Clubs and Activities
We have tried lots of different combinations of offering after school clubs, from free ones delivered by staff to paid for sessions with outside providers. The message we get from the take up of these clubs and from our families, is that there isn't enough appetite to make these clubs worthwhile; the need just isn't there for our community.
We don't want our Gillas Lane kids to miss out so we have moved most of our clubs to lunchtime - this ensures EVERYONE can join in and there is no need for our families to sign forms or collect children from school at the end of a club.
The offer for 2023-2024 is a vibrant one with something for everyone - we have clubs delivered by our very own Gillas staff alongside specialist clubs where we pay outside agencies to come in and deliver. We have made sure that our children have a wide range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests - and because we have moved these to lunchtime, there is a strong take up by our children. And the best news? ALL of these clubs and activities are at NO CHARGE to our families - school incur all costs.
Gardening Club
Mr Hepple is our resident green fingered member of staff and with help from his gardening club, we can rest assured that our school grounds look beautiful all year round. From re-planting trees to monitoring our wild garden, this club is vital to promote pride in our wonderful little school.
Glee Club
Kerry from the School of Rock and Pop runs our Glee Club - if you love to sing and dance, this is the club for you! Songs on the playlist for this year are many and varied; Stevie Wonder, Dua Lipa, The Beach Boys and even Sunderland's own Emele Sande! You can come along and be wowed by our Glee CLub at their regular performances at Bethany Church and St Michael's and All Angels Church - these kids love to strut their funky stuff on a stage in front of an audience!
Sports Cool
Each lunchtime, Gareth and his team are in school to offer a wide variety of sporting activities for all ages and abilities. Archery, football and golf are just some of the activities you can take part in - no sign up needed, just go over to the Sports Cool coach and let them know you would like to take part.
Pokemon Club
One of our most popular clubs, delivered by one of our young leaders. If you like Pokemon, you'll love this! Come along each week to learn how to play Pokemon - it's a much more complex and satisfying activity than I thought and involves quite a bit of cunning and strategy! If you don't have your own deck of cards, don't worry, we have a communal set you can use.
Karate Kids
Sensei Mark (Kawauso Karate) is in school each week to deliver karate sessions to a KS1 Team and a KS2 Team. Sensei Mark is a trainer for the England Karate Team so we know this opportunity is of exceptional quality. I love seeing the teams develop over the year and the end of year display is always a highlight!
Chess Club
Thanks to a successful bid to the DfE, we were awarded a £2000 grant to deliver chess in schools to children who may otherwise not get a chance to get involved in this game of strategy. Each Thursday, Tim Walls, our chess tutor, comes into school to deliver an after school chess club.
LEGO League
For our children in Y6 who love to code, this is the club for you! Mr Douglass and Mr Blair lead our fantastic LEGO League Club - if you think this is just playing with building bricks, think again! In this weekly lunchtime club, you will understand the basics of STEM and apply new skills while building habits of learning, confidence and teamwork. Remember - teamwork makes the dreamwork!
VEX Go
A precursor to LEGO League, our VEX Go Club is for our children in Y5. In this STEM construction club, you will get the chance to investigate, tinker, explore, make mistakes and try again! I am always very impressed with the robots the children make in this club - can you design one that can make me a cup of tea?
Drop In Lunchtime Club
Our drop in lunchtime club runs everyday from 12.15pm - 1.10pm. This is the ideal space if you want to talk to staff about anything that may be bothering you. You can also come along to do Lexia, RMEasimaths or Times Tables Rock Stars and get ahead of your homework. You may just want a quiet spot to regulate before spending some time outside. Lunchtime Club really is the room of requirement at Gillas Lane!
