Learning at the Senior School

Three-year GCSE programme

From Year 9, our pupils now start their GCSE studies. Moving to this three-year approach gives them more time to enjoy the subjects they love and build their knowledge at a steady pace. We believe this kinder structure not only helps pupils achieve better results but also supports their wellbeing.

With the extra time, there are more opportunities for enrichment, stretch and challenge, as well as for developing important skills. It also creates space in the timetable for valuable activities that make learning broader and more enjoyable.

By extending the time for optional subjects, pupils can study in a way that feels less rushed, helping them to make real progress while still feeling supported. We are confident that this change makes the GCSE journey more thoughtful, engaging and rewarding for every pupil.

View our latest GCSE curriculum guide here:

Learner attributes wheel

The curriculum and our teaching and learning is specifically designed to not just prepare students for successful examination results, but to prepare them to be successful professionals and global citizens. That is why we purposefully aim to develop the skills in our students that we believe make them more effective and independent learners such as metacognition (the ability for effective self-evaluation) and problem-solving. We target these skills in our teaching and deliver them through exciting and challenging tasks, content and concepts.

Curriculum Roadmap

The academic student journey at Claremont is purposeful, fun and enriching. We urge students to think of it like a roadmap with each stage in the journey having its own clear objectives and its own distinctive feel whilst all the time having a clear sense of where you hope to end up – successful transition to university and professional life.

Years 7 to 8 should be about fun, engagement in learning and having the ability to experience as diverse a range of subjects and options as possible whilst also preparing successfully for the examinations ahead. GCSE study should allow students to have the choice to study the subjects they enjoy and are strong at. Whilst at A Level we aim to support students to develop an academic identity that gives students a passion for the subjects and professional life they will transition to when they leave Claremont.

We make sure each transition point through the journey is well supported with dedicated careers and higher education co-ordinators, a thoughtful and proactive individual needs team that provides outstanding study support and guidance and a pastoral team that knows each student and supports academic goal setting and advice.