At Merrick Preparatory School we maintain a very high and rigorous academic standard, with 100% of our graduates gaining access to their first-choice world-ranked university, many on scholarship. However, this is just one piece, albeit the main goal, of what we do.
We graduate students who will have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to become contributing members of their communities. Our core values of Community, Courage, and Compassion are emphasized and lived daily in our Residential Life Program, Advisor Program, and Academic Program … and perhaps most obviously re-enforced and practiced in our Co-Curricular Program.
Co-Curricular Programs Expand on What Students Learn in the Classroom
Each Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 4:00pm to 5:00pm our Teaching Staff and Residential Life Supervisors lead co-curricular activities that are chosen by our students. These activities range from sports, clubs, indoor and outdoor activities, Student Council to Model United Nations. We offer four “terms” of co-curriculars, some of which run through the year while others conclude at the end of one term and new ones commence with the start of a new term, keeping things fresh and engaging for our students.
It is important to note that we call these activities “Co” curriculars, not “extra” curriculars. We do not view them as separate from and “extra” to our academic, residential life, and advisor curriculum but integrated into all of our curricula as part of a holistic educational program for our students.
Co-curriculars allow our students from over 17 different countries and five different grades (grade 9, 10, 11, 12 and a University Qualification Year), as well as both genders, to mix, interact and learn from each other; it allows for bonds to grow across lines of religion, language, culture and country.
It gives students an opportunity to explore their values and beliefs and those of their peers, as well as test their physical strength and mental endurance.
Merrick Preparatory School provides co-curriculars throughout the whole academic year, at no cost, to ensure our students stay mentally and physically engaged and learning from each other outside of the classroom. In addition to the mental and physical stimulation, our students learn about compassion, community involvement and the courage to take on challenges. We have found that through our co-curricular activities our students’ time management, collaborative skills, social and relationship building skills, ability to compromise and negotiate, as well as overarching social, intellectual and creative skills, increase as they engage in our over 22 co-curriculars offered per year.
Written by Kevin Farrell, Headmaster
