265 Co-Curricular Activities... and counting!

Co-curricular Activities (CCAs) have kicked off, always an exciting time of the year! 

You can feel the energy around the school as sports teams hit the field, musicians run through rehearsals, craft clubs get to work, service projects take shape, student publications come to life, dramatists illuminate the stage and technologists begin innovating.

CCAs are a key part of holistic education at the College where students are able to try new things and discover what they are really passionate about. They also represent unique opportunities for students to gain leadership experience and develop teamwork skills. Students from Reception (age 5) to Year 13 participate.

Each academic staff member (and many support staff too!) run or advise a CCA. We complement our main CCA programme by bringing in outside professional experts whenever a need is identified. We are particularly proud of the CCAs created and led by our students.

The success of the programme is borne out by the overwhelming number of students who choose to participate. Below are the numbers which capture the popularity of CCAs at Dulwich Pudong. 

We are particularly proud of the depth and breadth of our CCA programme. CCAs fall into 10 categories:

CCAs: Most Popular

Which are the most popular CCAs? Sport, Music, and Drama always draw large numbers of students.

But every year a number of other CCAs pop up which prove to be very popular. Here are some of the most popular CCAs this year:

Senior School

Junior School

DUCKS

New Trends: Service and Technology

In recent years one of the growing trends we see is the emergence of service-oriented CCAs directly aimed at community action. Examples include:

Thrift Flip

In Thrift Flip, Senior School students advocate for issues regarding fast fashion. Not only do they learn more about the problem, but they also reduce waste through upcycling old clothes into new styled clothing, scrunchies or any other type of fabric-based goods.

PAW

PAW is a fun, exciting and rewarding service-learning CCA that teaches students all about the issues that affect animals both in Shanghai and around the world.

Recycled Creative Craft

DUCKS students in this CCA do their part to positively impact the planet by using recycled material to create an amazing array of craft projects including masks, models, puppets, bookmarks and sculptures.

There has also been a surge of interest in Technology. Our students are passionate about using technology in pioneering ways!

Panther Robotics (SS)

This student-led CCA focuses on creating robots that solve real-world problems using VEX and FTC equipment. Competitions will be held throughout the year against other high school robotics teams in the city.

Panther Robotics (JS)

In this new CCA students will engage with our exciting Panther Robotics programme. In Term 1 students learn to design, build and programme robots in preparation for joining competitions later in the year.

DUCKS Tech

Robotics, coding, and design for young learners! Students explore computational thinking and the design thinking process through fun hands-on activities, apps, and, of course, robots.

CCAs: New This Term

We take pride in ensuring that our CCA programme reflects the interests of our students. Each year new CCAs are introduced, keeping the programme fresh and responsive. Below are a few new CCAs debuting this year:

• Cooking

Students learn how to make simple dishes from a range of global cuisines in our brand new Food Lab.

• Cup Stacking

Junior School students hone their skills at the latest craze: Cup Stacking!

• Midnight Society

DUCKS students sit around a (pretend) campfire, having a snack and listening to mysteries and scary stories from our Head of DUCKS Library, Andy Mcilwain. Afterwards, students have time on their own to curl up with a good book.

Something for Everyone

Our CCA programme truly is where students' interests and passions take flight.

Whether they are interested in television production, swimming, football, fencing, martial arts, drama, foreign languages, cup stacking, rescue animals, writing, reading, coding, computing, calligraphy, helping refugees, helping the poor, helping the environment, helping each other, leading, debating, dancing, performing, building, selling, crafting, cooking, gaming - whew! - there is literally something for everyone. 

And if something isn't there, our students know what to do: start it themselves. That's how we got Panther Robotics, Half the Sky, Dulwich Talks, the Law and Politics Society, and Singchronised, each a long-running fixture in our CCA programme. Singchronised, in fact, will enjoy its 10th anniversary celebration this year!

Such a robust CCA programme is no accident. Holistic education is the enduring vision of Edward Alleyn, who founded Dulwich College London in 1619 with the aim of creating a school that emphasised sound learning, strong artistic pursuits, and good manners. 

Holistic education is a Dulwich tradition that stretches back over 400 years.