11+ Curriculum

Every year, about 180 boys enter the six Year 7 forms.

There is no streaming and all boys follow the same general programme which includes English, Mathematics, French, Spanish, German, History, Geography, Religious Studies, Music, Art, Technology, Food Technology, Physical Education, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and a course in Language skills.

As part of the curriculum in Year 7 all boys spend a couple of days on a residential course in Halton, where they have an opportunity to experience a variety of outdoor activities. The curriculum followed in Year 8 is similar to the above, and all boys take Latin, and continue with two of the Modern Foreign Languages studied in Year 7. 

Further information about the aims, content and organisation of the curriculum, together with details of the examination courses, is available on individual department pages.

13+ Curriculum

In Year 9 there are few major changes in curriculum content. A range of expressive arts courses is available, including art, music and drama. Boys can choose to carry on with their two chosen modern foreign languages or opt for Greek and one Modern Foreign  Language.

Further information about the aims, content and organisation of the curriculum, together with details of the examination courses, is available on individual department pages.

Pupils entering Year 10 take compulsory GCSE courses in English, English Literature and Maths (which are setted). They then have a choice of seven other subjects from Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Food Technology, Design and Technology, History, Geography, Latin, Religious Education, Art and Design, Photography, Music, Spanish, PE, Theatre Studies, French, German and Greek. They must choose at least two sciences or take the Combined Science route and must choose one language (MFL or Classical). This pattern is maintained in Year 11 where most pupils will sit examinations in at least 10 GCSE subjects. 

In addition to the subjects studied, each boy will also follow a Values programme designed to raise awareness and support the boys in all the wider aspects of social education, including physical education, health, citizenship etc. This is provided to all boys in a manner appropriate for their age and development, emphasising the importance of healthy living, family life, community involvement and personal relationships.  

A small proportion of pupils (about 5%) leave the school at the end of Year 11 to pursue a variety of job opportunities or to embark on courses in further education. The vast majority remain in the Sixth Form where a wide range of A-level courses are available, including most of those listed above plus Further Mathematics, Economics, Photography, Politics, Religious Studies and Business Studies. Further details of these and other courses are given in the Sixth Form Courses Guide, which is on the Sixth Form Admissions page.

Assessment

Pupils and their parents receive attainment grades and attitude to learning grades for each subject approximately every eight weeks, and school examinations take place in summer. 

Departments

Full details of all Departments, and the curriculum offered by each Department at 11+, 13+ and Sixth Form, are available on this site, in the Academic section.