Our teaching philosophy:

• There is no one way to teach good and outstanding lessons, as long as students are engaged, challenged and know how to improve.
• Good teachers live our character values in the classroom, put students first and are passionate about their subject and that every student in the class succeeds.
• Happy children learn best.
• Staff are teachers of children rather than subjects.
• All teaching should develop in students the requisite knowledge, skills, attributes and behaviours for them to achieve well across any discipline
• There are no shortcuts and hard work is the key ingredient in success

We are proud of our long association with the Prince's Teaching Institute, an organisation dedicated to promoting coherence and challenge within the curriculum; extending and enthusing students through subject based activities that are beyond the curriculum; supporting teachers to develop, explore and share their own specialist subject knowledge; and forging subject-based links between schools.

Prince's Teaching Institute

English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Music, Art, Design and Technology, MFL and PE are all members of the Prince's Teaching Institute,  a subject-based peer network for subject leaders keen to engage their love of teaching, develop a strong department and improve results. In 2022 Gordon's was awarded all of the possible eight PTI Subject Leadership Marks, recognising outstanding teaching in each subject.

Detailed below are each subject's current focus:

• HISTORY: To explore and develop the use of vocabulary, literacy and writing techniques within the History Department.
• ENGLISH: Offer students a wide range of challenging competitions at Key Stage 3 with: debating competitions, poetry writing competitions and creative writing competitions. To promote reading and literacy through a reciprocal reading project with Holy Trinity Primary School in West End. To develop further our modernisation practices with the English Department, as teachers.
• MATHEMATICS: Developing the use of online platforms to support student learning in Maths and evaluating their effectiveness. Continuing to promote the use of tablets and ICT devices in Maths lessons, particularly to stretch and challenge high attainers.
• SCIENCE: Completing the Subject Leadership Programme Science intends to imbed how science works in curriculum maps, invite several external speakers to engage students in Science outside the classroom, as well as re-establishing a link with the local primary school.
• GEOGRAPHY: To embed the use of geographical skills in lessons across KS3, KS4 and KS5 with the aim of creating more well-rounded geographers.
• MUSIC: Extended Enrichment project with particular focus on making links between departments in a more meaningful way and between colleagues and arts partners in schools and workplaces.
• ART: Exploring different methods for stretch and challenge within schemes of work, promoting problem solving and experimentation with ideas.
• MFL: Improving challenge through use is Extensive Processing Instruction, entering students into national competitions, improving subject knowledge through delivery of whole school CPD and improving cross-curricular links.
• DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY: Help to develop the new Design and Technology stream at the PTI through participation in the 'Evaluation Group' and leading training as part of the PTI's CPD programme.
• PE: The PE Department at Gordon's School is currently working with the PTI on a national pilot project, with the aim of establishing PE as one of the many subjects for which the PTI is able to provide outstanding subject enrichment.

CURRICULUM MAPS