HELIX programme

The HELIX Programme was officially launched in 2015 and was designed to formalise and develop the extra-curricular educational events and activities, many of which had been already running for some years.
What is HELIX?
HELIX derived from Holistic, Experiential learning, Leadership, International citizenship & the X-Factor.
The programme aims to help students to:
- value all aspects of their development, not focus solely on academics
- provide opportunities to experiment and apply their learning, not just rely on theory
- give more opportunities to develop leadership instead of only following instructions
- help develop an awareness of their place in the world, not just their ‘bubble’
- help them find their passion (what is their X-Factor?), not ‘one size fits all’
The HELIX programme takes place throughout the school.
HELIX activities
Intercultural experiences
Photos (click to display)
Outdoor experiences
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Our desire is that students find value in experiencing all of the strands in varying degrees. The learning afforded by participation in these ‘strands’ fulfils the CAS requirements for both the National Programme and the IB Diploma. In addition, a large number of leadership opportunities exist for all Sixth Form students under the auspices of the HELIX programme.
Extracurricular
Additionally, the programme includes extracurricular activities in all three sections of the School.
Early Years activities
After-school activities are offered for all children in Pre-Kinder, Kinder and Primary 1. These activities are scheduled from 13:15 until 14:15 Monday to Friday. These usually include, amongst others, the following choices:
After-school (paid) activities in the Early Years usually include the following choices:
- Ballet
- Tae Kwon Do
- Instrumental music lessons (London College of Music programme)
- Saturday sports academies (includes football, basketball, softball, hockey, table tennis, gymnastics, volleyball, taekwondo and gross motor coordination academies)
Lower School activities
Upper School activities
All pupils participate in at least one after-school activity per week from an extensive list (there are currently 75 options available). These activities, taught by staff volunteers and brought-in specialists, take place from 14:50 until 15:45 (early activities) and 15:45 until 17:00 (late activities) Monday to Friday.
After-school activities in the Upper School include the following (may vary):
Drama group (Spanish and English) | Percussion ensemble | Weights and fitness |
Spanish play | Rock group | Volleyball (boys and girls) |
Arts and crafts | Choir | Football (boys and girls) ADCA |
Batik | Markham surfing team | Rugby (boys and girls) |
International Award | Swimming team and open swimming | Aerobics (dance and step) |
Junior debate (P6-S2) | Climbing | Cricket (boys and girls) |
Dedo Verde Gardening activity | Squash | Mountain biking |
PDA Debate senior (S3-UB) | Surfing for beginners | Rollerblading |
Social service (various projects) | Table tennis | Orchestra (strings, winds and percussions) |
Cooking | Hockey (boys and girls) | Athletics ADCA |
Knitting | Basketball (boys and girls) ADCA | M.U.N. and International Relations (currently rated amongst the top 150 international teams) |