curriculum

The curriculum at Skinners’ has been carefully designed to offer breadth yet challenge appropriate to the needs of our pupils. We have been a specialist school in Science since 2005 and in Maths and Computing since the start of the 2009 academic year. We also offer the opportunity for students to experience practical and creative subjects. This includes a course in Year 7 on learning how to learn through cognitive learning (COGS). On joining the school in Year 7 students will take the following subjects:

English, Mathematics, Science, French, History, Geography, Art, Design, ICT, Music, PSHE, PE, Drama, Games and COGS.

To this, German is added in Year 8.

Independent Study provides an important way for pupils to personalize their learning and help achieve their subject targets. It also provides the chance for the boys to spend more time on topics that have captured their interest and imagination. Independent Study slots appear on homework timetables this year for Year 7 and Year 8 students. Guidance on how these slots may be used is given in the departmental curriculum maps.

Year 9 marks the end of Key Stage 3 and also the start of Key Stage 4. In addition to their other subjects, during Year 9 the boys will begin a course following Triple Award Science at GCSE. This leads to the three separate i-GCSEs (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) examined at the end of Year 11.

In Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11) in addition to the three sciences, all boys will also study for GCSEs in Mathematics, English Literature and Language and RE. All boys will also take at least one language, either French or German. Both may be taken, one will then be as an option choice. Three subjects are selected as option choices to give a total of 11 GCSEs.

Year 9 GCSE options

The GCSE subject choices form and Options_booklet are available by clicking the links.

Year 11 AS level options

In the sixth form students take four AS-Levels in Year 12. Three of these will be continued into Year 13 as full A-Levels (A2s).

A copy of the sixth-form prospectus for internal students can be downloaded here. Click on: AS level options request for the Option Choice form, which must be returned to the School Office by Thursday 14th February 2013.

This programme provides the depth required for bright boys to be stimulated and challenged and prepares them for making strong university applications to the best UK universities. It also gives the breadth needed to capture the interest of sharp young minds and provides the skills needed to meet the demands of employment in the Twenty First Century.