We prefer to describe our curriculum as a “thought-full” curriculum, since we seek to develop thinking skills and habits of excellence to nurture life-long learners. Within a secure environment, we are able to provide personal challenge: within a stimulating environment we are able to provide for enjoyment in learning. Both elements are the foundations for academic success.
The Curriculum
Our curriculum is both broad based and increasingly personalised. We are committed to meeting the needs of each individual through high quality teaching and learning, assessment both of and for learning, monitoring and tracking student progress.
Thinker’s Toolkit
Working with Exeter University, a university with an excellent reputation in education and curriculum development, we are enriching our curriculum to be “thought-full”. Putting the learner at the heart of our curriculum we are developing a common and visual language of Thinking Tools and embedding habits of excellence in our work. Habits such as acting with persistence, creating, imagining and innovating are the foundations of life-long learning and personal achievement.
The Rochester Grammar School is now recognised by Exeter University as one of the few Advanced Thinking Schools in the country and is pioneering the use of a cognitive approach to education and student learning.
Years 7 – 11
Students start the Rochester Grammar School with a compressed two year Key Stage 3. During this time students are supported in their transition to a secondary school curriculum with the support of specialist teachers.
Teachers are supportive and encouraging, they help me work to the best of my
ability.
Megan, Year 7
During Year 8 students will consider their pathways for Key Stage 4 and with the help of their teachers will be guided through the options and acceleration process to choose the best subjects and levels of assessment for them. This includes GCSE and AS courses depending on the subject. All students are expected to take a language.
Some students will have the opportunity to accelerate beyond what is normally expected of a Key Stage 4 student in the Core subjects of English & Mathematics. Those accelerated in English will take their English GCSE qualifications in Year 10 and AS English Literature and Language at the end of Year 11. Accelerated Mathematicians complete GCSE Maths, Statistics and Further Mathematics.*
* Please note that student options and pathways are subject to change.
Student Progress & Assessment
On entering the school in yr. 7 all students will be given a target grade for each subject based on prior attainment in English and Mathematics at the end of KS2. At KS3 regular assessments will occur based on assessment criteria which, where appropriate, is based on GCSE standard. The grade your daughter receives will then be weighted to compensate for the academic year in which she is in. This system is designed to allow your daughter’s progress through KS3 to be accurately measured. If your daughter is making progress in line with what we would expect, based on her prior attainment, she will be receiving assessment grades at a similar level to her target grade. Progress will be reported to parents twice annually.
When your daughter enters KS4 in year 9 all assessment carried out will be to GCSE standard. There might, therefore, be a time in year 9 when the grades your daughter receives seem below those that she was achieving in KS3. As your daughter progresses in her subjects your daughter will work towards achieving at and beyond her target grade. Progress will be reported to parents twice annually.
In all departments, teachers have a very good expertise in their specialist subjects and a thorough grasp of which areas to address for different
groups.
OFSTED
Into the Sixth Form
Students are supported by individual interviews, group discussions and interactions with their teachers to help them choose the right Sixth Form pathway for them and we seek to make the transition to Sixth Form as seamless as possible.
Both A Levels and the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) are offered as academic pathways to students. Both pathways offer an outstanding choice of subjects for students to choose from and tailor their curriculum to best fit their future aspirations. In addition to the outstanding curriculum offer students are supported through a dedicated Sixth Form team, study area and recreational facilities.
Almost all our students decide to apply for University and consistently gain places in the most prestigious institutions both in the UK and around the world.
