More than lessons. More than qualifications.
At The Hayling College, we believe that education is about more than what happens in the classroom.
Every pupil is entitled to a rich range of experiences that help them develop their interests and talents, build confidence and independence, contribute to their community, stay active and healthy, experience new things and prepare for life beyond school.
We call this The Hayling Experience.
Alongside your academic learning, throughout your five years at Hayling you will be encouraged to:
CONTRIBUTE • CREATE • EXPLORE • PARTICIPATE • DISCOVER
These experiences are an important part of our ambition for every pupil to be:
Happy • Healthy • High Performing
Our wider Personal Development programme brings together enrichment, clubs, sport, arts and performance, Activities Week, trips and residentials, careers, leadership, pupil voice, community participation and opportunities beyond the classroom. This reflects the breadth already set out in our Personal Development Promise.
Five parts of your Hayling Experience
Contribute
Have a voice. Help others. Take responsibility. Make a difference.
We want every pupil to know that they can make a positive contribution to their school and wider community.
During your time at Hayling, opportunities can include pupil voice, House leadership, prefectship, peer reading and mentoring, sports leadership, Anti-Bullying and Mental Health Ambassadors, supporting transition, community participation and representing the College.
As you move through the school, we want you to progress from joining in, to taking responsibility, to leading and supporting others. These opportunities are already central to our published approach to leadership and service.
Your challenge: How will you contribute?
Create
Imagine. Perform. Design. Write. Make something you are proud of.
Creativity takes many forms at Hayling.
You might perform on stage, sing or play music, create art, write a story, make a film, design something, work backstage, become a journalist or photographer, or discover a creative interest you didn't know you had.
Opportunities across the College include Drama, Musical Theatre, Dance, Music, Choir, Art, Creative Writing, Film, Newspaper Club and Technical Theatre, alongside productions, performances and cultural experiences.
Our enrichment programme already provides opportunities ranging from Creative Writing and Film to Art and performance. For example, Year 9 pupils have access to Creative Writing, Film, Art and other creative activities.
Your challenge: What will you create?
Explore
Go somewhere new. Experience the outdoors. Challenge yourself.
Some of the most memorable learning happens when you step outside your normal routine.
We want pupils to experience nature, different places and cultures, outdoor learning and challenges that develop confidence and independence.
Through Activities Week, educational visits, residentials, fieldwork, Forest School, environmental learning and other opportunities, pupils are encouraged to experience something beyond their everyday lives.
Recent Activities Week experiences have included residential adventures, Paris, outdoor activities, creative and performing arts, sport and practical experiences.
Our Forest School provision also demonstrates what this can achieve. Pupil feedback has highlighted enjoyment, learning something new, feeling calm and happy and enjoying being part of a group; 80% of pupils surveyed said Forest School had helped them at school or at home.
Your challenge: Where will you explore?
Participate
Join in. Be active. Be part of a team. Represent Hayling.
Being active supports our ambition for pupils to be Happy, Healthy and High Performing.
There are opportunities to participate recreationally, develop skills, compete, represent the College and lead others through sport.
Our programme includes opportunities such as football, netball, basketball, badminton, table tennis and rowing alongside fixtures, House competitions and whole-school sporting events.
Sports Day is an important part of this experience, bringing pupils together through competition, teamwork, determination, House spirit and sportsmanship, with pupils also taking leadership roles in making the event successful.
You don't have to be an elite athlete to participate.
Your challenge: How will you get involved?
Discover
Find your interests. Develop new skills. Imagine your future.
Secondary school should help you discover things about the world—and about yourself.
You will have opportunities to explore STEM and STEAM, debating, academic enrichment, careers, employers, further and higher education, apprenticeships and the world of work.
Clubs and activities such as Eco Innovators, Minecraft and debating provide opportunities to pursue interests beyond normal lessons, while careers education, Unifrog, employer and provider encounters and work experience help pupils begin to understand their future possibilities. This reflects the DISCOVER strand of our Personal Development programme.
The most important discovery might be an interest, talent or future ambition you haven't found yet.
Your challenge: What will you discover?
Activities Week
One week. A different way to learn.
Activities Week is one of the distinctive features of The Hayling Experience.
For Years 7, 8 and 9, the normal timetable changes and pupils have the opportunity to learn differently, work with different people, develop independence and experience something beyond normal lessons.
Our recent programme has demonstrated just how broad this can be—from residential adventure and Paris to street art, practical challenges, outdoor learning and creative experiences.
The purpose isn't simply to have a week away from normal lessons.
It is an opportunity to:
try something new • challenge yourself • become more independent • work with others • make memories
Your journey through Hayling
The Hayling Experience develops as you do.
Year 7 — BELONG & DISCOVER
Join in. Try something new. Find where you belong.
Settle into College life, experience enrichment, discover new interests, participate in sport and the arts, have a voice and experience Activities Week.
Year 8 — EXPLORE & PARTICIPATE
Explore your interests. Participate. Challenge yourself.
Build on what you discovered in Year 7. Try different activities, develop your interests, participate more widely and begin taking greater responsibility.
Year 9 — CHOOSE & CHALLENGE
Know yourself. Make informed choices. Take on a challenge.
Explore future pathways, deepen your interests, take on new challenges and begin making important choices about your future.
Year 10 — EXPERIENCE & LEAD
Lead others. Experience the world of work. Build your future.
Take greater responsibility through leadership, mentoring and ambassador opportunities while developing your understanding of careers, employers and the world of work.
Year 11 — Lead & Prepare
Lead by example. Be ambitious. Leave ready for what comes next.
Be a role model for younger pupils, prepare confidently for your next steps and continue participating in enrichment, leadership, sport and the wider life of the College.
That progression is already established in our Personal Development programme.
An experience for everyone
The Hayling Experience is an entitlement for every pupil.
We recognise that cost, additional needs, transport, confidence, caring responsibilities or previous experience can sometimes make participation more difficult.
We therefore work to understand and reduce barriers through appropriate support, reasonable adjustments, targeted encouragement and, where appropriate, financial assistance.
We also listen to pupil voice and use participation information to understand:
Who is joining in?
Who isn't yet participating?
What barriers are getting in the way?
What would pupils like to experience?
What difference is participation making?
Our offer changes over time in response to pupil interests, staff expertise and new opportunities.
By the time you leave Hayling...
We want every young person to be able to look back on their time at The Hayling College and say:
I CONTRIBUTED
I gave something back and made a difference.
I CREATED
I made, wrote, designed or performed something I am proud of.
I EXPLORED
I experienced something beyond my everyday life.
I PARTICIPATED
I joined in, stayed active or became part of a team.
I DISCOVERED
I found new interests, developed new skills and thought about my future.
I LED
I took meaningful responsibility and supported others.
And, ultimately:
I AM READY FOR WHAT COMES NEXT.
That is The Hayling Experience.
Happy • Healthy • High Performing