Sutton Grammar School

Curriculum

Our curriculum is designed to enable pupils to fully realise their academic potential by becoming successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens.  It is also designed to equip pupils with the skills and qualities needed to meet life’s challenges in a fast-changing world. Breadth and balance are important features of our curriculum design.

If you would like to find out more about the curriculum please get in touch with the Heads of the Department which you will find on the subject pages.  You can also contact Mr Costello, who oversees the school curriculum. Please see the contacts page.

Context

The school provides a curriculum for selective pupils aged 11-18. The school’s curriculum is guided by the National Curriculum and we regularly review and update the curriculum, implementing initiatives that best suit pupils of selective ability.

Key Stage 3

The Key Stage 3 curriculum is broadened and deepened by the inclusion of several days called Challenge Days. These Challenge Days provide SGS pupils opportunities to learn and be challenged beyond that provided by normal subject lessons. Please see the buttons below for Year’s 7, 8 & 9 curriculum overview maps.

GCSE

The essence of the Key Stage 4 curriculum is the balance between a curriculum that offers breadth and that of pupil choice.

All pupils follow the statutory Key Stage 4 subjects of Maths, English (Lit. and Language), Science, P.E., Games, R.E. and Citizenship.

To ensure breadth, the school insists that all pupils continue to study at least one modern foreign language to GCSE.  We also continue with a Form Tutor period and in Y10, we offer a Young Enterprise course. There are careers lessons in years 10 and 11, and there is access to independent careers advice on an individual basis.  STEM lessons are offered to students in Y10 and Y11 once a fortnight.

Five ‘fixed’ subject blocks are timetabled, three for Science and one each for English and Maths.

Four GCSE Option blocks are also offered and cover all the GCSE subjects listed in this Curriculum Section.

A Level

Students at Sutton Grammar Sixth Form study a broad curriculum, comprising of either four A-levels or three plus Supplementary Studies. We believe that providing the opportunity for students to study four A-level subjects, including popular fourth choices such as Further Maths, can provide excellent post-16 preparation for university and working life, though there is opportunity for students to focus their effort on their core subjects required for university entry.

A level courses receive an equal number of lessons – 11 lessons in Y12 and 12 lessons in Y13 per fortnight. These lessons will sit alongside Personal Development and Games and Enrichment every week, in addition to our co-curricular offer of ‘Cogitas’ in Year 12.

The aim of the Cogitas course is to provide breadth to students’ academic study in the sixth form. Students pursue a 4th A-level as a means of developing academic depth. However, breadth is also an important part of a student’s academic development, and that is the purpose of the Cogitas/Extended Studies. The programme starts with one or two collective sessions, introducing the course and covering some broad aspects of study skills. Students then have the opportunity to choose two courses from a range offered by SGS staff, which they will study across two semesters through the three terms. Each semester will run for 16 weeks. These are non-examined courses, allowing teachers to offer topics which they themselves are enthused about and an opportunity for students to share in that interest and extend their own horizons.