Curriculum

The Middle Years Curriculum aims to continue the love of learning established in the Junior Years so that all pupils go on to achieve their full potential at GCSE level. 

An increasingly-individualised portfolio of subject choices allows pupils to excel in subjects they are passionate about, underpinned by inspirational and enriching teaching, stimulating subject courses, and first-rate academic support beyond the classroom. 

In Third Form, pupils will begin to streamline their subject choices by selecting to continue two of the four ‘creative’ subjects: Art, Drama, DTE or Music. Across all subjects, core skills will be taught, reinforced and consolidated to provide the strongest foundation for later success at GCSE level.

The Options Evening in the Lent term includes presentations from staff as well as an open subject forum with Heads of Department. This provides an opportunity for students and their families to feel fully informed ahead of making those important GCSE subject choices. 

Whitgift pupils commence the Fourth Form studying 10 GCSE subjects – this provides for a balance between highly-regarded breadth of academic learning whilst still allowing for time and space to engage in wider co-curricular opportunities that make Whitgiftians the well-rounded and impressive young men they are.

The GCSE curriculum at Whitgift comprises the six ‘core’ subjects – English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics – with an additional four subject choice; pupils will be guided to select at least one Modern Foreign Language (French, German, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and/or Spanish) and at least one Humanities subject (Geography, History, Theology & Philosophy and/or Economics).

Fundamentally, we advocate pupils selecting subjects they are passionate about: those for which they have shown aptitude and which they may wish to pursue into higher education and beyond.

Throughout their studies, boys will have access to a wide range of support and voluntary intervention sessions to ensure they feel guided and confident in their progress; an exciting and varied programme of academic enrichment talks from guest speakers is designed to inspire higher-capacity thinking and academic aspiration.

Faye Carter Director of Middle Years and Designated Mental Health Lead