Enriching the academic experience
An important aspect of a ‘whole person’ education is enriching the academic learning experience outside the classroom in a variety of ways. This includes trips away, bringing experts in to speak and encourage curiosity and empowering students to run, or set up, their own societies to explore and inspire others in the subjects which interest them most.
Visiting speakers
Every term we welcome a set of visiting speakers, ranging from astronomers to poet laureates.
Trips
Trips are organised across the UK and around the world. For example, the Modern Foreign Languages department takes students to Europe and the Art History department to New York and Rome.
Clubs & societies
There are more than 100 clubs and societies, many of them student-led. If one doesn’t exist, students are encouraged to start it themselves.
Student-led publications
Students are encouraged to produce their own publications, writing content, sourcing material and designing covers.
The Extended Project Qualification
The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) was developed here at Rugby School through the pilot perspectives on Science Qualification and now embraces all aspects of the curriculum. Sixth Form students enjoy the refreshing contrast between traditional exams and the opportunity to develop an extended piece of research in an area that really interests them.
Our careers programme
Our Futures Advisory Service provides a comprehensive framework of guidance, skills development and career exploration opportunities.
Through tailored support, expert advice and events such as our annual Careers Convention, students are fully prepared for university, apprenticeships and the world beyond Rugby School.
Poet in Residence
In November 2025, we welcomed Laurie Bolger as our Poet in Residence. Laurie is an acclaimed poet, stand-up, and presenter, and by joining Rugby Schoool, followed in the footsteps of Arji Manuelpillai, Anthony Anaxagorou, Cecilia Knapp, and Rachel Long.
Laurie leads F Block enrichment sessions, provides one-to-one feedback to student writers, and works on a collaborative project with the creative writing group. Laurie also supported Diamond - Rugby School's current Poet Laureate - as she was appointed Young Poet Laureate for Coventry 2025 - 2027.
"The most interesting lecture I've attended was a talk by Rugbeian Amy Gray."
Advancing scientific research through Stan-X
A selection of our Sixth Form biology students are working with a Stanford University professor on a genetic study to find cures for life-altering diseases. Led by Seung Kim, Stanford’s professor of developmental biology, the Stan-X study focuses on identifying genetic mutations in fruit flies, which will create a better understanding of how scientists can cure human diseases like diabetes.
The six Rugby students involved present their research at a scientific conference in Georgia in the US.
Rugby School’s Chemistry students also actively participate in the Institute for Research in Schools (IRIS) programme which is ran in conjunction with Queen's University Belfast. The project enables students to gain hands-on research experience, develop practical skills and gain insight into the research profession.
At the annual IRIS conference in 2025, Rugby’s students presented a poster on their year-long project exploring the chemistry of ionic liquids – highly unconventional compounds with wide-ranging applications, from green energy to novel solvents.
"Academic enrichment abounds. We found students using their free periods to dissect fruit flies’ brains as part of collaboration with Stanford. ‘It’s opened my eyes to research,’ said one."
The Schools of Empire project
Schools of Empire: Class and Colonialism, c.1750–c.1945 is an award-winning research project that seeks to explore the historical intersection of education and empire, focusing on the themes of class, colonialism, gender, and race. The direction of the Schools of Empire project is overseen by an independent academic advisory board.
Simultaneously drawing on the rich resources of the Rugby School Archives and bringing together a network of partner schools, their archives, and universities, one of the central aims of the project is to facilitate and support independent research. Internship programmes are at the heart of the project, and contribute to Rugby School’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. In collaboration with the AHRC and the Crankstart Foundation at the University of Oxford, Schools of Empire provides opportunities for doctoral researchers and undergraduate students to access the archives of Rugby and other public schools. Interns’ independent research projects employ intersectional approaches to class, gender and race, and the school provides on-site training in digitisation, archival handling and preservation. Pupils also get involved in this research as part of their community outreach programme.
The project has been recognised in the Highlights of The National Archives’ Year in Archives 2021 and won the Boarding Schools’ Association Award for Best New INDEX (Inclusivity and Diversity Excellence) Initiative 2022.