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Ecoplus »
Economics & Business Studies Society »
Classical Society »
Debating Society »
Ramsey Society »
Temple Society »
Geographical Society »
History Society »
The Mathematical Society »
MFL Society »
Opera Society »
Senior Literary Society »
Junior Literary Society »
The Politics Society
The Politics Society is a discussion based group, open to O Block and above that meets to discuss issues of political significance on a worldwide basis.
The onus is on pupil based discussion, but there are also introductory words from the member of staff running the meeting to open up exploration of the topic. All are very welcome to attend, and contributions during the meeting are actively encouraged.
This would be a good society for anyone making applications to University in the social sciences – for example courses on International Relations or combined courses such as History and Politics. It is also open to those wishing to explore current affairs.
Staff contacts: Mrs Parish and Dr Pitts
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Ecoplus
Ecoplus is an optional academic society run for the Lower Sixth during the Lent term and the second half of the Summer term. It is attended by students who are interested in learning about slightly more than the AS Economics syllabus. The sessions are run in a more informal style than lessons and include tutorial style discussion groups and research and presentation tasks. The pupils regularly rise to the difficult challenges presented to them and engage in plenty of independant study to prepare themselves for the sessions.
A diverse range of economic topics are covered - Should the UK join the euro? How to solve the international problem of drugs. What should the next Bank of England base interest rate decision be? Is it rational to go to University? Industry focused outlook presentations. Fish, heading for the final fillet? What are the merits of the most recent budget?
Staff Contact: Mr Exley
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Economics & Business Studies Society
In September a mix of Upper and Lower Sixth pupils went to Marston's Brewery in Burton on Trent with Mr Carrington and Mr Collins. A preview of what to expect was provided by the minibus driver, an ex-employee of the brewery, who regaled us with stories of what it was like to work there in the 'old days'. During our visit we were given a very good update of the impact of Competition law and a clear understanding of the pub industry. As we followed the production process around the factory, we were able to apply our theoretical knowledge and appreciate the realities of Batch and Flow production. It was interesting to hear that, in order to increase capacity utilisation, thus keeping unit costs down, Marston's actually brews Bass' beer. The history of the company superbly illustrated the dynamic environment that businesses are often in and that managing a business involves constant change. The morning was rounded off by a meal and a sample of beer, some traditional pub games and the manager of the factory presenting us with a framed picture, signed by the Head Brewer for the JCR.
In October a group of Sixth Form Business Studies pupils went to COTT beverages at Kegworth. COTT is the name behind many of the UK’s soft drinks, manufacturing carbonates and still drinks for the major supermarkets and others. After arrival and an introduction to COTT’s global activity, the group headed off to sit in on the normal business meeting of the day. Despite the jargon it was fascinating to get a real glimpse in to the daily workings of such a large company. After that there was a tour round the factory, including the fully automated stock control centre. Then it was down to work, doing some problem-solving for the business. The final session was a look at how COTT’s marketing team keep abreast of the market and it included some blind tasting of high energy drinks to see how the own-label products tasted compared with the market leader (better was the answer!!!).
Staff Contact: M. Keep or M. Carrington.
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Classical Society
Anyone who is studying a classical subject at Repton is automatically a member of the Classical Society. Non-classicists are also welcome to attend meetings when the opportunity arises.
The aim of the society is to explore aspects of the ancient world, partly to support classroom studies and partly for intellectual curiosity and enjoyment. Extra-mural activities include theatre and museum visits, as well as trips abroad to sites of classical interest, such as a past trip to Turkey. We also take part in Classical reading competitions and enjoy talks from visiting speakers.
Among the most enjoyable meetings have been “DARTS” (Drama Activities Related to Texts), in which members dress up in ancient costume and take on the roles of characters from Greek and Roman literature. These have included “The Trial of Clytemnestra”, "Death Factor" and “The Jerry Springer Show – 1000 years BC”.
Staff Contact: D. Newman
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Debating Society
The Repton School Debating Society has been running for over one hundred years. Reformed in 2004, membership is open to all pupils. The Society meets regularly to develop its skills and sixth-form members help to train junior members. As well as regular ‘internal’ debates, the Society organises a public debate every half of term. Attendance at such events regularly exceeds ninety and a wide variety of motions are discussed to stimulate independent and open-minded thinking with tolerance and compassion at its core. ‘Fixtures’ with other school in the area are also arranged from time to time and the Society enters a Schools Competition to test its best debaters at a national level. Occasional trips to a university debating society or the Houses of Parliament further broaden their horizons.
