Year 9 – The Beginning

The first year at the Senior School we continue to offer a broad range of subject experiences. As well as the core subjects of English, Maths and Science all students will also have the chance to experience a range of creative and academic subjects. By maintaining a broad range of subjects until Year 10, and having a policy of students taking nine or ten subjects to GCSE, the breadth of the educational experience is maintained for as long as possible. To foster linguistic skills, all pupils will take GCSEs in English Language and English Literature, all students in Year 9 study French and Spanish. The only exceptions to this are SEN/SPLD students who have opted to take either French or Spanish, rather than both. All SEN/SPLD students will be encouraged to take one MFL and their access to the other is kept open by the timetable structure. Those doing only one MFL have Learning Support lessons with the SENCO. We encourage those students capable of it to take both Spanish and French at GCSE. A GCSE short course in Latin is offered outside the Year 9 curriculum, on demand. All students will take GCSEs in Mathematics and Science (as both Dual Award or as three separate sciences). Information Technology is compulsory in Year 9, as are human, social, aesthetic and creative subjects (History, Geography, Art, Music and Drama).   A Global Perspectives course, taken by all, delivers tasters throughout the year of those subjects that are still to come at A Level: Psychology, Philosophy, Religion and Politics. Final course choices for GCSE are made midway through the year, but students continue to work towards their Diploma right the way through to the end of June. For some students Learning Support is provided to reinforce their grasp of the core subjects and address individual barriers to achievement. For all, the process is overseen by a tutor and Head of House whose absolute priority is to ensure that those in their care have a programme that is rich, creative and demanding.