CO-CURRICULAR CLUBS 2021-22

CO-CURRICULAR CLUBS 2021-22

Expanding knowledge,developing interests

MOUNT HOUSE SCHOOL

The aim is to provide intellectual stimulation beyond the boundaries of the classroom

We aim to provide Mount House students, throughout their time at the school, with a range of co-curricular opportunities which will increase confidence and help them to find and express their identity. Students learn new skills, discover new passions and develop their interests, which prepares them for the next stage in life.

As a small school we are able to adapt the activities we offer students to help them develop their own unique pathway. All of the clubs featured in this booklet are available this year and new clubs are added on a term-by-term basis, according to demand. The range of courses on offer is hugely exciting - there really is something for everyone!

n Mr Brozny


Contents

MOUNT HOUSE SCHOOL CO-CURRICULAR CLUBS 2021-22

01 Art Club (Key Stage 3 & 4) 6

02 Athletics 6

03 Backgamon 6

04 Badminton 6

05 Basketball 7

06 Briscola Club 7

07 Boxing 7

08 Chamber Strings 7

09 Chess 8

10 Choir 8

11 Classics Club 8

12 Coleridge Lecture Society 8

13 Cricket 9

14 Drama Club KS3 9

15 Drama Club KS4 9

16 Drama - Oliver! 10

17 Drum Corps 10

18 Eco Club 1019 Entrepreneurship Club:

Student Investor Challenge11

20 Experimental Photography 11

21 Faith Society 1122 French & Spanish Language

and Cultural Society12

23 Football 12

24 Futsal 12

25 Gardening 12

26 GCSE PE - Trampolining 13

27 Golf 13

28 Head’s Endeavour Award 13

29 House of Equality 14

30 Key Stage 4& 5 Revision Sessions/Clinics

14

31 Key Stage 4 Study Skills 14

32 Lacrosse 1433 Little Inklings: KS3

English Club14

34 Mandarin Language and Cultural Society

15

35 Marketing Gurus 1536 Maths Support

― Key Stage 315

37 MHS Historical Society 16

38 Model Making 16

39 Model U.N. 16

40 Mount House Archivists 17

41 Netball 17

42 Open Mic 17

43 Python Club 18

44 Robotics 18

45 Rounders 18

46 Running Club 18

47 School Challenge Club 19

48 Science Club 19

49 Speakers’ Corner 19

50 Table Tennis 20

51 Textile Craft Club 20

52 The House Band 20

53 The Phantoms 20

54 Trampolining 21

55 Ukulele 21

56 Varsity Club 22

Providing opportunities to create pieces of art work using a whole range of materials: oil pastels, chalk pastels, water-colours, charcoal, pencil, clay, mod-roc… the list goes on. A chance to work on a larger scale than in normal art lessons, to learn new skills and to have fun.

01 ART CLUB (KEY STAGE 3 & 4)

Athletics club includes field and track events. Students have the opportunity to develop individual performances and throughout sessions will be working towards improving their ‘Personal Best’ (PB). Events will include sprints, middle-distance and long-distance and relay races, high jump and the skills required for long jump, javelin, shot put and discus.

02 ATHLETICS

Keep fit and build your stamina with skipping and intense pad work drills. Learn boxing techniques such as the jab, hook, uppercut and straight punch; footwork and evasive moves such as the slip, roll and pivot. This club is for fitness and fun.

07 BOXINGThis student-initiated club invites everyone to take part and compete against each other in what is said to be one of the world’s oldest board games. Backgammon involves a combination of strategy and luck. With each roll of the dice, players must choose from numerous options for moving their checkers and anticipate possible counter-moves by the opponent. New and experienced players are encouraged to join the club and enjoy the varying levels of competition.

03 BACKGAMMON

An opportunity to develop racket skills whilst competing against peers and staying fit. During badminton sessions, students will have opportunities to practise their clears, smashes and net shots before utilising them in game play, with added extra of looking forward to games against other schools during the course of the year.

