The Agora is a new academic society designed to bring together pupils from across departments to explore the big ideas shaping our world. Inspired by the original Greek agora, a public space for discussion, exchange and learning, the society creates a platform where Waconians can examine human progress not as isolated academic silos, but as one interconnected pathway.
The Agora is a unique collaboration between some of our existing academic societies, including Art History Society, PhilSoc, Think Tank, Classics, Economics Society, Language Matters and Debate Society. Each week, a different society leads a session, offering pupils the chance to explore a topic through multiple lenses, cultural, political, religious, economic, philosophical and creative.
Early sessions to date have included How to Decode Art: An Investigation of the Social Classes and Decoding Ford Madox Brown’s work.
Adam Hayley Head of Art “The Agora is about helping pupils realise that ideas don’t live in subject boxes. Art connects to politics, politics connects to language, language connects to economics. When pupils see these links, they gain a richer, more nuanced sense of the world and a confidence to contribute thoughtfully to it.”
The launch of The Agora also reflects the School’s commitment to an ambitious and wide-ranging co-curricular programme which was highlighted as significant strength in the most recent inspection.
John Wilson, Director of Co-curricular programme: “One of our school’s great strengths is the sheer breadth of opportunities available to all pupils. The Agora takes this a step further and enables pupils to benefit from deeper learning, broader perspectives”
The Agora sessions take place each week.
