At Willow Brook we share a conviction that great schools are built on rich extra-curricular programmes and high quality pastoral care as well as an inspiring curriculum, expertly taught. We know there are no limits for pupils and staff where commitment and enjoyment go together.

As members of Griffin Schools Trust we share a belief in the three pillars of Proud Traditions, Wide Horizons and High Achievement and this is reflected in the opportunities that provide for our pupils.

Co-Curricular

Every Willow Brook child is exposed to an extensive range of curriculum enrichment activities to broaden their experiences. Through academic excursions to museums, theatres, art galleries and sporting events, as well as inviting a number of workshops into school, we aim to bring to life the subjects being taught in the classroom.

Extra-Curricular

We encourage pupils to pursue a healthy, active lifestyle, making the most of their existing talents as well as exploring new ideas and opportunities. To enable this we provide a rich variety of creative and sporting after school activities:

• music clubs to foster a love and enjoyment of music making
• drama to boost confidence and creativity
• art classes to develop a love and appreciation of the Arts
• sports to build better social interactions through positive teamwork

To see a full schedule of after school clubs on offer please ask at the school office. All clubs are offered free of charge.

Partnerships

Artsmark

Willow Brook is proud to have achieved the prestigious Artsmark Gold Award, which recognises and celebrates our school’s commitment to embedding arts and culture at its heart. The Artsmark Award is the only creative quality standard for schools, accredited by Arts Council England. It was created to help unlock the potential of children and young people to develop their character and talent and increase their knowledge and understanding. In short, Artsmark has been designed to bring the arts and culture to life in every classroom.

Visit artsmark.org.uk for more information.

Trust Engagement

Throughout the year there are a number of Trust-wide events that Willow Brook takes part in:

The Griffin Sports Festival (GSF) is comprised of two elements:

• an Inter-School Competition for twelve year 6/7 pupils from each school within the Trust, taking place at Nicholas Chamberlaine School, Bedworth.
• an Intra-School House Competition for all year groups taking place within each school.

We introduce the pupils to a wide variety of sports including; Duathlon, Orienteering, Archery, Handball, Sitting Volleyball and Curling.

Founders Day raises funds to support a cause chosen by students and connected with the theme of the year. In every school the day centres on community: what it means to be a citizen so that students experience the difference they can make individually and collectively. This often lights leadership sparks in our students.

The Griffin Science Symposium (GSS) addresses the Trust theme of the year. Eminent scientists come from the John Innes Centre and the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and London to give lively talks, demonstrations and workshops to students in years 6 and 7 from all schools.

The Griffin Arts Festival is two-fold; all schools run two weeks of events which include performances and activities open to their local communities, plus there is a four day residential for ten Year 5 students from each school. There are now two centres for the GAF residential experience: London and Birmingham, where the competition winners enjoy visits to national arts venues, and workshops with professional choreographers, poets and musicians. The festival ends with our very own Last Night of the Proms concert which itself is preceded by performances from our schools.

By the time they leave primary school, pupils have begun to discover their inner musician, artist, poet, scientist, philosopher, sportsperson or campaigner.