The Politics Society »
Economics & Business Studies Society »
Classical Society »
Debating Society »
Ramsey Society »
Temple Society »
Geographical Society »
History Society »
The Mathematical Society »
MFL Society »
The Gurney Society »
Opera Society »
Literary Societies »
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 A Parish and Dr N Pitts
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Economics & Business Society
The Economics and Business society meets in various guises throughout the academic year. In the Michaelmas term there are usually lectures by outside speakers on topics geared to both Sixth Form year groups. In addition the society operates some small group discussions on current issues in business and the economy which are organised by the pupils themselves.
In the Lent term Ecoplus begins. Ecoplus is an optional discussion group run for the Lower Sixth for the rest of the academic year. 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 independent study to prepare themselves for the sessions. A diverse range of economic topics are covered, ranging from discussions about UK membership of the euro, to the price of fish!
Off site the society is involved in occasional visits to local factories and businesses. In the Summer term the society has an annual visit to the University of Nottingham for its ‘Globalisation’ conference for Sixth Formers.
Staff Contact: Mr M Keep or Mr 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.
We hold popular classically-themed quiz nights, visit theatres and hold debates, sometimes in costume. The aim is to strike a balance between accessible topics of general interest and those that are more closely related to the academic syllabus. There have also been more light-hearted ventures, such as ‘Death Factor’ and ‘The Jerry Springer Show 1000BC’.
Staff Contact: Mr R Embery
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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: Mr J Hill
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Ramsey Society
Membership of the Ramsey Society is by invitation on the basis of recommendations from Common Room. The Society aims to challenge and expand the horizons a number of the most academically gifted and inquisitive members of 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: Mr C 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: Mr 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. Activities include discussion and debate about global issues such as sustainability and rapid urbanisation. It is also an opportunity for pupils to view films and programmes of a geographical nature which they might not otherwise have a chance to see. On occasion we will attend geographical events outside Repton. The Geographical Association also provides an opportunity for pupils to travel further afield to experience new geographical environments. Past Geographical Association fieldtrips have visited Costa Rica and China.
Staff Contact: Miss A McKenzie
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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: Dr N Pitts
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The Mathematical Society
The Mathematical Society comprises the Senior and Junior UKMT Maths Challenges, the UKMT team challenge 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: Mr P Goodhead
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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 once a month, 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 last year included a study visit to Paris, and a trip to the new National Theatre production of Brecht's Mother Courage and her Children in London. Events this year include canapés and poetry evening, a lecture on the propaganda music of the Third Reich as well as one on Parisian art and also a study trip to southern Spain. Pupils are always welcome to offer their ideas for future events.
Staff Contact: Ms S Lees
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New in 2011 is the Gurney Society, offering an informal and enjoyable environment for all Reptonians to broaden their appreciation of science, and be exposed to research methods, ideas and process across all three scientific disciplines.
Named after John Henry Gurney, founder of the School's first Chemistry Deparment, and instigated by current Science teacher Julia Rushton, the Society embodies the spirit of scientific enquiry, Repton ethos and sense of the that both teachers have inspired in their pupils.
Nicknamed the Pelican, Gurney is enshrined in Repton folk law as the inspiration for 'Lex Pelicana', or the bone off. Joining Repton in 1873, he was well ahead of his time - fond of explosions, bad smells and occasionaly setting his beard on fire, he was a truly inspirational and forward-thinking teacher, and the Gurney Society ensures these qualities endure here at Repton.
Enabling pupils to explore a huge variety of scientific topics, from flight in birds to astrophysics, and from genetics to John Driver's breathtaking chemical demonstrations, the Gurney Society intends to excite as well as educate, offering a fantastic new addition to the School's extra-curricular program.
Staff Contact: Mrs J Rushton
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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: Mr P Stevens, Mr T Blain
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Literary Societies
A wide range of activities operate under the aegis of the English Department throughout the year and are open to all, though some are aimed particularly at junior or senior pupils. These seek to expand pupils' literary and linguistic horizons outside the classroom and to stimulate enquiry into a wide range of texts and genres. Groups and activities meet throughout the year and pupil leadership is strongly encouraged. Together with the Debating Society and The Reptonian magazine, which are managed by Jon Hill in the English Department, Ian McClary and Victoria Kinmond oversee a range of activities, which typically will include:
• Senior Book Group: a chance for sixth-form pupils to meet informally to discuss texts they have selected and to explore contextual links;
• Lit. Soc. Play: either selected or written by pupils, the play is an annual event in the calendar;
• English Speaking Board qualifications: an opportunity for pupils to prepare for the Grade 8 Advanced Certificate in Spoken English or the Advanced Certificate in the Language Arts;
• LAMDA qualifications: open to all but aimed at giving junior pupils an opportunity to develop important speech and drama skillls;
• Medieval English Group: part of the Oxbridge programme, this group explores Anglo-Saxon and Middle English texts and culture;
• Film Group: using a film text as stimulus, this creative writing group meets to produce and share original writing in an informal setting;
• Literature Discussion Group: designed to complement areas of the A Level curriculum, seminars are offered, for examople, on Romantic Poetry or American Drama;
• Quiz nights: aimed at junior pupils, a range of events are provided to explore a range of literary topics;
• Theatre trips: not only to see productions of texts studied in the classroom, but also performances selected by the pupils.
Staff Contacts: Mr J Hill, Mr N Crombie
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