GCSE courses
Birch is Year 9, Ash is Year 10 and Cedar is Year 11. Pupils work towards GCSEs examined with AQA and Eduqas, taught in groups small enough that every pupil is known and every misunderstanding is noticed.
Five subjects are taken by everybody. Beyond those, pupils choose from a range that covers the humanities, the arts, a modern language and the practical subjects.
| Subject | Board | Core or option |
|---|---|---|
| English Language | AQA or Eduqas | Core |
| English Literature | AQA or Eduqas | Core |
| Mathematics | AQA | Core |
| Combined Science: Trilogy | AQA | Core |
| Business Studies | AQA | Core |
| Art and Design | AQA | Option |
| French | AQA | Option |
| History | AQA | Option |
| Media Studies | AQA | Option |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | AQA | Option |
| Physical Education | Eduqas | Option |
Design and technology, art and Biblical Studies are taught throughout the school; art continues to GCSE as an option.
Not every option runs every year — with cohorts of this size, a subject needs enough pupils choosing it to be viable. We talk that through with each family at the point of choosing rather than leaving anybody to find out later.
Option subjects run subject to numbers. Our cohorts are small, and we would rather be straight about that than list a subject we cannot staff in a given year.
Small groups
A GCSE set here might be six or eight pupils. Nobody sits quietly at the back, and a misunderstanding does not survive a fortnight unnoticed. It also means a pupil cannot coast, which some find harder than they expected.
Choosing options
Options are chosen during Year 8, in Maple. Pupils and parents are given an options letter, and we talk it through with each family. We also ask families to pray about it together before deciding.
Examinations and access arrangements
Our Examinations Officer is Libby Harris. Pupils who qualify for access arrangements — extra time, a reader, a separate room — are assessed for them in good time rather than at the last minute.
After Year 11
We do not have a sixth form. Pupils move on to sixth form colleges, further education colleges, apprenticeships or employment with training, and receive impartial careers guidance covering all of those routes.
See our examination results and leaver destinations →
We are also an examination centre for private candidates. Sit your GCSEs with us →
