How school co-curricular experiences will boost business

The skills gained through school co-curricular activities don’t just benefit young people when they reach the workplace – but their employers too, says Benenden School Headmistress Rachel Bailey

I have always believed that an education must extend beyond the confines of the classroom. Academic rigour is essential, of course, but it is the richness of a young person’s broader experiences – particularly through co-curricular activities – that truly shapes their character and prepares them to thrive in life beyond school.

I would urge business owners, who are committed to nurturing talent and leadership in the workplace, never to underestimate the personal qualities that are developed through activities like sport, music, drama, community volunteering, outdoor education or enterprise initiatives, to name just a few.

The qualities a leader looks for in their employees – resilience, adaptability, teamwork, initiative – are precisely those that are cultivated through a well-rounded co-curricular programme.

Co-curricular activities are not merely ‘add-ons’ to academic study – they are essential educational experiences that provide young people with opportunities to develop core skills, such as those of leadership, teamwork and resilience.

The best schools develop co-curricular programmes that are designed to stretch students and to take risks in a supportive environment. This might involve leading a team on the sports field, directing a theatre production or founding a new club. Such experiences foster self-belief and teach the invaluable skill of learning from setbacks – something that will undoubtedly resonate with every successful entrepreneur or leader.

Another key benefit of co-curricular engagement is its role in promoting wellbeing. The teenage years are formative and, at times, turbulent. Activities that allow students to express themselves creatively, physically or in service of others offer essential balance and perspective. In a world that increasingly recognises the importance of mental health, ensuring young people have these outlets is more important than ever.

In addition, through partnerships with local organisations and charities, students gain real-world experiences that help them appreciate the level of responsibility they have to their community and the impact they can make.

In an evolving economic landscape where automation and AI are transforming the jobs market, it is those human skills – collaboration, creativity and communication, for example – that will differentiate tomorrow’s leaders. These are cultivated not by rote learning, but by participating fully in life: by engaging, leading, reflecting and trying again.

I would encourage business leaders to consider how they can support and champion co-curricular education. Whether through offering mentorship, work experience, sponsorship or collaboration with schools, the involvement of businesses can make a lasting difference.

The best schools prepare pupils not just for exams, but for life. And that preparation will ultimately benefit not just the individual, but also the business they work for and – ultimately – their community.

Benenden School is a leading girls’ school near Cranbrook in Kent. 
www.benenden.school