OTS Clubs
Orange Tree School offer's a whole range of Lunch Time Clubs that appeal to a wide range of interests.
Touch-typing Club
We are running a weekly touch typing club aiming to provide opportunity for students to improve their keyboard skills. Excerpt from online on benefits of touch typing:
In today's fast-paced digital world, proficient typing skills have become an invaluable asset, both personally and professionally. One of the most effective and sought-after typing techniques is Touch Typing. The Benefits of Touch Typing extend far beyond mere convenience.
So, regardless of whether you're a student, a professional, or simply someone looking to boost their computer literacy, understanding the perks of Touch Typing is a crucial step towards optimising your digital efficiency and comfort.
Some Benefits of Touch Typing:
- Increased typing speed and efficiency
- Improved accuracy and error reduction
- Reduced strain and fatigue
- Enhanced focus and productivity
- Boosted confidence and professionalism
- Versatility in the digital age
Running Club
Three times a week at lunch time, the students have the opportunity to join the running club. Working out on the treadmills in cold weather but with the aim, of in the nicer weather the runners will head outside to enjoy the fresh air.Students can join in whatever their ability, beginner to advance and the benefits include socialising with friends, reduce stress and anxiety, improve fitness, and implement a healthy lifestyle. Lead by a qualified staff member, this club is a great opportunity to improve your health and fitness!
Fishkeeping
This term we have started our fishkeeping club, where students have been given the opportunity to become guardians of our four school goldfish and learn all about setting up an aquarium and how to care for the fish inside.
This is a great opportunity for cross curricular learning! Of course, there is a lot of science involved, we have learnt about the water cycle of the tank and how to test the levels of chemicals. We have added plants and a special filter to oxygenate the water, we regularly test the Chlorine, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH, KH and GH levels of the water, and the students are starting to learn ways to correct any issues or imbalances. We recently discovered that the KH (water hardness) is too high, and so the fishkeeping club wrote a letter to Craig asking if we could get some driftwood and moss to try and naturally fix the problem! Two of our fish have also been unwell, and so we have been caring for them. The students are learning what signs to look out for and how to care for a sick fish.
We have learnt about cleaning the tank, how to clean the glass, how to pump-clean the gravel and also how and when to service a filter. They have learnt what equipment a tank must have, the difference between a tropical and Coldwater tank, and the importance of only changing things slowly and carefully so as not to shock the fish.
Our fishkeepers have also shared in the responsibility of feeding the fish, and they now know the importance of not overfeeding! We are currently working towards our ASDAN fishkeeper’s qualification, and we hope to be able to go on a fish related trip as a reward for all the hard work they have put in.