04 BADMINTON

The basketball club is open to all students who are keen to develop their skills and knowledge of basketball. Students will have the chance to perfect their dribbling, shooting and passing techniques as well as develop their understanding of some of the more complex set plays, rules and tactics. This club is open to novice and experienced players.

05 BASKETBALL

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This is an opportunity for students to learn classical pieces in an intimate and friendly ensemble. It is ideal for string and woodwind players. Each week, the ensemble rehearses with a view to performances throughout the year.

08CHAMBER STRINGS

Briscola is a smart, addictive game which is extremely popular in Italy, using the Italian 40 card deck with suits of coins, cups, batons and swords. The type of Briscola game varies depending on player numbers, so for example if there are four players, you can play a brilliant version with a partner. As well as Briscola, students in this club can also learn another game called Scopa which in Italian means “sweep” and the aim is to sweep all the cards off a pile in the middle of the table into your trick.

06BRISCOLA CLUB

An opportunity to play one of the most enjoyable and intellectually stimulating board games in the world. Playing chess results in better brain function, improved memory, strategic thinking and attention improvement! You don’t need to be a genius to play chess, but it is important to be a little competitive. However, even if you lose, you will still gain a huge amount from this game.

09CHESS

Being part of our sensational choir is a fun and rewarding experience. The choir is also an inclusive and friendly way to enjoy music at Mount House.

10 CHOIR

Guest speakers will visit the School to discuss issues such as the arts, business, charities, environmental issues, politics, sport and a range of other topics designed to really engage the audience. There would be about 12 of these talks per year on subjects falling outside the boundaries of the school curriculum. For example: How did we manage to produce a vaccine for Covid-19 so quickly? What is it like to be a doctor in a busy London hospital? Why did the War of the Roses come to Barnet? Lessons in leadership from the Rio Olympics.

12 COLERIDGE LECTURE SOCIETY

The PE Department and Owais Shah enjoy coaching 11 a-side cricket, indoor cricket and street cricket. This is a diverse programme of batting and fielding sessions along with the opportunity to participate in matches. Indoor cricket runs during the Michaelmas term, where students develop bowling and batting skills to support them when playing 11-a-side cricket during the summer term. Street cricket is an exciting, fast paced 6-a-side version of the world’s most popular bat and ball sport. With the smaller field, it makes batters think and play more finely tuned shots into tighter areas, giving the bowling team plenty of chances for wickets, catches and stumpings. Street Cricket is a great way to help improve all aspects of your cricketing game.

13 CRICKET

Our KS3 Drama Club provides enthusiastic students with the opportunity to freely explore the world of make-believe, develop the technical skills that they are learning in class while also strengthening their own unique style and their confidence in collaborating creatively. Skills include devising, physical theatre and working from scripts. While working towards a whole school production – either a musical or straight play - our club is often used for rehearsal as its members are usually keen participators.

14 DRAMA CLUB KS3

This Classics club offers Year 10 & 11 students the opportunity to extend their study and appreciation of the ancient world beyond the GCSE curriculum and class lessons. The club will consist of a mixture of discussion and debate of topics studied in class, e.g. Which of Hercules’ labours was his greatest? We have extension and revision tasks, which should be enjoyable as well as academic. We have created an innovative set of ‘Top Trumps’ of all the Greek Gods, heroes and creatures, analysing their special powers and comparing their relative strengths, speed, intelligence and special qualities. We have also made a model version of the Parthenon temple.

11 CLASSICS CLUB

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At KS4, all students – GCSE and non-GCSE - are welcome. While the focus is on helping the students to build on their particular strengths and unique style through creative collaboration, GCSE students can fine-tune the skills they are developing in class to prepare them for practical assessments in both devised and scripted work. At the same time, we like to give them this opportunity to work freely without the dictates of a curriculum so the topics and tasks can vary according to their preferences. The club is also used for rehearsals when we are working towards a whole school production.

