Archery

Target archery is  run primarily as a Wednesday afternoon activity during the Michaelmas and Summer terms.

The archery club is well equipped with many recurve bows of various strengths and sizes, aluminium arrows and straw target butts. Pupils are also supplied with protective arm bracers and finger tabs.

Great emphasis is placed upon safety and the pupils are taught how to correctly string the bow, how to select arrows of a suitable length and how to inspect the bow and arrows for signs of wear. Correct posture is of vital importance and pupils are encouraged to adopt good practice (weight even, standing straight, feet in alignment with target etc.).

Archery is also of historical interest and students are taught about the development of archery, the different types of bow (e.g. the English longbow, the North American Indian recurve bow, the compound bow and the crossbow). They are also shown how the methods of construction have developed and the importance that was given to archery throughout history.

The initial course lasts for a term and all pupils will see a marked improvement during that time as they develop good practice in terms of posture, anchoring and use of the sight.