Home / Co-Curricular / Activities and Societies / Societies
Over and above the various outdoor pursuits, sports, music and drama activities that are detailed elsewhere on this website, Shrewsbury also has a whole range of thriving clubs and societies, giving pupils the opportunity to further their interests or to discover completely new ones. Additionally, most academic faculties run their own societies, and their meetings often welcome distinguished academics who are leaders in their field and are happy to come to Shrewsbury - The Geographical Association is one such example.
The Societies Fair is held at the beginning of each academic year, and gives new pupils the opportunity to find out for themselves all that is on offer.
As you can see from this list we have a comprehensive range of societies on offer. These range from the academic to the more hobby-based options but all are designed to interest, challenge and engage pupils. The vast majority of these meet weekly and a schedule of times is made available to boys and girls at the outset of any term. In addition a Societies Fair is held at the start of term to allow societies to showcase themselves and to assist in choices. Most societies take place after lunch on a Monday (known as Societies Hour) but equally might take place elsewhere in the week.
Pupils in the Third and Fourth Forms are expected to sign up for at least ONE activity – though of course they can do more.
Run by an external coach this Society takes place either indoors in the Gym or outside when the weather is fine. Beginners are welcome and all equipment is provided, however, experienced Archers who wish to bring their own equipment are encouraged to do so.
Art & Photography Society
The Art and Photography Society provides a creative and encouraging environment for art lovers to enjoy both making and appreciating art. Come along to improve on current skills, to learn new techniques and to increase your interest in and love of the visual arts. You do not need to take art to join up, all are welcome. Also gain a solid ground in the skills of digital photography. This club is for all ability levels, and you are not required to bring your own camera. Learn tips and techniques, as well as editing processes and the basic skills of taking a great photo.
Bastille Society
The Bastille Society meets regularly throughout the year for discussion groups, presentations and day visits. In addition, there are regular outside speakers. Recent speakers include Major General Sir Robert Corbett (OS), who was the British Commandant in Berlin in 1989, and Professor Michael Broers of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. The Bastille Society is loosely connected to the Shropshire Historical Association (which holds its meetings at Shrewsbury School).
The Beekeeping Society is in its 40th year at Shrewsbury School. Meetings of the society have been open to all year groups, with training on offer each year for beginners. Many pupils have chosen beekeeping as their skill for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The meetings have traditionally been held outdoors from April to October and in the biology labs during the rest of the year. The Society has an apiary near Ridgemount and rooms next to the School laundry for storing equipment and extracting honey. Protective clothing is provided. Members share some of the honey produced by the society's hives but much is also sold to raise funds for school charities.
Board Games Club
The Board Games Club provides pupils a fun environment in which they can enjoy team games and challenges. We have a selection of old favourites like chess, Monopoly, Cluedo and Scrabble along with others that have been requested by Club members in the past. Not only does the Club encourage development of communication and team player skills but it is a great opportunity to make friends from other year groups and boarding houses.
Canoe and Kayak Club
The Canoe and Kayak Club aims to teach pupils to roll and carry out basic safety and rescue skills in both a canoe and a kayak, practising in the School swimming pool. Once rolling has been mastered, pupils can then learn the art of cart-wheeling and other impressive acrobatic skills in a boat.
The Chinese Society is open to all non-native as well as native Chinese pupils. Activities for non-native Chinese pupils typically include Chinese conversation at beginners' level led by both staff and native Chinese pupils and cultural exploration by means of multi-media, artefacts and literature. For our native Chinese pupils, the Society provides an excellent opportunity to keep up with the four language skills in their mother tongue with a particular emphasis on reading.
Christian Forum
Christian Forum meets every Thursday evening and provides an opportunity for interested pupils, whatever their beliefs, to examine some aspect of Christianity. A passage from the Bible is taken as the starting point for discussion, often by hearing a short talk from a visiting speaker.
There is a craze for learning code - but what exactly is coding? Coding is what makes it possible for us to create computer software, apps and websites. Your browser, your OS, the apps on your phone, Facebook, and any website – they're all made with code. The Coding Club will teach you this and hopefully stimulate your creativity in matters code.
The aim of the Shrewsbury Comedy Club is to explore different genres of comedy, to write and perform comedy sketches, stand up and all forms of comedy theatre and film. We will aim to put together a review/show towards the end of term. For anyone who wants to explore their comic side this is the club to be in! You will not be forced to perform if you merely wish to write sketches.
This course aims to offer an introduction to the essentials of life after Shrewsbury. A focus on basic skills such as student cooking, pizzas, cakes, and how to develop hearty but budget-friendly meals. Basic cooking skills, nutrition as well as versatility of ingredients will be taught.
Craft and Textiles Club
This Monday club aims to dip into a miscellany of craft activities, to accommodate the interests of those attending regularly. Some of the recent textile activities have included jewellery making, mosaics, mobiles and card making.
