Recreational Activities

Guildford Grammar School operates a comprehensive recreation program for boarders. At the start of each term, the Recreation Officer produces a program of activities to be offered over the coming months. Each weekend will involve at least six separate activities in which boarders may participate, although some are specific to individual cohorts. Activities may include ice-skating, trips to theme parks, socials, shopping, water activities, indoor sports, trips to the cinema, and events supported by other boarding schools. The recreation program is posted in the Boarding House and published on both the School website and the GGS App at the start of term so that parents and boarders may plan their weekend and local leave.

At the beginning of each semester, parents receive a REACH notification requesting consent for the range of activities on the Recreation (REC) calendar. Parents may consent to all, or only some, of the listed activities, and this information is securely stored and cross-checked before each outing. Through their REACH portal and the GGS App, parents are able to view the calendar of events, see which activities their child/ren have signed up for, and access all relevant details, including costs, departure times, and return times. At any point during the semester, parents may retract consent by contacting the Recreation Officer directly. If an event needs to be cancelled due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, both parents and students will be notified via REACH email.

Boarders need to have signed up by Wednesday evening if they are to participate in weekend activities. Once admitted, boarders are expected to attend their chosen event, unless they liaise directly with the Recreation Officer in good time to make alterations. Boarders who sign up for an event but do not attend without good reason will be charged for the activity. The cost of recreation events is divided between participants and included on normal school accounts to avoid problems with pocket money availability and boarders having to carry extra cash. Group rates are always negotiated and prices are kept reasonable. It is important that boarders wishing to participate in weekend activities have checked the program for events and discussed leave arrangements with their parents/guardians prior to Wednesday night of each week. This process alleviates problems with last-minute changes after events have been booked.

Water Based Activities

To ensure the safety of all students, boarders must complete a recognised Water Safety Course before participating in recreational activities such as beach swims, fishing, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, surfing, or completing their Skipper’s Ticket. This course is a once-only requirement during a student’s time at Guildford Grammar School and is offered in both Term 1 and Term 4 each year. Any new boarders who wish to take part in these activities are encouraged to complete the course as early as possible so they can fully access the range of water-based opportunities available through the recreation program.

Fishing

Once students have completed the Water Safety Course, they may participate in fishing at the river. We are very fortunate to have such an expansive campus with direct river access, providing excellent fishing opportunities for boarders. For safety, students must always be in groups of three or more, carry a mobile phone in case of emergency, sign out with staff before leaving, and take a first aid kit with them. These rules ensure fishing remains a safe and enjoyable activity for all participants.