Curriculum
Curriculum
All students follow a broad and balanced curriculum at Key Stage 3. In Year 7, students are set in Maths and Modern Foreign Languages, but are taught in mixed ability tutor groups in all other subjects. A particular feature is the time devoted to ’Opening Minds’, a course which allows students to develop the skills needed to become effective learners.
In Years 8 and 9, setting is introduced in English and Science. Students start their GCSE courses in English, Maths and Science in Year 9 to give them the best possible chance of success in these key subjects.
There is an increasing opportunity for specialisation at Key Stage 4. We talk carefully with students and parents to help choose subjects which open gateways to Higher Education and Employment. In addition to a strong focus on the core subjects, a wide range of GCSE, BTEC and other vocational courses is available. This wide choice enables us to match our curriculum to the abilities and aspirations of our students.
At sixth form level, there is also a good balance of academic and vocational opportunities which leads to the large majority of our students staying with us.
Every year at Key Stage our results are well above National Average, and for the last 3 years we have been the top school for student progress in Devon. We are as proud of those who enter the College with learning difficulties and achieve their own best as we are of those who each year go on to Oxbridge.