Co-Curricular

Co-Curricular Activities in the Prep School

At Abbot’s Hill, we believe EVERY child deserves their moment to shine, and nowhere is is that belief more alive than in the co-curricular life of our Prep School.

Our Prep School educates children in Years 3 to 6 (ages 7–11), who, beyond the classroom, benefit from an extraordinary breadth of opportunities across sport, the performing arts, outdoor learning and enrichment — with over 70 clubs and activities available each week, running before, during and after school.

Whether it’s swimming or sci-tech, netball or newspaper club, athletics or art or gardening, every Prep pupil has the chance to discover something they love — and to develop it in a community that genuinely cheers them on.

Our Facilities

A great co-curricular programme needs great spaces to happen in. At Abbot’s Hill Prep, pupils have access to outstanding facilities across our 76-acre campus, including:

The Dame Judi Dench Theatre — a professional-standard performance venue for drama, music and whole-school productions
The Dame Kelly Holmes Sports Centre — including a dance studio, and spaces for indoor sport
The Stable Block Art Department — a dedicated creative arts space for visual art, design and technology
Swimming pool — used for timetabled swimming lessons and squad training
Athletics and orienteering tracks — giving pupils genuine competitive-standard facilities for athletics
76 acres of grounds — including our own woodland, used for weekly Woodland School sessions and outdoor learning throughout the year

Educational Trips and Visits

Some of the most powerful learning happens beyond the school gates. Prep School pupils enjoy a varied programme of educational visits throughout the year — day trips, curriculum-linked visits and residential experiences that bring subjects to life and broaden horizons in ways the classroom alone cannot.

Recent day trips have included the National History Museum, Science Museum, a local synagogue and Hampton Court.
Residential trips start in Year 3, culminating in the much-anticipated Year 6 trip to Scotland.

What all trips have in common is that they are carefully planned to connect directly with what pupils are studying and to create the kind of memories children genuinely treasure.

Find out more about Prep Trips

Sport

From Year 3 onwards, the sporting world opens up in exciting new ways. Children are introduced to a wide range of sports, experience the buzz of inter-school competition for the first time, and discover — often to their own surprise — what they are truly passionate about.

Main sports in the Prep School include:

Netball
Lacrosse
Football
Cricket
Cross country
Athletics
Swimming
Hockey
Tennis

Pupils compete in inter-school fixtures throughout the year, representing Abbot’s Hill against other local independent and state schools. Our expert coaching staff provide specialist tuition throughout the Prep years, catering for every ability — from those developing their first competitive instincts to those with real sporting talent who want to be pushed further.

Our greatest ambition is to give every child a genuine, lasting love of movement and physical activity — the kind that stays with them long after their school days are over.

Find out more about Prep Sport

Creative and Performing Arts

Creative and performing arts are central to the culture of Abbot’s Hill Prep. Stunning art exhibitions, beautiful instrumental and choral performances, and impressive drama productions regularly bring the school community together — and every pupil has the opportunity to be part of them.

Pupils benefit from specialist teaching in Music, Art and Drama throughout the Prep School, with access to the Dame Judi Dench Theatre for productions and performances, St Nick’s Hall for music, and the Stable Block Art Department for visual arts. Productions have included Finding Nemo, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, giving pupils experience of performing to a full audience in a professional theatrical setting.

Beyond timetabled lessons, a wide range of creative co-curricular clubs runs each week — including music ensembles, choir, art club, and drama workshops.

Find out more about Creative and Performing Arts

Outdoor Learning and Woodland School

Woodland School is a weekly timetabled lesson throughout the Prep School; it is far from an occasional add-on or special treat, but a meaningful and valued part of every child’s week.

Set in our own woodland within the school’s 76-acre grounds, it is a place where children dig, build, explore, learn and imagine — developing teamwork, resilience, creativity and a love of the natural world that stays with them long after the mud has been washed off.

Our approach emphasises how children learn rather than simply what they produce. We celebrate the process of discovery — the problem-solving, the collaboration, the confidence that comes from taking on real challenges in a real environment.

Find out more about Outdoor Learning

“One of the things that drew us to Abbot’s Hill was the sheer range of what is on offer beyond the classroom. Our children have tried things here that they would simply never have encountered elsewhere, and and the enthusiasm they come home with every day is testament to just how special that breadth of experience really is.”

Abbot's Hill Parent

Come and Visit Us

Come and visit us to get a taste of what Abbot's Hill can offer your child! We run Open Events throughout the year, and also welcome families into school throughout term time for private tours and meetings with the Head. Get in touch with our Admissions Team to book your chosen visit.

Book Your Place