Extra curricular life

“Time spent arguing is, oddly enough, almost never wasted.” said Christopher Hitchens in ‘Letters to a Young Contrarian.’ Our debating teams at RIC are a lively and spirited bunch, this year reaching the finals of the annual English Speaking Union’s Schools' Mace competition at Dartmouth House in London. 

It's the oldest and largest schools' debating competition in the UK. There were around 400 schools participating in the championship, including from the grammar and independent sector. 

RIC students also celebrated this year winning the CIFE sixth form colleges quiz championship. 

Their prize was high tea at Westminster hosted in parliament by a real life lord of the realm! 

“Mini golf, orienteering, basketball, netball, football, quidditch, korfball and softball are all offered. Dodgeball hugely popular, with school recently shortlisted for British Dodgeball Secondary School Awards. Pupils also enjoy the ‘fun’ annual multi-skills sports festival. Links with local sports clubs important – one pupil name checked Medway Rugby Club and said that without the school’s and club’s support, would never have got involved in rugby. Pupils congregate in the MUGA (multi-use games area) onsite for kick arounds or shooting hoops - sometimes lessons too. Well-equipped onsite gym too.” Good Schools Guide 

Aesthetes rather than athletes or just the non- sporty refusniks needn’t worry, there’s also a lot on offer at RIC apart from sport from chess to yoga, to life drawing, pottery and  debating, as well as our film club, social justice club, LGBTQ+ club, dungeons and dragons and the student led philosophy society.

At RIC, we think it’s important that our students are given plenty of opportunities to take part in educational visits and excursions, including theatre performances; they play a vital role in providing our students with a well-rounded and fulfilling educational experience. Evening theatre trips open to all over the last year have included-

-Trafalgar Theatre for Sam Holcroft’s ‘A Mirror’ starring Jonny Lee Miller -Cabaret at the KitKatClub with Jake Shears and Rebecca Lucy Fraser -Dancing at Lughnasa at the National starring RIC parent Tom Vaughan-Lawlor -Romeo and Juliet at the Almeida -A Strange Loop at the Barbican -Mnemonic by Complicite at the National -Edward Scissorhands at Sadler's Wells -Stranger Things at the Phoenix Theatre -Punchdrunk’s The Burnt City in Woolwich -Little Big Things at Soho Place -Hamilton, Mamma Mia and Six -Spirited Away at the ENO - Swan Lake at the Royal Opera- My Neighbour Totoro at the Barbican 

DofE is flourishing at RIC. 182 hours of volunteering were completed by RIC DofE students last year with a societal value of £875. In the students’ own words, highlights from last year’s silver expedition were:
“My navigation was on point.”
“Dieko is the MVP.”   “I COMPLETED IT!” “It’s home time now.“ 

This May our silver students had a wonderful weekend in the beautiful Ashdown Forest, home to Winnie the Pooh. Their assessors were very impressed with their teamwork, resilience, and fantastic attitude throughout the 3 days. Over the 3 days, students covered in excess of 50km, each carrying their food rations and camping gear to be fully self-sufficient. They learnt valuable outdoors experience and have made memories to last a lifetime. Including seeing incredible star constellations, how to make the perfect s'more, and persevering through torrential rain on the final day. We're thrilled that all students passed their expedition section and have been recommended for Gold.

Our students enjoyed a Roman educational holiday over the Easter break with ruins, art, pizza and piazzas. 

Closer to home artistically our students have this year visited the V&A, the Sarah Lucas exhibition at the V&A, Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art at the Barbican, Legion: life in the Roman army at the British Museum and a street art tour in Shoreditch.

An intrepid trip of RIC students headed to Sweden this year. 

We spent an afternoon at the Ice Hotel, an opportunity to learn about the building process and view the artists work in various rooms. 

Highlights included A day of ice climbing and cross country skiing in Bjorkliden. Our cultural trip to Kiruna started with some time at Husky Home. Here, students took part in 3 different activities: traditional Lapland team building games, creating fire in the snow and husky sledging.

After last year’s trip to Cornwall, seventy two Lower School students and seven members of staff successfully arrived in France for the annual residential. 

Activities included a visit to The Musée de La Coupole and The Planetarium, exploring the Desvres Market and visiting Boulangerie d’Escoeuilles and L’Escargotiere du Choquel. 

Plus a bit of beach life in Boulogne where, in 1905, the world’s first Esperanto congress was held. Esperanto is one of the few MFLs that are not taught here at RIC

Nehru described India as "an ancient palimpsest on which layer upon layer of thought and reverie had been inscribed, and yet no succeeding layer had completely hidden or erased what had been written previously." Mark Twain said: "India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition.

RIC sixth form students will have the opportunity in 2025 to travel to and explore amazing India on our most ambitious international art and design focussed overseas adventure yet. 

Le Corbusier in Chandigarh, Lutyens in Delhi, a tiger safari, the Golden Triangle and the Golden Temple.