The Clapham Character

Success looks different to different people, but we believe that for everyone it includes having choices about what you learn and how you earn your living, and opportunities to use your skills to improve the world for yourself, for those you love, for those who come afterwards, and for those you share it with.

Developing the Clapham Character is building traits that will increase those choices and opportunities. This means becoming self-confident so that you know what you can do, you know how to get better at it, you know how to learn new things, and you know that trying and failing is, usually, better than not bothering at all. It means having the courage to try new things and to do the right thing when it’s not the easy thing. It means having the commitment to see something through, to face and overcome difficulties, to work hard doing hard work, and to look to long-term benefit rather than always preferring short-term satisfaction.

Confidence                         Courage                    Commitment

This character is developed through the subjects studied in lessons and through a range of extra-curricular activities and opportunities.

Through the process of studying for their qualifications, students develop skill and knowledge in which they can have confidence as well as acquiring grades that will open doors for them; they will experience over the two years new ideas and face challenges that will give them courage to face whatever life throws at them with integrity; and they will be pushed, cajoled, and encouraged to do their best with whatever task is in front of them, to fulfil their commitments even when it’s hard work, and to take and use feedback with good humour.

Leadership opportunities are central to the Clapham experience and we expect all students to have the courage to accept leadership in one area or another of school life – from the Student Parliament to sports teams there is a stage for everyone.

Cultural perspectives are a super-curricular course that takes students out of the familiarity of their subjects and into the wider world of learning. Taking three of these across Year 12 will develop confidence that learning is truly amazing – interesting, empowering, fun – and that it is something that is far too good to restrict to qualifications.

Our tutor programme (which includes assemblies and personal, social, and health education) supports students as they build their commitment to endeavour. Adult life can be difficult and in the twenty-two months of a Harris Clapham Sixth Form education, students need to learn to face it – in this interim period they will have the support, encouragement and advice of the staff and teachers here.

Being successful requires far more than simply a collection of qualifications and the pursuit of the Clapham Character places those skills and traits at the heart of a Clapham education.