The Society is small enough to sustain a friendly and supportive atmosphere but at the same time makes an important contribution to the cultural life of the School. A couple of places in the Society are usually kept open for pupils entering the School in the Lower Sixth if previous experience is sufficient, but there is nevertheless plenty of opportunity to participate as a member of the House in the public debates.
The ability to debate is an invaluable and transferable skill. Not only does it give pupils an enhanced command of language, developing active listening and communication skills, it also promotes respect, tolerance and a broad-minded and enquiring outlook on life. Furthermore, it increases self-confidence and provides opportunities to engage with and explore a wide range of challenging issues: moral and ethical concerns, the structures and values of society and subjects which have a more global significance.
The process of debating challenges people to think critically and analytically; it develops teamwork skills and contributes to an individual’s broader education, complementing areas of the curriculum, such as English, history, geography, economics, R.S. and P.S.H.E.
Past motions
- This House would rather come from a broken home.
- This House would have women barefoot, naked and chained to the kitchen sink.
- This House believes that chavs are not the problem, Reptonians are.
- This House believes that Christianity has done more harm than good.
- This House believes that we should eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.
- This House believes that the arts have contributed more to society than the sciences.
With more stimulating events planned this year the Society looks set to enjoy another very productive year.
Staff Contact: J. Hill
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Ramsey Society
Membership of the Ramsey Society is by invitation. The Society aims to challenge and expand the horizons of academic high-flyers in the Sixth Form. It is designed to hone their skills in constructing extended essays, and to help them to respond to ideas presented to them in university interviews and seminars. Pupils present papers to the Society, which lead to discussion by the group; recent examples include Kafka’s examination of the human condition, Platonic and Aristotelian analyses of the nature of literature, and the role of human rights in modern global politics.
Staff Contact: C S Dammers
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Temple Society
The Temple Society's core membership comprises Lower School academic award holders, although others may be invited to join. It is designed to encourage free trade in ideas and recent topics of discussion and debate have included under-age drinking, the work of Amnesty International and animal rights.
Staff Contact: J Plowright
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Geographical Society
The Geographical Society is organised and run by the department in order to encourage students to think beyond the confines of the syllabus. Past activities have included group work tasks based on fieldwork exercises which can improve geographical skills and the discussion of global issues such as the problems associated with the greenhouse effect, sustainability and rapid urbanisation. In March 2007, a number of Sixth Form and O Block Geographers participated in an overseas fieldtrip to Costa Rica, arranged together with the Spanish Department.
Staff Contact: N. Collins
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History Society
The History Society meets fortnightly throughout the year and is open to all members of the school with an interest in the subject. It holds seminars for discussing in more detail ideas and issues that arise from the GCSE and A level courses, and also invites visiting speakers to address the pupils on a wide variety of topics. For example Dr. Jackson, a senior member of Cambridge University, led a discussion of the role of the Supreme Court in America, and other seminars have covered Madisonian Democracy, states’ rights, and nineteenth century warfare. The Society also stages other activities, such as quizzes, which are open to the whole school.
Staff Contact: N. Pitts
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The Mathematical Society
The Mathematical Society has three main events each year: the Senior and Junior UKMT Mathematics Trust team competitions, and the annual mathematics lecture to the Sixth Form.
Many students take part in the UK Maths Trust challenges. The questions set are not the standard textbook questions of much school mathematics and can be taken without any special preparation or revision. The emphasis is rather on problem-solving and mathematical ingenuity. All Sixth Form mathematicians are entered for the UKMT Senior Mathematics Challenge held each year in November, and lower school top sets are entered for the UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge held each year in February.
Students can be awarded gold, silver and bronze depending on their performance. High performers qualify for the first round of the British Mathematical Olympiad, for which Repton has a handful of qualifiers every year. Every year two B-Block students join two Year 8s from Foremarke to take place in a UKMT national team event.
There is a Sixth Form maths lecture every year: Paul Goodhead has spoken on Chaos and Dr Roger Webster of Sheffield University gave a brilliant talk on pi.
Staff Contact: M. Sanderson
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MFL Society
The Modern Foreign Languages Society exists to promote linguistic and cultural activities which are not possible within the normal classroom setting. Meeting twice a term, lectures on art and artists, film evenings, wine tastings and study trips to universities are among activities that have featured, and a highly successful five-day visit to Berlin was also undertaken. The role which such activities play in setting the academic study of modern languages within a broader cultural context is of crucial importance in developing an informed understanding of the international environment in which many Repton pupils will eventually be living and working.
Membership is open to all pupils studying a language, although activities such as wine tasting is restricted to those who are legally allowed to participate. Any such restrictions to participation in an event are advertised in advance. Impromptu informal events such as film showings are also held occasionally.
