We are committed to offering a rich, ambitious curriculum and a broad all-round education, supported by outstanding pastoral care in an inclusive and collaborative learning environment.

Our vision is to give each of our students the best possible future, and our curriculum is at the heart of this ambition. As part of a rounded education, which includes an exceptional range of super-curricular and extra-curricular enrichment experiences, our academic curriculum aims to assist our students in acquiring the essential knowledge that they need to be educated citizens, introduce them to the best that has been thought and said, and help to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement.

Our three year key stage 3 curriculum is based closely on the National Curriculum. The offer is ambitious, deep, rich and broad, with no narrowing. This is a traditional curriculum that sets our students up for a great future, thanks to its blend of variety, knowledge, skills and enjoyment.

The options process for our two year key stage 4 is such that no student can make a choice that rules out any possible future career. Each student studies a core of PSHE, maths, double English, triple science and a language, and from 2022 this core offering has been further broadened to include a humanities subject (geography/history/philosophy, religion & ethics) as well. There are a range of options to complement this strong core, including a breadth of creative subjects that includes drama, music, art, design technology, computing, food & nutrition, business and physical education.

At key stage 5, where external students are in the majority, there is unrivalled flexibility and free choice from 25 subjects. Our options sampling process minimises the risk of incorrect choices, leading to excellent retention rates and consistently strong value added achievement data. Having sampled seven subjects, each student starts four subjects regardless of feeder school and finishes three in Year 13. This enables breadth in Year 12 and maximises achievement as students come to the end of school education.

At every stage, we take the long view that the acquisition and strengthening of learning habits will set a student up for the rest of their lives. The effective delivery of knowledge and the preparation for examination success sits alongside our focus on the development of personal attributes such as independence, resilience, personal accountability and gratitude.

For further information please contact Mrs Helena Tingle, Assistant Principal (Quality of Education) h.tingle@alcestergs.com