Academic Matters

Lessons

Lessons are 50 minutes long and are taught by subject specialists. Initially, all lessons are taught in form groups, although there is some setting for certain subjects, as discussed below. 

Students are given a laminated paper copy of their timetable on the first day of the Autumn term, which they are encouraged to attach to their school bag for easy reference. The timetable is also available online for both parents and students to view from the My School Portal homepage. We recommend keeping one copy on their school bag and another displayed at home. We appreciate your support in helping your child bring the correct books and equipment to school each day – it really helps them feel prepared and confident. 

SETTING 

During the Spring term, First Year students are put into sets for Mathematics, allowing them to learn at a pace appropriate to their ability. All sets follow a similar path through the syllabus, and movement between sets is possible if it supports a student’s learning. Setting is also introduced for science subjects when students begin their GCSE courses. We will explain how this works in good time before it affects your child. 

ACADEMIC OPTIONS 

In the First Year, students study English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Religion & Philosophy, Latin, Music, Art, Design & Technology, Computing, Drama, PSHE and two Modern Foreign Languages. Students are asked to narrow down their range of options slightly as they move into the Third Year and final GCSE option choices are made ahead of moving into the Fourth Year. 

HOMEWORK 

Homework is an important part of learning, reinforcing and developing the work done during lessons. Homework is set via Microsoft Teams which can be accessed on any internet-enabled device and parents can view all assignments through My School Portal. 

Students typically receive homework for two or three subjects per night, with each task taking around 30 minutes. Homework is never due the next day. If your child is consistently spending significantly more or less time than this, please let their Form Tutor know.  

Every family has its own routine, but we’ve found that students work best in a quiet, shared space rather than in their bedrooms, where distractions such as TV, mobile phones or siblings may interrupt focus. Having parents nearby provides a natural level of supervision and makes it easier to check what homework is due. 

A consistent routine – with set start and finish times for homework each evening – can really help. It allows students to plan their evenings, enjoy well-earned downtime, and settle down to study at a time they’ve agreed. 

Here is an example of a First Year homework timetable. Lesson timetables vary by form group and the homework timetables will reflect this. 

Week A

Week B

• Languages are not taught in teaching groups; homework will be set on the day agreed with the class teacher. 
• Design & Technology is taught in half sets and each half is allocated homework on the day indicated with DT 1 or DT 2. 
• Art is taught in half sets with each half being allocated homework on the day indicated with Art 1 or Art 2. 
• The Drama Department sets one homework per half term; it is not represented on the timetable above.

LATE HOMEWORK POLICY

If your child, for any reason, is unable to complete their homework on time, they will receive an email instructing them to either hand in the work at Reception, or submit the work electronically, by 8.30am the following morning. If your child does not submit the homework by this time, they will be required to complete the work in a lunchtime work clinic. All communications to the student about this policy will be made by email so we ask that these are checked on a regular basis. You will also be kept informed of any late homework by email notification. 

PERSONAL, SOCIAL, HEALTH AND ECONOMIC EDUCATION (PSHE) 

We place great importance on the whole child through a high-profile pastoral programme, with regular PSHE lessons for all year groups. These follow the statutory guidance from the Department of Education and cover a wide range of topics, helping students manage life inside and outside of school. 

Autumn term 

In the first half term we look at our democracy and the work of Parliament and the government as well as the importance of the Equality Act in tackling discrimination. In the second half term we look at what it means to be a citizen with a focus on our fundamental British values and consider the value of volunteering. We also look at the role of local councils.   

Spring term  

Our first half term builds on a programme shared with English and History called ‘This is Me’ where we celebrate diversity and challenge stereotypes. We also discuss some of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act. In the second half term, we look at managing change, consider healthy and unhealthy relationships, discuss how to manage conflict and then look at consent as well as peer pressure.  

Summer term 

We explore ways to maintain both physical and mental wellbeing through healthy eating, sleep and exercise, while also considering personal hygiene. We consider various ways of relieving stress by learning new skills such as mindfulness, yoga and cooking. We also recap the First Aid skills that were taught in primary school. 

We have an active pastoral forum for each year group where we listen to our student voice about pastoral matters and that information feeds directly into our programme. We are proud of the relationships we build with our students, and the programme that we have established helps ensure that they really can ‘Work Well and Be Happy’.   

REPORTS AND GRADE CARDS 

Students will receive one full report every academic year, as well as one or more Grade Cards which indicates their progress and achievement at the end of each term.  A full schedule of dates will be published on My School Portal at the beginning of each academic year. 

PARENT CONSULTATION EVENINGS 

There will be at least one Parent Consultation Evening each academic year at which you will meet your child’s subject teachers to discuss their progress. There will be a First Year Welcome Evening, with just your child’s Form Tutor in the Autumn term.  All other PCEs are currently held online.  A full schedule of dates will be published on My School Portal at the beginning of each academic year. 

EXAMINATIONS 

School examinations for First Year students are held immediately after the Summer half term. These allow us to measure each child’s progress against the rest of the year group and are also an important opportunity to teach the revision and time management skills that students need for public examinations. As the examinations approach, Form Tutors and subject teachers will work with students to prepare them. Revision timetables are also built into the curriculum.  

LEARNING SUPPORT 

If your child has a SEND diagnosis, and has had an assessment by an Educational psychologist, specialist teacher or medical professional, please send a copy of any assessment to [email protected] before the start of the academic year. Please include evidence of any exam access arrangements granted by your child's current school as their normal way of working.

As students progress through the school, any concerns about specific learning difficulties are referred to the Learning Support Department. These concerns may come from teachers and/or parents or students themselves.

Students are initially screened for dyslexia during the key point of entry years at the school. A nationally recognised dyslexia screening test is used for this.  

We ensure that students with SEND receive the support they need without compromising academic achievement. Our approach includes:

• Adaptive teaching: tailoring education to individual needs, moving beyond outdated models.
• Holistic support: collaborating with teachers, parents, and external professionals to meet needs in and out of the classroom.
• Mental Health awareness: recognizing and addressing the overlap between SEND and mental health needs.
• Visibility and integration: staff with SEND lead training and assemblies to promote understanding and integration.

The goal is to accurately identify, support, and monitor SEND students to help them achieve their best academic outcomes through comprehensive screening, individualised plans, ongoing staff development, and a collaborative approach.

MIDYIS TESTS 

In the first two weeks of term, your child will be sitting the online MidYIS assessment, which measures aptitude for learning. We use this baseline data to monitor your child’s academic progress throughout their school career. The feedback we receive from the MidYIS tests gives us an insight into your child’s strengths in different areas and enables us to tailor teaching and learning to individual needs. 

THE LIBRARY 

The Library is available to all students as a place to study, revise, research and read for pleasure. Students in the First and Second Year have one library lesson per fortnight, during which they spend some valuable time reading and learning how to make best use of the many resources available. The Librarian provides support for all students, delivering information literacy lessons as and when required. Tailored support is also offered to Sixth Form students undertaking the Extended Project Qualification. Author visits, reading challenges, arts and crafts, plus many other activities, make the Library a lively central hub for the whole school community.  

The Library is open from 7.45am until 4.45pm during the school week and many students use it as a quiet place in which to complete homework or to read.