Academic Pursuit Beyond The Curriculum
At Wellington every student enjoys rich opportunities for academic extension and challenge. Nobody’s potential is fixed; everybody can develop and transform his or her capacity for learning. Each and every member of the Wellington community has the opportunity to develop a genuine and lifelong love of learning.
This webpage provides details of the different ways that you can stretch and challenge yourself academically at Wellington. You can find out about weekly clubs and societies, and one-off talks, lectures and demonstrations. There is information about competitions within and beyond Wellington, as well as links to reading lists, online courses and holiday activities. Where will you take yourself?
Academic Extension Programme
Please use the filters below to find your desired activity.
Our current Academic Extension Programme for the Lent term can also be downloaded here (PDF File).
thought-provoking, inspiring talks which encourage our students to engage with topics beyond the normal curriculum and question their preconceptions.
A group discussing various issues from a feminist perspective whilst considering the perspective of all in the Wellington community. (Moral Room, Library)
little introductions to big topics in Geography.
MathsSoc – challenging problems, preparation for the Maths Challenges, and practice sessions for the College Maths team
train and compete in academic simulations of the United Nations.
discuss current topical debates
build robots, learn how to code, solve fun logic puzzles, and gain useful team building skills
Improve your spanish through fun games, suitable for beginners and advanced.
Enquire for further details.
Enquire for further details.
range of fun and intellectually electrifying history themed activities: discussions; lectures; quizzing; presentations.
discuss biology and medical research over snacks.
a chance to learn business skills and tools applicable to the real world
a chance to experiment with a range of writing techniques and enjoy the versatility of language.
a discussion group aimed at bringing people of all races together to discuss societial issues. (Logical Room, Library, Week A)
explore engineering and problem-solving including with lots of hands-on activities.
Discussions and talks about history of art and visual cultures.
hone your debating skills with expert tuition and practice. All welcome from beginners to experts and anything in between.
an auditioned group for future dancers to extend both their skill and understanding of dance and performance
discussions about human behaviour, relationships, social problems, scientific discoveries including practical experiments, visiting speakers and a trip.
short, influential presentations delivered by experts to share innovative ideas with an opportunity to reflect afterwards.
Practice debating in spanish with the opportunity to compete against other schools.
philosophy discussion group
Hispanic topics through advanced grammar- specifically tailored for the GCSE and IGCSE courses.
devoted to all things Classical, delving into ancient literature, philosophy, language, history, art, archaeology and everything in between.
discussing various computer science based topics, alongside coding introductions and collaborative projects.
various talks and discussions related to Law. Periodic guest speakers to discuss interesting cases and careers.
lots of challenging ideas to stretch your understanding of chemistry in this advanced group.
a chance to practice your figurative drawing skills from a nude model using a variety of media in a calm and relaxed environment. Priority to artists.
one-off talks on exciting literary topics with a range of speakers.
explore issues and topics related to the practice of Medicine, with student presentations, guest speakers, training sessions and practical activities. (Moral Room)
Lecture Programme
The Fireside Talks
Every Monday evening the Master opens up the sitting room of his house and invites in an outside speaker to share their experiences. The main aim is to make the students think and question their preconceptions, rather than teach them about a particular topic. The Q&A, that is a major element of the talks, is often animated, drawing questions from students from all year groups. Please bring a cushion.
Lent Term
January – March 2025
13 JANUARY
Elliot Leavy, Founder of ACQUAINTED (Generative AI consultancy)
Act II of the AI Age: Agents, deepfakes and the death of reality
20 JANUARY
Ben Sparks, Mathemetician and musician
Creation of Numbers: Is maths created by us, or are we discovering eternal truth?
27 JANUARY – WEEKEND LEAVE
3 FEBRUARY
Sir Anthony Seldon, Prime Ministerial biographer, braodcaster and educator
What Kier Starmer can learn about how to be Prime Minister
10 FEBRUARY
Mo Tanweer, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge
Global Megatrends: The New Normal
17 FEBRUARY – HALF TERM EXEAT
24 FEBRUARY – NO TALK DUE TO EXAMS (IB MOCKS)
3 MARCH – NO TALK DUE TO EXAMS (GCSE MOCKS)
10 MARCH – WEEKEND LEAVE
17 MARCH
Dr Chris Derrick, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University
Darwin Meets the Wizard of Oz: How understanding evolution and development can treat heart defects
24 MARCH
Sarah Montague, British journalist and BBC presenter
Britain’s Place in the World: The view from the World at One studio
Previous Fireside Talks
Click on a poster to view the larger PDF.
