Beyond the Bell: Clubs and Activities at Helena College

At Helena College’s Glen Forrest Campus, learning and connection continue well beyond the classroom.

Across the week, students in Years 6 to 12 can choose from a broad range of clubs, activities and academic support sessions held before school, at lunchtime and after the final bell. The options change throughout the year and are designed to give students opportunities to explore an interest, try something new, connect with others or access some extra support with their learning.

As an example, the 2026 Term Three program alone includes Art Club, Crochet Club, Creative Writing, Chess, Drama, Robotics, Engineering Makerspace, Wellbeing Club, Warhammer, Tabletop Gaming and Fantasy AFL, alongside a wide range of academic support opportunities.

Sharing interests and discovering new ones

One of the strengths of the program is that clubs can grow from the interests of the people who make up the College community.

Teachers are encouraged to share their own hobbies, skills and interests with students. This can give students an opportunity to discover something completely different from their regular classroom learning, while spending time with staff and other students who share that interest.

Students can also be the driving force behind new opportunities.

This year, Year 6 students Sophie and Isla established a Cockatoo Club. Meeting at lunchtime, the group encouraged other students to learn more about endangered cockatoos and the importance of protecting local wildlife.

With native cockatoos regularly visiting the bushland surrounding the Glen Forrest Campus, the students were also able to turn their interest into practical action, planting more than 55 Hakea plants to provide a future food source for visiting birds.

It is a good example of how a simple idea shared between students can grow into something that contributes to the wider College environment.

Creativity, technology, strategy and wellbeing

For students who enjoy making and creating, options can include Art Club, Crochet, Creative Writing and Drama. Creative Writing Club, for example, gives budding writers, playwrights and poets opportunities to experiment with techniques, take on writing challenges and work alongside students with similar interests.

Students interested in technology and problem-solving can take part in Robotics Club, where they build and program EV3 robots in preparation for the annual RoboCup competition, or attend Engineering Makerspace before school.

Chess, Warhammer, Tabletop Gaming and Fantasy AFL offer yet another way for students to connect over a shared interest, while Wellbeing Club provides a quieter lunchtime option centred around mindfulness, meditation and relaxation.

All of the College-run clubs in this Senior School program are available to students at no additional cost.

Extra support when students need it

The program is not limited to recreational clubs.

Teaching staff at the Glen Forrest Campus also provide regular homework and study sessions designed to help students revise, build on classroom learning, work through challenging concepts, prepare for assessments or simply establish good study habits.

In Term Three, additional support is available across Mathematics, English, Science, Humanities, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Human Biology, French and Geography. Homework Club also runs three afternoons each week, giving students a quiet space to work independently or seek assistance from a teacher.

The aim is not to keep students busy every moment of the day. Rather, it is to provide different ways for young people to participate in College life.

For one student that might mean preparing for a Mathematics assessment. For another, it could mean programming a robot, learning to crochet, painting miniatures or helping create a better habitat for local cockatoos.

Sometimes, it is simply about finding other people who enjoy the same things they do.

Want to learn more about life at Helena College? Book a tour of our Glen Forrest Campus and see the Senior School in action.

What clubs and activities are available at Helena College’s Senior School?

Students in Years 6 to 12 at Helena College’s Glen Forrest Campus can participate in a changing range of clubs including art, robotics, creative writing, drama, crochet, chess, engineering, gaming and wellbeing activities, as well as academic support and Homework Club. College-run clubs at the Senior School are offered at no additional cost.