Senior School curriculum

Curriculum

The academic curriculum at Highgate forms the very core of what the school is about. Of course, we place great value on our extra-curricular activities and we are very proud of our pastoral care, but our chief aim is to encourage each pupil to maximise his or her academic potential at every level. It is important in an increasingly competitive world to prepare our pupils for university and the work place and to ensure that they are well qualified when they leave us, and therefore examination results are important. Yet we also want to foster in our pupils an enthusiasm for learning for its own sake and to encourage them in relevant ways at each stage of their school career to use their formal learning in the classroom as a springboard for pursuing their own academic and cultural interests in their own time. We are, however, not simply interested in knowledge, and we endeavour to teach in a way that stimulates independent and logical thinking in all of our pupils; we want them to be confident in facing the challenge of new concepts and ideas.

Years 7 to 9

Our aim in these years is to continue to provide a broad curriculum. Pupils learn the factual content of their subjects in the traditional way, taught by specialist teachers in each. Though the subjects are self-contained in terms of content, there are considerable inter-disciplinary links in the method of delivery. We place great emphasis on a skills-based approach, which aims to develop critical thinking and foster each pupil’s ability to use the skills they practise on material they know in order to deal logically and confidently with the new and unfamiliar.

The core subjects in these years are: English, Mathematics, French, Latin, History, Geography, Religious Education, Art, Music, Design Technology, Drama, Information Technology, Physical Education, Games (one afternoon weekly), and Science. In year 7, pupils have General Science lessons: all three sciences, Chemistry, Physics and Biology, are taught by the same teacher, to ensure that each pupil has a secure grounding in scientific method. The three sciences are then taught separately in years 8 and 9.

We aim to give each pupil the fundamental Information Technology teaching they need in years 7 to 9: pupils in year 8 take a formal ICT qualification (the European Computer Driving Licence) and pursue project-based work in year 9 to establish firmly the skills they have learnt. From year 10 upwards, any further training necessary is provided by the different subject teachers, as particular needs arise.

In year 9, pupils have the opportunity to add to their curriculum a second modern language (Spanish, German, Russian or Mandarin: they are given a taster course in Mandarin and Chinese culture in year 8) and Classical Greek. A minority of pupils who have found Latin very difficult study Classical Civilisation instead in year 9.

In years 7 and 8, pupils are taught in form classes for most subjects; these are not set by ability. In these years, pupils are setted only for Mathematics, and French (year 8 only). In year 9, pupils are setted for Mathematics, Science and French: pupils are taught all other subjects (apart from Latin and the second language, where setting depends on the options taken) in the same mixed-ability set.

Years 10 and 11

We are committed to maintaining as broad an education as possible at this level, but we are convinced that pupils gain nothing by simply totting up a large number of GCSEs. Consequently, our timetable allows a pupil to take either nine or ten subjects. The International GCSE (IGCSE) is taken in Mathematics, English Language, English Literature, all three sciences, and in French, German and Spanish, for we believe that it currently provides the greatest rigour and scope in these subjects.

Each pupil studies English Language, English Literature and Mathematics, Science and a modern language (it is not compulsory for pupils to take French as their modern language). Pupils must take another four subjects from the following: History, Geography, Religious Studies, Latin, Greek, Classical Civilisation, a second modern language, Art, Music, Design Technology.

In Science in y11, we direct pupils either towards three separate science IGCSEs in Physics, Chemistry and Biology, or towards IGCSE Double Award Science. Currently two-thirds of the year group take all three separately in y11.

In addition, there are compulsory non-examined courses in Religious Education and Physical Education (y10 only). Pupils have a weekly games afternoon.

Pupils are setted in years 10 and 11 in Mathematics, French, English and Science. The timetabling option block system determines the make-up of classes in the other subjects.

Years 12 and 13

Pupils choose four subjects for AS Level in year 12. Our philosophy here too is that little is gained by taking more subjects: we would rather pupils made time to think as well as to do, ensuring that they read widely and pursue their interests, whenever possible, beyond the confines of the syllabus. We give pupils a free choice of subjects. We do not insist on breadth (even though we might encourage it), for the university aspirations of many might suggest that four related subjects were better preparation.

The subjects currently taught are: English Literature, History, Politics, Geography, Economics, Philosophy, Religious Studies, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Latin, Greek, Classical Civilisation, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Art, History of Art. Music, Design Technology, Theatre Studies.

In year 13, pupils take either three or four subjects to A2. While we encourage as many pupils as possible to take four subjects, we recognise that this is not right for every pupil. Again, the opportunity for a pupil to create time to think is essential.

All pupils have a Games afternoon every week. In addition all pupils have a fortnightly Cultural Studies course over the two years, which aims to deepen pupils’ awareness of a wide cultural spectrum (the arts, media, history, science, aesthetics). In Year 12 pupils also take a course in Critical Method, which aims to teach them how to think logically and independently. Many pupils thereafter take the Extended Project Qualification which gives them the opportunity to practise and develop these research skills through a piece of independent research on a topic which interests them.

Please see too the academic extension programme, the Knowledge Curriculum.

View our GCSE and A Level results.