Academics
What gets taught, and when
Four stages, one continuous curriculum, and setting only where it genuinely helps.
The stages
Reception to Year 13
Early Years
Reception and Years 1-2. Play-led, with formal reading and number work threaded through rather than timetabled against it. Two adults in every classroom, all day. Children are assessed by observation, not by test, until the end of Year 2.
Junior
Years 3-6. Specialist teaching begins in science, music and languages while the form teacher keeps everything else, so the day still has one familiar adult in it. French from Year 3, Latin from Year 5.
Senior
Years 7-11. Full specialist teaching. Setting in maths and languages only - the evidence for setting anywhere else is thin, and the cost to the lower sets is not. Ten GCSEs is the norm; twelve is not encouraged.
Sixth Form
Years 12-13. Three A levels plus an extended project, or four where a subject combination genuinely needs it. Every pupil has a weekly one-to-one with their subject tutor, timetabled.
Results
Published in full
Three-year averages, including resits and including the subjects that did less well. A results page that only shows the good years is not a results page.
GCSE grades 9-7 68%
Three-year average
A level A*-B 74%
Three-year average
First or second choice university 96%
2023-2025 leavers
Pupils taking a language to GCSE 91%
Against 46% nationally
Sciences
Three laboratories, and a technician in each
Biology, chemistry and physics are taught separately from Year 7 by subject specialists. Practical work happens weekly, not as an end-of-topic treat.
- Separate sciences at GCSE for everyone
- A level in all three, plus geology
- Weekly practical from Year 7
Arts and humanities
Where most of the arguing happens
History, English, art, music and drama share a wing and, more usefully, share projects. The Year 9 cross-subject term is the thing leavers mention most.
- Art, textiles, ceramics and photography
- Drama to A level, with two productions a year
- Peripatetic music tuition on fourteen instruments
Ask about a subject
Heads of department are happy to talk to prospective families directly.