Boarders’ Activities

Our boarders enjoy a wealth of activities in the evenings and at weekends.

National Trust Visits

Our boarders enjoy regular heritage visits to National Trust properties such as Lanhydrock House Stately Home and Gardens as part of their weekend activities programme. Trips like these allow them to experience British heritage as the houses visited have been relatively untouched since Victorian times. The pupils are usually fascinated to learn about the way British nobility lived in years gone by.

Surfing

A very popular activity with our boarding pupils is surfing. We are blessed with being located close to some of the best surfing beaches in the UK and are one of few schools that can offer this exciting activity. Under the watchful eye of our boarding staff and with guidance from professional surf instructors, the pupils often master the art of surfing quickly whilst having lots of fun. Inter-house surf competitions are a regular competitive event.

Survival Paintball

Another very popular and exciting activity for our boarders is our regular trips to Survival Paintball near Barnstaple. Divided into teams, the pupils have to use their teamwork skills to devise a strategy that will allow them to prevail in this mock battle situation. To their great delight the event usually ends up with everybody covered in mud and paint!

Samuel Pollard Day

The boys in Pollard Boarding House enjoy a day each year when they celebrate the life of Samuel Pollard, an amazing
man who attended Shebbear in the 19th century and then as a missionary, devoted his life to helping others in China.

The boys attend a Chapel service in the morning which is followed by an afternoon of fun activities such as sports and games on the beach followed by a barbeque.

Gig Rowing

This popular activity is available to boarding pupils at certain times of the year, subject to weather conditions.

Social Events

Having an evening meal out at one of our many local restaurants is always a treat enjoyed by our boarding pupils and staff alike. We have a wonderful selection of cuisine to choose from, such as Chinese, Indian, Italian or good old fashioned British fish ‘n’ chips. Everyone enjoys a nice meal in a relaxed atmosphere which increases the strong sense of community we enjoy among the boarders at Shebbear.

Laser Quest on Campus

Fun and excitement on our 85 acre campus with teams of boarders hiding and chasing each other with laser guns!

Trips to Holywell Bay

The large, open and sandy beach at Holywell Bay is located around 6 miles west of Newquay, on the north Cornwall coast. Holywell Bay is a popular destination for surfers and swimmers. Cliffs encompass this rural beach, which at low tide is a mile long and there is a large expanse of sand dunes. There is also an excellent Fun Park which our boarding pupils love to visit.

Go-Karting

Always a very popular activity for our boarding pupils, full of high speed action and excitement!

Wake-boarding and Aqua Parks

Local water parks provide more excitement as our boarders take part in wakeboard competitions.

Christmas Extravaganza

Every year our boarding community enjoy a themed Christmas Extravaganza celebration which includes a wonderful meal, live music, entertainment and lots of dancing!

Concerts and Performances

Throughout the year there are many opportunities for our boarders to take part in music concerts, drama productions and live performances.

International Enrichment Trips

Shebbear College runs a number of international trips every year which our boarding pupils are able to join. These are designed to enhance their education and offer an insight into world history and culture, as well as including sports fixtures and charity work. Destinations include Barbados, Uganda, Poland, Italy, Spain and France.

Easter Celebrations

Every year our boarding community enjoy an Easter Extravaganza celebration which includes an Easter egg hunt around our campus, competitions and usually an Easter party.

Walking and Hiking

Shebbear College is ideally located close to picturesque yet challenging areas perfect for walking and hiking, such as Dartmoor, Exmoor and Bodmin Moor, as well as a dramatic coastal path.

Cycling

Shebbear College is surrounded by areas of natural beauty such as the Tarka Trail, ideal for our boarding pupils to enjoy on hired bicycles, an activity we enjoy regularly.

Charity Events

The College holds many charity events each year to raise money for worthy causes, such as Macmillan Cancer Care, Devon Air Ambulance and Fair Trade. Our boarding pupils enjoy getting involved with these events.

Bowling

An evening out bowling is always a popular activity for our boarding community.

Tennis Competitions

Shebbear College has a number of tennis courts and our boarders are able to enjoy the facilities in preparation for our annual Tennis Tournament.

Golf

With a number of excellent golf courses close to the College, our boarders are able to enjoy this sport in their free time.

Relaxing on Campus

We have a wonderful 85 acre rural campus here at Shebbear and our boarding pupils are able to relax and enjoy their surroundings – perfect on a sunny English afternoon.

Kayaking

This popular activity is available to boarding pupils as part of organised trips abroad, or locally at certain times of the year, subject to weather conditions.