Clubs and Societies are run on a modular format for blocks of time each year.

Chess Club

This important society was started in January 2005. Currently, membership is quite small with a number of beginners learning the ropes. It is the intention that a Chesterhouse chess team participate in the local chess league.

Senior Drama Group

Under guidance of Mrs Nightingale, the drama group meet on Monday afternoons for rehearsal.

In the first term, the group work-shopped popular songs, poems and original poems together with current affairs issues to produce a surreal expression of Adolescence. Using original dialogue and skits as well as media portrayal of current affairs the group took to the stage at the end of the first term at The Music and Drama Evening. This term, the group has grown and is currently rehearsing an old-fashioned melodrama, 'Foiled Again', due to reach the Junior Hall stage on 23 June 2005.

Come and see us!

- Developing talent, sharing ideas, inspiring creativity and nurturing the performer -

The ART Club

“Imagination is more important than knowledge” - Albert Einstein

The Art Club is a brand new society, which was introduced earlier this term.   Our club is open to all Senior School students and we have ten members at the moment – the majority of whom are boys. 

One does not need to be a budding artist to enjoy this society, as the students are rather encouraged to experiment and have fun.   However, as most of the students have expressed an interest in drawing, I will be expanding on these skills this term and introducing them to some exciting, mixed-media techniques as well.

One of our main aims, as a society, is to promote an awareness and appreciation of the arts.  We spent the first few weeks of the first term watching a selection of Art films and documentaries on the lives of world-renowned international artists.  This term I hope to expand their knowledge of Art History with slide-shows and brief presentations

On the practical side, the students helped design and paint the outside wall of the Primary School, which they enjoyed.  They also helped me put up two exhibitions for our various Parent-Teacher Evenings last term.  We are currently making hand-made gift bags and cards for Mother’s Day.

Teacher in charge:   K. Collier

Mountain Biking

Mountain biking allows the students to enjoy and explore the beautiful environment that we live in. The enjoyment of the club is seen in the expression of the student's faces as they enjoy the morning sessions cycling through the hills of Durbanville.

The Business Club: The Fun Fundis

This is a club which offers the opportunity to students to expand their general knowledge regarding the business world. The real workings of a business are observed on field trips, enabling practical application of skills acquired in the classroom. The members are encouraged to implement business ideas by establishing their own small enterprises.

Crafts For Outreach

As part of the school's ethos, the students are encouraged to exhibit social responsibility towards the community. This club offers them that opportunity, by using their creative skills to produce items that are valued and needed by different institutions in the community. Some of these programmes run in conjunction with the Outreach Programme.

Photographic Society

The Chesterhouse Photography Society focuses on work using black and white film. We have a darkroom on the school premises which allows us to develop black and white film and make our own prints. Most of the society is structured around learning darkroom techniques - the actual taking of photographs is typically left to the students own time. Students do not need to have their own camera, although in the long term this would enhance their enjoyment of this society.

The Photography Society has offered its members various workshops and outings. We have conducted practical workshops in portrait photography and have visited the Altydgedacht wine farm as a club outing.

We do have to keep a decent stock of photographic paper and chemicals, and also supply film for some club based activities; there is therefore a small charge to students of RIO per session. Due to the space constraints imposed by the size of the darkroom, the Photography Club has a maximum membership of 12 students.

Debating Society

• Under guidance of Mrs Nightingale, the Debating Society works towards three goals this year:
• To nurture a culture of free discussion on any topic deemed open for debate by
  any student;
• To develop debaters who can:

  • work together dynamically as a team;
  • stand up and confidently raise their points;
  • recognize, foil and deliver debating tactics successfully.

The Debating Society gathers for an hour on Friday afternoons where Junior Debaters discuss relevant topics and develop basic debating skills. Senior Debaters study technique and form before applying it in a forum debate, relevant to current affairs.