15 DRAMA CLUB KS4

Drum corps is for drummers who are serious about their craft and want to take it to the next level. With expert drum leadership they develop all aspects of drumming, including drumline beats and routines.

17 DRUM CORPS

Eco-Schools is a global programme which engages millions of students around the world. Students at Mount House are working towards completing the Eco-Schools’ Green Flag Bronze Award, an internationally recognised award for excellence in environmental action and learning. To achieve this award, students will be auditing the school’s electricity use, school grounds and how people travel to and from the school. Using this information, Eco Club members will create a plan to action meaningful change around sustainability and responsible consumption at Mount House, including cross-curriculum activities and community awareness. All members of the school community are welcome to join the Eco Club.

18 ECO CLUB

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The entrepreneurship club is open to students in years 10-13. From September to January the club is part of the Student Investor Challenge run by The London Institute of Banking & Finance. This challenge involves teams of school students investing virtual money (£100,000) on the London Stock Exchange and trade stocks and shares to make a profit. Students who study Business (or any other subject) can enter the challenge each year. Teams will invest their virtual £100,000 in a set of stocks and other investment instruments in two portfolios. Student teams will be able to access a whole host of extra information on the LIBF website and this will help them make good investment decisions. The Active Investor portfolio allows teams to trade every day. Each month, the UK student team with the most improved Active Investor portfolio will be rewarded with a prize. The Strategic Investor portfolio only allows a limited number of trades per month and encourages long term thinking. By joining the club, you could become one of our budding stock investors. This is a great opportunity to be part of an investment competition for students. In previous years the top prize was a trip New York – including a visit to the financial centre - with spending money!

19 ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLUB: STUDENT INVESTOR CHALLENGE

An opportunity to create very beautiful and unusual digital images. Students can try out lots of new and old techniques, taking photos with the school’s SLR cameras and mobile phones. Using Photoshop, students learn how to edit their photos, combine images and apply filters and effects.

20EXPERIMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY

A relaxing place for students and staff of all faiths (and none) to meet and talk about spirituality and other topics.

21 FAITH SOCIETY

Students will rehearse for the school musical Oliver!. When this is complete, we will focus on building a range of techniques and other material.

16 DRAMA – OLIVER!

Football is the most popular game in the world, and for good reason. Our football club builds teamwork skills and helps to increase confidence and self-esteem, alongside other health benefits like improved co-ordination and muscular strength.

23 FOOTBALL

If you like football then you will love futsal. Futsal is a ball sport played on a hard court, smaller than a football pitch. It is similar to five-a-side football but is played with a smaller, harder, low-bounce ball. The surface, ball, and rules together favour ball control and passing in small spaces. Students who play are looking to improve on improvisation, creativity, and technique within the sport of futsal.

24 FUTSAL

An ideal club for the those with budding green fingers. Students will have the opportunity to explore and learn about trees and shrubs in the grounds of Mount House. They will plant seed and bulbs and will learn and watch how they grow. Planting vegetables and identifying how they develop is another area of focus and an opportunity for students to taste what they have grown.

25 GARDENING

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Students will develop an understanding of the requirements for trampolining as part of the practical elements of the IGCSE PE course. In addition, they will develop their individual skills and will perform these both in isolation and within routines. By the end of the course students will be able to perform a variety of skills. Levels will vary and students will be graded in line with the IGCSE PE Trampolining marking criteria. Skills will be recorded as part of moderation.

26 GCSE PE – TRAMPOLINING


We will be taking students offsite to the Old Ford Manor golf club course to learn the exciting skills associated with the great game of golf (additional cost).

27 GOLF

Students in this club will develop language skills and appreciate the wider cultural heritage of the Spanish speaking world. The Spanish language and culture have so much to offer: Spanish is spoken by millions of people in the Americas and of course Spain and its islands remain a favourite destination for many British holidaymakers. However, there is more to Spain than sunshine and beaches. This is an opportunity to discover more about Spain’s regions and cities and its many traditions.

