ‘Activities Fortnight’ allows students in years 7 – 10 to participate in an additional myriad of exciting opportunities. 

We are often asked ‘Do you have a club for X?’. The answer is ‘probably’ – however, if not, then students with a particular passion are simply encouraged to start one. In the 6th Form, the year starts off with a ‘Societies Fair’. In addition to teacher-led programmes, Sixth Form pupils run, manage and facilitate 30+ student-led societies, often inviting in external speakers such as local MPs or professionals to talk and debate with; the possibilities are simply endless. The year 12 pupil who sings in choir on a Monday, may well be at Economics Society during lunch time on Tuesday and reading with pupils in a local primary school on a Tuesday afternoon. On a Wednesday they may then represent the school playing hockey, before staying after school on a Friday to lead a section of our CCF. At Pate’s we work hard and play hard, but, most importantly, we have a lot of fun along the way.