Overview
There is a wealth of extra-curricular activities available for young ladies and gentlemen at Buckswood School. From learning to play a musical instrument and participating in bands, orchestras and choirs, to staying fit and active through sports teams and facilities.
Army Cadet Force
Army Cadet Force is one of the largest and most successful clubs in the school. It helps sort out your attitude and become more disciplined, giving you confidence, meeting new friends and you get amazing experiences, meet new people and have fun! The Army Cadet Force provides you with the most stimulating and challenging pastimes. It’s all about achievement, adventure and not accepting second best! In situations where mediocrity and lack of competition prevail the ACF offers you the chance to break the mould in a safe and controlled yet action packed environment. Nowhere else are our young adults able to so fully explore their potential and see where the boundaries lie within such secure parameters and opportunities abound for new challenges. Do consider giving the Army Cadet Force a try. I promise you that you won’t regret it!
Archery
With all the talk of 2012 and the Olympics in London, it would be easy to lose sight of the fact that students enter archery for the social side. Archery is THE family sport at Buckswood! The main discipline of the club is target archery, though some of its members also regularly participate in field, clout and roving marks. Most of the club's active membership is evenly split between recurve and compound archers; the rest normally shoot longbow. Indoor shooting during the winter takes place in the main school hall.
Art
The Art club is designed for anyone and everyone remotely interested in art. The club's plan is to promote visual art, bring in talented artists, and to help with their portfolios. During the term, the club gets involved in promoting art throughout the school and the community. The Buckswood Art Club promotes fine arts in the fields of painting and drawing. It supports and promotes Buckswood history and heritage by providing historic and environment-related painting events and special sports days. The California Art Club's ultimate goal is to educate the young Buckswoodians on the high merits of art. It aims to reach an increasingly broader audience and expand by offering a wide variety of opportunities for involvement in the art world.
Authors
There are plenty of opportunities for our students interested in writing to develop their journalistic or creative skills and maybe able to see their work published in the Buckswood Chronicle. If a student enjoys journalistic work or imaginative writing, he/she should consider joining The Writing Club which writes, edits and publishes a magazine called The Buckswood Chronicle.
Badminton
Badminton is a high-speed game requiring great tactical awareness, nimble footwork and fast racket skills. At Buckswood we use mainly the Sports Hall, and if weather is permitting, we use the outside courts. During their first year at Buckswood, students may choose badminton as part of the minor sports club. For those keen to progress further, the Badminton Club, offered on Wednesdays, provides the opportunity for learning new strokes and gaining competition at a higher level.
Cricket
Buckswood cricket is far more than one match. Boys and girls have a chance to represent the School against other schools. Due to the strength and depth of the competition for places, on many Wednesdays Buckswood plays against two or more schools simultaneously. This greatly strengthens our fixtures list and ensures that our students of whatever ability are involved in exciting and closely-fought matches. The standard of cricket at Buckswood is high.
Cross Country
Cross Country at Buckswood is very popular. The cross-country House Steeplechase races are held late in the Lent Half. Students enter teams according to age groups and compete as individuals. The School has some of the best cross-country runners who compete against other schools, and some have proceeded to represent East Sussex at the national championships. The students are encouraged to take part in events such as the County Championships on an individual basis.
Dance
No previous experience is needed, and anyone is welcome simply to turn up on Wednesdays 4pm meetings. No special equipment is needed; just comfortable shoes. The classes have a mixed program of dances – some old, some new, some easy and others more challenging. This is exciting! There are no age limits - our current sequence dance club members, new and younger members are also encouraged. The atmosphere is very friendly, emphasis is on enjoyment. Dancing is a gentle way of keeping fit both in mind and body. Dance Classes Available are street Dance, Hip Hop, Cheerleading, Aerobics, Ballet, Salsa, Ballet, Tap & Street Dance.
