Sparking and cultivating interests is incredibly important to us at Lyonsdown School. We provide extensive opportunities for our girls to discover their own personal interests and talents. We offer a range of lunch clubs and after school activities that vary from term to term (for a complete and up-to-date list of activities, please contact the School Office). Some of our activities are taught by our own talented staff and are included in the fees; others are run by experts brought into school (for which there is an extra charge).
Specialist taught external clubs: Mad Science, Dance, Ballet, Chess, LAMDA, Robotics, Karate, Gym & Football.
“We did ‘roly polies’ and at first I couldn’t do it but I kept practising so I could.” Elina – Year 2
Gymnastics
“It’s amazing when we have the equipment, we do forward rolls and go on our tippy toes.” Olivia – Year 2
Karate
Robotics
Traditional Dancing
This term, the children have loved learning new dances round the maypole, making new and varied patterns. We have learnt the traditional English circle and long dances and created a spider’s web, barber’s pole, and various plaits. Ivy even choreographed her own dance, and the photo shows the resulting pattern.
Computing
In Computing Club, Year 1 and 2 girls have been very busy learning through play whilst using specific, educational games on Busy Things.
They have improved their general computer literacy, mouse control and confidence by choosing and enjoying various activities supervised and supported by the teacher.
Little Movers
In the ‘Little Movers Club’, the Nursery children have been exploring different forms of movement. We have combined Yoga and Dance to put movement to music and try new shapes we can make with our bodies.
Sports Club
This half term we have been focusing on the importance of sportsmanship and how to manage winning and losing through a variety of sports and games. This team game involved a rock paper scissors battle, win or lose, showing respect and being graceful whatever the result.
Problem Solving
The girls from Years 4, 5 and 6 have had a great time this term doing a variety of NVR tasks. We have investigated NVR problems involving folding and punching questions, rotation and 3D shape combinations by cutting out questions to understand how to answer them. We have played many games that we have in school and also done some whole test papers. The children have discussed their ideas, and it is lovely to see them working as a whole school rather than in individual year groups.
Choir
This term, in Upper School Choir, we have been busy learning our songs for the Young Voices concert in January. Particular favourites are ‘Rockstar’ and ‘Sing from your Heart’. The girls are also very excited to meet Andy Instone, the Creative Director, who is a fabulous person, and they have enjoyed his bubbly zest for dancing! We also prepared our piece for the Christmas Carol concert so all in all a very busy term for the choir! Fabulous singing by all…well done!
Lower School Choir have been busy learning our song for the KS1 Nativity performance. They sang beautifully in the show last term, and the hard work they put into this showed. They even managed to sing and walk with candles at the same time…this is no easy thing to do! Well done to all and beautiful singing!
Activities Club
The girls have been developing their fine motor skills in Activities Club this term. They have enjoyed creating royal crowns, outrageous alien pictures, paperchain animals, penguin collages and much more.
Weaving
In Weaving this Autumn term, we experimented with paper weaving, used wool to create woven frames, created fluffy woven animals and finally created Christmas decorations using embroidery thread and lolly sticks.
“My favourite club is weaving club. We’ve been making Christmas Trees!” Reni – Year 2
Art and Craft Club
It’s been a hive activity at Upper School Art Club this term!
The girls first created some colourful felt textile artwork to commemorate the life of Queen Elizabeth II, and then they learned how to use stained glass paints and outline paint to make their own stained glass window designs on acetate. Next, they decorated tea light holders beautifully using their new skills in stained glass painting.
In the final session of the term, the girls worked collaboratively to make a wonderful Christmas wreath for the school front door, using different sorts of foliage and natural decorations.
French
The girls have had lots of fun whilst learning French in French club. They have been building on what has been learnt in class, revising numbers and greetings through role- play opportunities. They have also been learning about Paris and its most famous landmarks and some French artists.
Book Making Club
During the term, Book Making club have learnt how to make different books using pop-up elements and explored how to make different cuts to make ‘doors’ in a book entitled ‘Who lives in here?’ More recently, the girls have made a notebook in stages, exploring the main features of a book and learning how books are actually put together.
“I made my own super book and then I wrote in it!” Elina – Year 2
Knitting Club
Knitting club has had a busy term with 16 members in the group and all of them beginners.
Our first task was to learn ‘casting on’, which went very well. Then the task of knitting, which takes a lot of patience and practice and is currently a work in progress.
During our club sessions this term, we took some time out from knitting to learn Viking Braiding. This was very successful, and some girls made several once they got the hang of the Tollen Wheel. Finally, the group learned to make pom poms, which was difficult but fun!
Yoga Club
In Yoga Club, we greet each other with ‘Namaste’ to open our practice, we reflect on all the things we are grateful for and warm up with our ‘thank you’ song.
Each session we learn to hold our poses with focus and breath to allow our bodies to feel both strong and at ease. We tell ourselves yoga stories to help us to move from posture to posture.
We close our practice by thanking ourselves and each other for being there.