22 FRENCH & SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL SOCIETY

Students have the opportunity to complete a designated number of tasks/activities. These will include an expedition, a presentation, a charity event, extended writing and service in the community. There will be weekly planning meetings. The winners from each age group will receive a prestigious award. The opportunity to engage in these worthwhile challenges represents excellent preparation for the Duke of Edinburgh scheme.

28 HEAD’S ENDEAVOUR AWARD

Key Stage 4 & 5 revision clinics (including revision, booster and practical sessions) will give students the opportunity to focus on key topics within their subjects from the GCSE/A Level syllabus.

30KEY STAGE 4 & 5 REVISION CLINICS

These bi-weekly drop-in sessions give students the opportunity to improve their study skills, deepen their understanding and consolidate their knowledge, using an interactive approach to study, both independently and with their peers.

31 KEY STAGE 4 STUDY SKILLS

This student-initiated society considers issues such as ‘Black Lives Matter’, antisemitism, gender equality and gay rights. We would like to think that through our group discussions and activities, we are able to appreciate more the ideals of freedom, justice and humanity.

29 HOUSE OF EQUALITY

This student-initiated society considers issues such as ‘Black Lives Matter’, antisemitism, gender equality and gay rights. We would like to think that through our group discussions and activities, we are able to appreciate more the ideals of freedom, justice and humanity.

32 LACROSSE

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Little Inklings is for students in Years 7, 8 and 9. The aim of the club is for students to have a place to read, write creatively and also complete English homework with the assistance of English teachers. Creative writing tasks will be available as well as suggested books to encourage students to develop their English skills beyond the classroom. Little Inklings will be a creative nurturing environment, providing help and support for students in those areas of English where they may be experiencing difficulties.

33 LITTLE INKLINGS: KS3 ENGLISH CLUB

An excellent opportunity to develop language skills and to appreciate the wider cultural heritage of this region of the world. Cultural topics explored will include music, crafts, calligraphy, dance and festivals.

34 MANDARIN LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL SOCIETY

We design and develop a totally new brand product or service every half term e.g. we created a new concept smoothie named ‘Turbo’ and designed the brand logo and packaging. Through the process of product development, we look at the importance of defining the target market and clearly establishing the brand values and quality proof points. We then create a logo and communications plan which matches the brand values we have outlined. We then evaluate all types of brand promotions including digital marketing, social media, celebrity endorsement, events, PR as well as more traditional print and outdoor advertising and assess each how it will best capture our target market. When the plan is complete an external marketing industry expert will assess the viability and success of the brand we have created and provide feedback.

35 MARKETING GURUS

This is an opportunity for students in Years 7 – 9 to seek additional support for their Maths, both for topics covered during the course of the year and previous learning.

36MATHS SUPPORT - KEY STAGE 3


Mount House was built in the early 18th century as a family home and during the Second World War became the home of the Architectural Association School. At the end of the war the building was established as St Martha’s Senior School, becoming Mount House School in 2017. The purpose of this Society is to collate information and develop a sense of the historical environment from which Mount House School has emerged. This will involve looking at the archives of the School, but also tracking down any local links which we can find. We will engage with the Barnet Museum and any other local or national archives which might throw more light on the school buildings, as well as making contact with alumni and former teachers of the School to acquire a deeper understanding of the history of St Martha’s. Students who are interested in local history, and who enjoy the challenge of tracking down information about the School, its buildings and its past should join this Society. Additionally, this group will begin developing an archive of current materials, so that students of the future will be able to access information about Mount House School in the 2020s.

40MOUNT HOUSE ARCHIVISTS

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Have you ever wondered how Richard III’s skeleton was found in a carpark? Have you ever speculated who was really behind the Gunpowder Plot of 1605? Then the Historical Society is for you! Our weekly club is an opportunity to explore an array of topics from local, national and international history, uncovering the depths of our societies. Suggestions on different issues are always encouraged: for example, politics, ancestry, identity and the fight for justice. Not only is it a great space for debate and critical analysis, but it will enhance fundamental skills applicable in all subjects. It is open to inquisitive beings in all year groups, and questions and uncertainty are very much welcomed - this is key to being an excellent historian.