Golf
The English Golf Union (EGU) is the largest governing body in English sport established to promote, encourage and administer amateur golf in England. Buckswood is committed to providing opportunities for all standards of golfers, from beginners of any age to elite players. Golf is a stimulating challenge combined with getting out in the fresh air in Buckswood pleasant surroundings, taught alone or in groups and it is for students of all abilities. At Buckswood many opportunities exist to play golf and there is a 9–hole course in the grounds of the School. The Buckswood School Golf Club is affiliated to the English Golf Union and membership is open to all students. So why don’t you give golf a go! There are a number of competitions for boys of different ages. The School also plays against other schools and against the Old Buckswoodians.
The aims in the summer term are:
to promote the game of golf and increase students awareness
to introduce existing and new students to the game regardless of age and gender
to provide opportunities to sustain involvement and regularly participate
to educate students on the rules & etiquette of the game
to monitor golfing trends to assess where future resources should be focused
Hockey
Hockey is a school team sport in the Summer Term. The school runs juniors and senior teams and plays against surrounding schools. The Club has grown rapidly and now holds its own against all schools at all levels on this competitive circuit. There is no doubt that such competitions have been instrumental in the raising of playing standards in the school. House competitions for both senior and junior boys, which run as leagues during the Easter Term, have also been important.
Sailing club
This day introduces participants to the principles of sailing in a relaxed, informal environment. A real “hands on” day out - everyone has the chance to actively crew the yacht, taking a turn at aspects from steering to working on the foredeckOur sailors are taken to Rye Bay Water Sports which is 15 mins drive away. The site is on the River Rother close to Rye Bay where excellent sailing is enjoyed all year round. There are active dinghy and cruising divisions and year round events both sailing and social. The club prides itself in the diversity of its members' sailing interests and in the variety of yacht and dinghy classes that are enjoyed. Many members undertake substantial annual passages whilst others are happy to mess around on the river!
Horse and Pony Care
Horse riding is fun and exciting for our students. The physical benefits include using up an awful lot of energy and exercising your muscles - including some you never knew you had! An hour’s horse riding is the same as a good jog or game of tennis, and can use 220 calories per hour. The only essential equipment is a riding helmet of the current standard and this can initially be borrowed from a riding school. Students wear snug fitting trousers, sturdy shoes with a heel and no loose fitting clothing or jewellery is allowed. Once you have mastered the basic techniques, the choice is limitless. A gentle hack around some of Buckswood’s bridleways can introduce you to a countryside that you normally would not see. On horseback you can see over the hedges, and wildlife is not scared away by what to them is a fellow creature and not a predator. If you are looking for something a little more exciting, there is nothing to match galloping across fields of stubble at Buckswood. If competing is your thing, the list is vast. There are show jumping competitions to match every level from 2ft fences at local events right up to Olympic level. All at Buckswood!
Photographic
The Photo Club teaches students to take digital photos and edit them. They also learn how to use filters and how to make the best use of their camera in taking pictures. The school is blessed with a professional photographer who lives on site and is in charge of this club.
Tennis
Lawn Tennis at Buckswood is bound together by a lifelong passion for the game. We are governed by our commitment to growing the sport in the school at all levels; from the grass roots of the game, to success on the international scene. Buckswood School works with outside professional agencies to make tennis attractive to all students, regardless of age or background. We judge ourselves not only by the number of
people enjoying tennis, but also by the standard at which they play. Mini Tennis does exists at Buckswood whereby the 11+ year olds, learn to play with shorter rackets and lighter balls as they progress through a series of stages. Spotting and Supporting Talent - Talented players are supported by our trainers, who ensure potential talent is spotted at a young age and provided with the best coaching and competitive opportunities. With passion, dedication, competitive spirit, talent and a lot of hard work, you could realize your dream of playing against the best!
Young Enterprise
Young Enterprise is Buckswood’s leading business and enterprise education charity. It offers a range of programmes, based on the principle of Learning by Doing, which brings students and teachers together. This would enable students to run their own real companies in future. Others use games, hands on activities and role - play to develop skills and capabilities for business and enterprise. The Young Enterprise takes an active role in building a better-motivated, educated and enterprising workforce, at the same time making a real difference to the existing lives and future potential of young ladies and gentlemen.
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Clubs and Activities