Darwin Society
The Darwin Society is the School's scientific society. Meetings are held several times per term during the Michaelmas and Lent Terms, usually on Friday evenings. Lectures are given either by external speakers or current staff on a variety of scientific topics. Most lectures are aimed at a Sixth Form audience but are open to all. After the lecture some Sixth Formers will join teachers and the lecturer for a dinner and a continuing discussion of ideas.
Debating Society
The Debating Society runs parallel sessions for junior and senior pupils. Each week, pupils have an opportunity to participate in debates and gain advice on improving their debating skills. Those interested also have the opportunity to participate in national debating competitions as well as friendly contests with other schools.
What makes your favourite comedy sitcoms so funny? From The Big Bang Theory to Blackadder, every comedy show borrows from the rules of Commedia Dell'Arte. For 2018/19, Drama Club digs into the mysterious and marvellous world of masked characters, exploring classic comedy scripts and creating our own weird and wonderful original characters.
French Society
Members of the Junior French Society have a lot of fun with tastings, films etc. Some of the Sixth Form French Society events are open to Lower School pupils interested in taking part, especially if they want to carry on with French in the Sixth Form.
Junior History Society
The Junior History Society is open to anyone in the Third, Fourth and Fifth Forms interested in expanding their understanding of topics that would not necessarily appear on the curriculum. Students experience a wide range of subjects from a number of different time periods, whilst enjoying the opportunity for discussion, stimulating lectures, interactive activities and the development of presentation skills. There is also the opportunity for Sixth Formers to take a leadership role within the Society.
Maths Club allows pupils who enjoy mathematics to develop their logical reasoning and problem-solving skills. Members have the chance to discuss and tackle a variety of mathematical puzzles, helping them to prepare for national and school competitions which run throughout the year.
Mindfulness Society
The Mindfulness Society works with .b lessons, pronounced [dot-be], which stands for 'Stop, Breathe and Be!' This simple act of mindfulness provides the basis of a ten-lesson course for schools. .b is an awareness-raising exercise to give all students a taste of mindfulness so that they know about it and can return to it later in life if they choose to do so. However, for many pupils the course can lead to immediate and striking results: they feel happier, calmer and more fulfilled; they can concentrate better; they have a toolkit to deal with stress and anxiety.
Model Railway Society
The Model Railway Society meets weekly in Hodgson Hall where we are building a portable model railway. Each year we have a trip either to the model railway national exhibition in Birmingham or to a preserved railway such as the Severn Valley Railway.
Paired Reading Society
This group of Duke of Edinburgh students visit a local primary school, where they work with younger children on a one-to-one basis in order to help develop their reading skills.
Pilates improves flexibility, builds strength and develops control and endurance in the entire body. It has been used by our top rowers and other athletes as part of a coordinated training schedule.
Quizzing Society
The Quizzing Society aims to help pupils foster an interest in retention and recollection of facts from a spectrum of academic (and some non-academic) disciplines. The focus of the Michaelmas Term is the Schools' Challenge in November. In the Lent and Summer Terms, intra-mural encounters culminate in the House Quiz Finals in May.
This Group provides the opportunity and space for pupils to read independently. They can use this time to catch up on academic reading; to explore areas in support of their studies; or simply to read for pleasure and relaxation.
Royal Shrewsbury School Shooting Club
The RSSSC meets every Monday for beginners and every Wednesday for recreational shooting on our .22 range. The aim of the club is to advance the abilities of those beginners and to ensure the enjoyment of those shooting. For those who wish to take the sport further, we compete in a schools' postal league and meet other schools for matches during the year. During the summer, we visit our local full-bore range at Minsterley, to fire the .308 calibre rifle over a longer distance of 100m. We also aim to take a small team to Bisley to compete in the coveted Ashburton Shield. Tom Rylands, GB coach and Old Salopian, coaches the team on a Tuesday evening.
Sidney Society
The Sidney Society is named in commemoration of the School's most famous literary figure Sir Philip Sidney (1554-86). Throughout the academic year, the Sidney Society arranges formal lectures and competitions two or three times a term; directed talks (internal or external speakers) aimed at particular groups of either GCSE or A Level students, particularly for revision during the Summer Term; theatre trips and reading trips.
Run by the Hispanic Fellow, the Spanish Society aims to promote awareness and enjoyment of Spanish culture and people. Spanish games, music, competitions and cultural projects will all form part of the programme of activities. In addition, Lower School pupils will sometimes be invited to join Sixth Form events, especially if they want to continue with Spanish beyond IGCSE.
STEM Society
The STEM Society is a hands-on, practical club which encourages building, creating and learning in the four disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. Pupils apply what they have learned in the classroom and put it into action in projects, awards and competitions where they can showcase their ideas whilst developing their knowledge.
Pupils learn how to operate sound and lighting, manage costumes and props and assist with set build for school and house productions. The content of the sessions is driven by the needs of productions, but the course begins with introductory sessions in all the major elements of stage management.