37 MHS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Netball club for Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 provides an enjoyable and competitive opportunity to encourage the aspirations of each player. Students will develop individual skills and will learn how to apply these within games at a basic and more complex level. Training together as a team will allow a process where students are selected to represent the school in a number of friendly and league matches along with various competitions.

41 NETBALL

This is an inclusive club for all musicians and singers to hone their performance skills. It is a perfect opportunity to practise for up-and-coming performances and concerts, or to simply jam with your friends. Your audience will be a friendly group of fellow performers.

42 OPEN MIC


Let your imagination soar in this exciting new club where we build and design models using various different mediums. You can meet new friends while you gain a lifetime skill.

38 MODEL MAKING

Take part in exciting debate on international issues while you represent the sides of different countries. Lots of opportunities to grow in your knowledge of Economics, Politics and Environmental issues that will help make you into a better global citizen.

39 MODEL U.N.

The running club gives students the opportunity to improve and/or maintain levels of fitness, boost confidence, relieve stress and take part in a sport they enjoy. Throughout the year we hope to enter students in a number of cross-country and athletics events, giving students the opportunity to represent Mount House, both as individuals and as a team. Olympic Gold Medalist Dame Kelly Holmes is a middle-distance runner who won both the 800m and 1500m events at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Today she takes part in Park Runs where she runs 5000m. Upon finishing each race she helps motivate others by running back and giving those taking part ‘high fives.’ Alongside taking part she also promotes the benefits of the events linked to mental health and general well/being. Why not aspire to follow in her footsteps?

46 RUNNING CLUB

The School Challenge Club is open to all students in years 7, 8 and 9. This is an opportunity to pit your general knowledge wits against the best Mount House has to offer. How good is your recall of Greek and Roman mythology? Are you an expert on the events of British, European and World history? Can you beat the best with your knowledge of capital cities and countries? Are you a mastermind on the monarchs of Britain? Can you cut it when asked questions about the culture and the arts? Are you a walking, talking sports boffin? If so, this club is for you. Come and practise with our University Challenge style buzzer system, and try and earn a place in the Mount House School Challenge Team, to compete against other schools in a national competition.

47 SCHOOL CHALLENGE CLUB

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Science club offers an opportunity to explore the wonders of science outside the classroom. This could involve anything from forensics to launching rockets! Learn more about the stars and planets in the solar system. Discover how DNA was developed. Most of all, discover how science can be fun.

48 SCIENCE CLUB

Learn coding and important engineering skills as we design and build robotics as part of the International Vex robotics competition. We will test out designs against each other in school and then form our best team to represent the school at the regional, national and international level.

44 ROBOTICS

Rounders is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams (striking and fielding) that involves hitting a small, hard, leather-cased ball with a rounded end wooden, plastic, or metal bat. The players score by running around the four bases on the field. Students will develop batting and fielding skills and will have the opportunity to apply these within matches.

45 ROUNDERS


Python club is a great opportunity for students in all year groups to learn or improve their Python (programming language) skills. It builds on existing knowledge and offers the opportunity for those not studying it to start looking at what they can do. For those that are not too keen on Python and merely require some help with Satchel One (Show My Homework), Teams or any other IT related matter, they also are more than welcome to attend. This can be as a one off or a regular basis, all are welcome.

43 PYTHON CLUB

Speakers’ Corner offers anyone the opportunity to raise a certain issue or concern – whether it be politics, current affairs, sport or any other issue close to the students’ hearts. Students can use this club to stand on their soap boxes and present their views to the School community during Monday assembly. Those involved will receive certificates and prizes during the course of the year.

