Life Experiences
We are very much a school that likes to foster a spirit of adventure in our students so they develop the courage, resilience and sense of fun needed to tackle life head on.
A key element of this is our Field Trips & Adventures as there is a lot to be said about confronting thousands of skulls in Paris’ catacombs; facing off with a rescued orang-utan in Borneo; tackling a white-water wall in Croatia whilst clutching a paddle; or graduating from a Green Run to a Black Run in the Italian Alps.
However, these thrills and spills are only part of the life experience we layout for our students:
The World of Work
Our offer is broad-ranging with employability workshops, mock interviews, mentoring sessions with the Co-Op, work experience placements, numerous guest speakers, apprenticeship partnerships, CV-writing support, external careers advisors, and more besides. Just in recent weeks we have worked with Ask Apprenticeships, Balfour Beatty, the National Farmers Union, the Spires Care Home, Arthur Price, and the RAF.
Community Partners
Our community partnerships include events with Lichfield Cathedral, ventures with local businesses, activities with local groups including Lichfield St Chad Rotary and We Love Lichfield, projects with local landmarks including Cannock Chase, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, and the National Arboretum, and volunteering with local care homes and community groups. Equally, work with a range of clubs and societies to support our students to national and international success and up to world championship status. As a part of this, resilience for competition and success are all part of the ‘elite’ culture we seek to build through our imaginative provision.
Charity Fund-Raising
Each of our Houses adopt a local charity and conduct fund-raising activities throughout the year – in a House Competition – to raise funds for organisations on our doorstep. These include Acorns Hospice (Darwin), Lichfield Food-Bank (Garrick), St Giles Hospice (Johnson) and Midland Air Ambulance (Seward). Elsewhere, our Sixth Formers work in their Interact Club with Lichfield St Chad Rotary to raise funds for selected charities and to support community events such as The Castle to Cathedral Run and the Classic Car Festival.
On The Stage
Our school theatre is a superb setting for two popular shows per year, as well as an ‘Encore’ variety-style show, and rocking out to our annual ‘Battle of the Bands’ stage-show. On top of this our outdoor summer music festival – ‘The Summer Sizzler’ – bring a bit of Glastonbury to Lichfield – and selected performers go on to perform at the city’s The Fuse Festival. The talents we help develop see students go on to represent our school in the National Youth Orchestra, national competitions and auditions, local theatre productions, in local bands and even on into the West End.
Higher Education
Our superb careers and aspirations programme also has well-established links with universities and Friary students travel far and wide as they head off into Higher Education. We have an impressive track record of securing Oxbridge interviews and places, we have regular liaison with the University of Birmingham, the University of Wolverhampton, the University of Cambridge, and many more. Students enjoy national conferences, bespoke UCAS support, and guidance on national and international experiences which make their applications stand out from the rest.
Essentially, we see our role as sparking the interests and excitements of life and setting our students on a lasting life of personal growth. If we can open eyes, broaden horizons and set the ball-rolling then our work is largely done.
To learn more about our emphasis on life experiences, please contact Sam Sullivan, Assistant Headteacher, via office@friaryschool.co.uk.