Events this year include a study visit to Paris, and a trip to the new National Theatre production of Brecht's Mother Courage and her Children in London
Staff Contact: S. Checketts or T. Blain.
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Opera Society
This society was established in 2005, and from the very outset the cornerstone of its philosophy has been to give those unfamiliar with opera an opportunity to sample it. We aim to organise at least one visit per term to either Nottingham, Birmingham or Stoke to see the major touring productions. These outings are open to pupils of all ages, and have proved to be highly popular and successful.
Past productions have included Madama Butterfly, Bizet's Carmen; Donizetti's L’elisir d’amore; Mozart's Don Giovanni and Die Zauberflöte; Puccini's La Rondine and La Bohème; Rossini's La Cenerentola; and Wagner's Tristan und Isolde.
Staff Contacts: P. Stevens, T. Blain
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Senior Literary Society
The Senior Literary Society aims to expand pupils’ literary horizons beyond the confines of exam specifications; to stimulate independent reading of and enquiry into a wide range of texts of different genres, irrespective of whether they are studying English literature in the Sixth Form. The Society meets regularly and, through a range of events throughout the year, seeks to foster and nurture a love of literature and explore cross-curricular links where possible. An upper-sixth secretary is selected by master-in-charge to assist with the running of the Society and pupils who are applying to study English at university are strongly encouraged to attend.
Medieval English
In conjunction with the Department’s Oxbridge programme, and to explore an important area of the canon which is not adequately covered by the A-level specification, a course in Medieval English is offered. Pupils are introduced to the history of language change, given a rudimentary grounding in Anglo-Saxon grammar and taught to read Old and Middle English texts, examining their features and contexts. A course book of texts and critical essays is provided.
Discussion Group
A monthly discussion group also meets to explore a range of topics, texts and genres, from the sublime: ‘The significance of gender in love poetry’ ‘ to the ridiculous: ‘‘What constitutes trashy literature?’ From time to time external speakers are invited to address the Society; a recent lecture was entitled: ‘‘Shakespeare on Film’. In addition, once a term, a film text is the focus of discussion and creative writing and last year, two anthologies of members’ work were produced.
ESB Qualifications
Members of the Society can also work towards the English Speaking Board’s Advanced Certificate in the Language Arts or Advanced Certificate in Spoken English: Grade 8 qualifications in speech and communication; last year all candidates achieved Merit or Distinction. For more information visit www.esbuk.org.uk.
National Poetry Week
The Department celebrates National Poetry Week each year. Traditionally, a poem for the day is displayed prominently around the school, read out at lunch in all the houses and discussed in English lessons. A poetry reading is also held to raise pupils’ awareness of poetry in its many forms.
Staff Contact: I.W.McClary
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Junior Literary Society
The Junior Lit. Soc. meets monthly and offers a range of activities which seek to recognise and nurture individual talent in the Lower School and to stimulate a wide range of pupils in all three junior years, giving them opportunities to broaden and extend their literary interests. Each meeting has a different character and requires a different kind of response from the pupils. A varied programme is planned each year by two sixth-form secretaries but may include activities such as the following:
‘Some are born great, others achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.’
A meeting to discuss pupils’ own views of literature: what makes a classic and who decides? Pupils are invited to bring along their favourite books in order to make and defend a case for them as contemporary or future classics.
‘Where staid and silver Trent once wound, in deep indent…’
Pupils will be encouraged to explore texts written about Repton and by ORs, including archive material and early issues of The Reptonian. This will encourage pupils to explore the historical and cultural context of the School at different times, comparing them with their own experience of Repton.
The Silver Screen
Pupils will be asked to consider a number of well-known and obscure film excerpts. Component parts will be identified and analysed and they will be encouraged to engage with them more actively than they usually would, learning how to ‘read’ a film.
Truth is stranger than fiction
A meeting to explore a range of non-fiction texts, such as newspaper articles, diaries, travel writing and biography. Exploring subjectivity and bias, pupils will be encouraged to question what they read.
Lit. Soc. play
In addition to its regular events this year, the Society also produces plays from time to time. Last year the Society performed two comic, one-act plays by Chekhov entitled ‘The Anniversary’ and ‘The Proposal’, which were a great success. This year, the Society has written a two-act play entitled ‘This Woman’s Work’, a humorous exploration of family and married life, which will be performed in October.
Senior Lit Soc play 2008
The Anniversary and The Proposal by Anton Chekhov
Directed by IWM
Staff Contact: Victoria Kinmond
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