49 SPEAKERS’ CORNER

An opportunity to develop skills used within this explosive competitive sport. Also known as ping-pong and whiff-whaff, table tennis is a game where play is fast and requires quick reactions. Try out some different grips such as the penhold, the shakehand and the Seemiller! When on the attack, hit the ball with techniques such as the loop or flip. In defence learn how to block, chop and lob. Develop your ping-pong ball spinning skills.

50 TABLE TENNIS

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Crafts come in many forms from card making, book binding, knitting and embroidery to name but a few. They are steeped in tradition but are always in trend as popular hobbies which sometimes lead to career opportunities. Students who fancy trying some different craft activities, including an introduction to sewing, will love this club. They can enhance their creative and practical skills, share ideas with others and use the time as a way to relax too. Enthusiasm, dedication and some patience are all that students need to join this club. Students will be introduced to new practical skills and given possibilities to be creative with design, whilst learning about traditions and history. They will have an opportunity to learn more about the careers associated with crafts through research into books, journals and case studies and will be able to build their own mini portfolio of skills. Craft activities will include knitting, book binding and mini sew projects.

51 TEXTILE CRAFT CLUB

House band is an exciting new venture for musicians who are confident enough to take on the challenge of being the resident session group for shows and presentations at Mount House.

52 THE HOUSE BAND

This electric guitar group is perfect for all levels, whether you are a budding guitarist or a virtuoso. Parts and roles are differentiated for each performance and the audience always loves their shows.

53 THE PHANTOMS

Students will develop an understanding of the safety requirements for trampolining before undertaking various challenges on the trampoline. Students will work at their own pace, allowing them to reach their full potential. Skills will start with basic jumps, progressing to drops and turns, before linking the two together, and for those ready to or able to, there will be the opportunity to attempt/demonstrate somersaults. Students will also have the opportunity to link movements together in a routine at their level.

54 TRAMPOLINING

Want to learn a new instrument? Why not try the ukulele, a small guitar-like instrument that is part of the lute family of instruments? The ukulele has been played for over a hundred years to accompany the voice as well as being a good starting point for learning other stringed instruments such as guitar. The world’s greatest player, Jake Shimabukuro, has made the ukulele into a solo instrument, whilst contemporary musicians like Tyler Joseph (21 Pilots), Jason Mraz and Taylor Swift have written songs featuring the ukulele. Beginners and more experienced players are welcome to join and work together in this club whilst learning to play new songs. Students will learn to play the ukulele by learning the most frequently used chords, as well as learning how to play melodies and harmony parts and different strumming and picking patterns. Students will learn songs with different parts for different levels of players – the Ukulele Club is an inclusive club with the aim of all players being involved in performances. We will perform in assemblies and at other school events, teaming up with singers and other musicians across the school.

55 UKULELE


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This group is for those students from Year 9-13 who have significant academic potential, and aims to develop their brilliant young minds. Using our critical thinking skills and a variety of disciplines, we always have lively and incisive discussions on a range of themes and ideas. We have discussed the extent to which human beings are individualistic or community-minded animals, drawing on the ideas of Marx. We looked at a selection of paintings by David, Manet and Picasso to discuss the varying perspectives, not only of the art itself but the message and meaning behind the art. We have also discussed the complexities of the US presidential election and considered the Electoral College.

56 VARSITY CLUB

Mount House prides itself on its very active House system whereby all staff and students are assigned to one of four houses.

HOUSE SYSTEM

The Houses are all named after mountains: Olympus, Rushmore, Chimborazo and Everest representing elements such as challenge, adventure and achievement. Each House is described as a ‘family within a family,’ providing a great sense of belonging and support throughout Mount House School life.

The House system rewards effort and achievement, both for excellent academic work and involvement in the many inter-house competitions which generate close bonds between students.

In Sixth Form the House system becomes a unique opportunity for students to grow and develop leadership skills through responsibility for helping younger students in their House to succeed. The pinnacle of this leadership opportunity is the student selection of Heads of House who support running the house meetings, assemblies and public speaking on behalf of their House.

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CO-CURRICULAR CLUBS 2021-22