A Busy School: Co-curricular Life At AHS
AHS Community Engagement
We are a local school, deeply embedded in our community. You will see AHS students supporting primary schools, running clubs and voluntary groups, entering - and sometimes winning - competitions, but also volunteering in our hospitals, care homes and community centres.
In Year 13 we commit two hours a week of curriculum time to our well-regarded ‘Community Involvement Programme’, which takes every student into a volunteering placement within the local area.
It comes as no surprise that we are the top D of E school in the South-East, with many of our students earning the prestigious Gold Award (despite the restrictions in place) and many more committing to the challenge this coming year.
An Acclaimed School for Sport
This is one of the best schools for girls’ sport in the country. That’s not just our claim, it was a judgement delivered by School Sport magazine which has consistently ranked AHS amongst the very best state schools for Sport. Our successes include national finalists - and champions - in a variety of sports. We run competitive and participative sessions in a huge range of different sports and all Sixth Form students get the chance to participate in ‘Be Active’ as part of their curriculum timetable.
A Creative School
If you want to sing, dance or play an instrument, this can be the place for you. If you love Art or Photography, or if you love to act, we want you to bring your talents here. You can celebrate your creativity in curricular A Level studies and also in a huge range of House events and co-curricular clubs and opportunities. Many of these are in conjunction with our neighbours and friends at Aylesbury Grammar School.
A Challenging School
Our focus on developing confident, articulate and mature young women means that we take every opportunity to stimulate their minds and challenge their thinking. In recent years we have hosted a formidable array of visiting, and often high-profile, speakers and our Sixth Form speakers’ committee works hard to bring interesting and relevant guest speakers into school.
As well as hosting Radio 4’s ‘Any Questions’ programme, in recent years we have had talks from Robert Guest, Foreign Editor of The Economist, acclaimed sculptor Martin Jennings, ‘Undercover Economist’ Tim Harford, author and former MP and minister Chris Mullins, local music promoter (and impetus behind the famous Friars Club and David Bowie statue) David Stopps, our former local MP David Lidington, as well as community activists like Amnesty International and Extinction Rebellion. As we first went into lockdown, we were due to welcome 2019 Journalist of the Year Amelia Gentleman into school and we have been pleased that we have been able to resume our visiting speaker programme this yaar.
A School of Leaders
As well as being role models and an inspiration to our younger students, our Sixth Form students are our school leaders. That journey begins as soon as you join our Sixth Form, and by the time you head into Year 13 you could be our Head Girl or a member of our ‘Cabinet’. You might be a House Captain, or a Student or Subject Ambassador, leading House events around the school. This Sixth Form gives you the chance to develop leadership skills that will go with you, wherever life takes you after AHS.
