Curriculum details
Lower School (Years 7-9)
The Lower School curriculum is founded on the best features of the National Curriculum, but extends beyond it. Individual pupil progress is rigorously monitored by subject teachers, Heads of Department, Heads of Section and the Director of Studies. Homework is set on a daily basis and should take between 1 and 2 hours to complete each evening. Class sizes are at most 25 children and all teaching groups are of mixed ability, with the exception of Mathematics - this is setted loosely in Year 7, and more tightly in Years 8 & 9. Mrs Jackie Nicholls is Head of Lower School and she is assisted by Mr Graeme McIntyre.
Subjects studied are as follows:
Year 7 English; Mathematics; Science; French; History; Geography; ICT; Art & Design; Music; Drama; Physical Education; Games; Religious Education; Personal, Social & Health Education
Year 8 English; Mathematics; Science; French; German or Spanish; History; Geography; ICT; Art & Design; Music; Drama; Physical Education; Games; Religious Education; Personal, Social & Health Education
Year 9 English; Mathematics; Science; French; German or Spanish; Latin; History; Geography; Art & Design; Music; Drama; Physical Education; Games; Religious Education; Personal, Social & Health Education
Middle School (Years 10-11)
It is our policy that all pupils should follow a strong and balanced core curriculum consisting of:
Mathematics (top set Mathematicians take iGCSE in Year 10, and full AS in Year 11)
English Language
English Literature
Science (either Science + Additional Science or Biology + Chemistry + Physics)
A Modern Foreign Language (pupils who have a recognised learning difficulty may disapply from this requirement).
Breadth of study is achieved by selection of further optional subjects from an extensive list. Great flexibility is offered by this system, and pupils are supported and guided at every stage of the options process. The great majority of pupils take nine subjects at GCSE level. In addition to their GCSE subjects, pupils continue with non-examined courses in PSHE, Physical Education and Games. The Head of the Middle School is Mr Philip Hayden and he is assisted by Mrs Deborah Jenkinson.
Sixth Form (Years 12-13)
Almost all Arnold pupils continue into the Sixth Form where their academic studies focus on four subjects in the Lower Sixth (taken at AS level) and three of these subjects taken at A2 level at the end of the Upper Sixth. Pupils choose their Lower Sixth subjects in the course of Year 11 and a full programme of support is provided at this time. Specialist advice is offered where a pupil has a particular university course in mind.
A wide range of subjects is offered and pupils choose from these in any combination. A feature of the Arnold Sixth Form curriculum is that this choice is unrestricted: the timetable is devised in such a way that it fits, as far as is possible, the subject choices made by pupils and no attempt is made to restrict choice at the options stage.
The range of subjects offered includes: Art & Design, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Classical Greek (extra-curricular), Drama and Theatre Studies, Economics, English Language, English Literature, French, Geography, German, History, Latin, Mathematics, Music, Further Mathematics, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Education and Spanish. There is a games afternoon for all Sixth Formers and pupils choose from a very wide range of games options to suit all levels of skill.
Great emphasis is placed on the development of personal responsibility and study skills, as students progress through the Sixth Form and move towards the more independent style of learning they will encounter at university. The Head of the Sixth Form is Mr Allan McKeown amd his deputy is Mrs Debbie Mayhew.
