Curriculum Intent: A traditional rigorous curriculum which offers level 3 access to students of a wide range of abilities. A curriculum which provides support and development opportunities for our students and prepares them for the next steps.

Gordon’s School Sixth Form offers a broadly traditional curriculum, following a 3+1 model. 

Our intent is to offer our students a curriculum portfolio where the core consists of rigorous qualifications, and the outer layers are the opportunities to extend themselves using the +1 as well as our extensive opportunities beyond the classroom. 

The curriculum at Gordon’s therefore is characterized by a strong academic focus at its core and several layers of opportunities for students to extend themselves beyond the core provision and the classroom. This prepares them well for life as they secure qualifications, develop transferable skills such as  confidence, self-management, cultural capital and an understanding of the wider world and their options. 

We offer a model where all students choose three A Level subjects, or a pure BTEC model, or alternatively a combination of A Level and BTEC courses at their core. 

In addition, students choose a fourth subject option from our Supplementary Options to pursue in Year 12 only. Most students choose to undertake the EPQ as their supplementary option as this is an excellent preparation for University. 

FURTHER CURRICULAR  OPPORTUNITIES

Other opportunities are through our Expansive Curriculum, Super Curriculum, Liberal Arts and our PSHE programme. The intent here is to gradually enhance our students’ skills, confidence portfolio of experiences to create a CV with stories they can tell as they move on to their next steps. 

EXPANSIVE CURRICULUM

A core part is the Liberal Arts programme in Year 12 which comprises modules such as Politics, History of Art, Critical thinking & Ethics. These change every year but intend to develop students Cultural Capital. In Year 13 the Open Study programme intends to give Gordon's students 'the edge' by educating them on the factors which affect future success, drawing on research from Covey and the Sutton Trust, guiding them to self assess and build skills in line with these factors . 

SUPER CURRICULUM

The Super curriculum develops students’ ability to think critically, to analyse information and construct effective arguments. 
Students seeking to further themselves outside the curriculum should attend a range of events which will enhance their academic experience and fine tune their wider critical thinking skills. Students should therefore draw on the extensive co-curricular and academic opportunities offered such as the Peter Wynterby competition and other national essay competitions advertised.