Curriculum

Year 9

A broadly-based curriculum is continued in the Middle School. All Year 9 boys study the following subjects: Art, Biology, Chemistry, Design and Technology, Drama, English, French or Spanish, Geography, History, Information Technology, Mathematics, Music, Physics, Well-being, Religion and Theology. There is one Games afternoon and a period of Physical Education each week.

Years 10 & 11

During these two years boys complete their GCSE and IGCSE courses and there is considerable flexibility with subject choices. All boys are required to study English Language and Literature, Mathematics, Biology, Physics, Chemistry and French or Spanish. All boys take ten subjects — leading to either ten or nine GCSE/IGCSE qualifications, depending on the science course followed.

All boys will be taught Physics, Chemistry and Biology as separate subjects. They will eventually be entered, as appropriate, for examinations at IGCSE leading either to two certificates, Science and Additional Science (Double Award), or to three certificates (in the Separate Sciences). A boy's access to, and eligibility for, A Level Science courses in the Upper School is affected by the quality of the IGCSE grades he achieves, and not by whether he takes Double Award or Separate Sciences.

Additionally, boys choose ONE subject from each of the following groups:

 
The same subject cannot be selected from two or more groups. If a language is chosen from Group 2, this language must have been studied in Year 9. The German and Greek options in Group 3 are for boys wishing to start these languages in Year 10. This means that in combination with a language continued from Year 9 and selected in Group 2, a total of three foreign languages may be studied. These 3-language combinations are intended for boys with particular interest and aptitude in foreign languages.

Some sets will take GCSE French or Spanish at the end of Year 10. Boys in these sets will then either continue their study of the language by following an additional French or Spanish course, or take a one-year course in Italian or in Chinese. Pupils studying Chinese will be entered for GCSE or an appropriate alternative examination. Some sets will take IGCSE Mathematics at the end of Year 10. Boys in these sets will continue their study of Mathematics by following an Additional Mathematics course.

IGCSE (International GCSE) examinations are taken in Mathematics (Edexcel) and in English Language, English Literature (Cambridge), all Sciences and History. In addition, boys have one games session and one period of Physical Education in Year 10. There is also a Well-being course.