At RGS we offer both the Higher Level and the Standard Level Anthropology. Both are two year linear courses, with a coursework component and formal exams at the end of Year 13. At Standard Level the coursework is 20% of the final grade, with two exams worth 40% each. At Higher Level the coursework is 25% of the final grade, with two exams, worth 30% and 45% each. We have a fantastic track record of results with 100% grade 6 and…
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Saving threatened species, studying microbes, growing organic plants for food, curing diseases? The 21st Century offers many challenges to a Biologist. Which ones are you interested in? New knowledge in areas such as genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, the environment and marine science have profound effects on human society and the environment which we inhabit. The world moves quickly and in order to move with it and participate fully people need to be ‘in the know’. Studying Biology at The Rochester Grammar…
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RGS students can choose to study either Business or Economics. A two-year course in Economics focuses on the study of both microeconomics (the individual markets including markets for products and services, labour and financial markets) and macroeconomics (the national economy on domestic – developed and developing countries – and international level). The topics studied in the course are pertinent and span from the Brexit to income inequality, including housing bubble and credit crisis. Economics explains how the free markets allocate the…
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In Key Stage 4 all students study Chemistry for three years, either through Combined or Separate sciences. Both courses give students the opportunity to learn about chemical reactions, bonding, physical characteristics and energetics. Students taking additional science will also study molecular calculations, detailed electrolysis and equilibria. In the sixth form, students may study Chemistry at A Level and Higher level IB. Both are ideal subjects to combine with sciences or the arts and are especially valued by universities and employers for…
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Course Offerings
Course Offerings
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Drama offers students the opportunity to develop their understanding of how meaning is communicated in theatre and to work creatively to communicate ideas through a theatrical medium. It is a primarily practical subject which also enables students to develop life skills, such as working co-operatively with others, presenting their ideas with confidence and developing skills of empathy and understanding. Drama is taught as a discrete part of the curriculum from Year 7. Students will also have opportunities to participate in drama…
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Outline of the subject: English offers students the opportunity to develop their critical and analytical skills, as well as encouraging creativity and confidence in speaking. Students encounter a wide and stimulating range of texts and authors, and a variety of media texts, such as films and news reports. In Key Stage 3 the emphasis is on nurturing a creative and analytical approach to reading and writing, while giving many opportunities to articulate a personal viewpoint in group and class discussions. In…
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Exel is the programme of study at RGS where we deliver Careers, Personal, Social, Health, Economic and Financial education. Exel is an amazing opportunity to study topics that are not covered by other subjects but have a huge impact on each individual. It is about educating for life; equipping Rochester Grammar School students with the skills and knowledge needed to face the challenges of adult life. Exel includes varied class work such as debates, written projects, individual research, practical skills learnt…
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Geography is, quite simply, about the world in which we live. It is unique in bridging the social sciences (Human Geography) and the earth sciences (Physical Geography). It is not surprising that those trained as geographers often contribute substantially to the management of resources and environments. Key Stage 3 lays the foundations of the skills that are required to carry out geographical investigations both inside and outside the classroom. Resources include maps, atlases, satellite images, photographs, texts and ICT, and of…
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History is not only the study of the events of the past, but also the study of how the past is represented and how we, as students of the past, can interpret the information that we receive. It teaches students to be critical, particularly by analysing historical sources and evaluating the validity of different perspectives. These are crucial skills in a modern world where people have access to an ever increasing amount of, often contradictory, completely unfiltered, information. History is taught…
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Course Offerings Students will complete each of the following modules as part of the course as their mandatory units: Unit 1: Information Technology Systems Written examination set and marked by Pearson. 90 marks. Two hours. Digital Devices in IT systems Transmitting data Operating online Protecting data and information Impact of IT systems IT issues Unit 2: Creating Systems to Manage Information A task set and marked by Pearson and completed under supervised conditions. The supervised assessment period…
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Course Offerings
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We currently are transitioning from A Level courses to the IB Diploma at KS5 Current pupils study the EDUQAS A Level Media Studies course. OCR As Level Film Studies course will continue to be studied as an option at KS4 IB Film Diploma details: The minimum prescribed number of hours is 150 for SL and 240 for HL Students are assessed both externally and internally
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Learning a Modern Foreign Language is exciting as students not only learn the language itself but also about the culture of the countries where the language is spoken. In Key Stage 3, students learn the basics of grammar and vocabulary through different topics. The focus is on oral communication but students also develop their listening, reading and writing skills. In Key Stage 4, students broaden their vocabulary and learn to understand and use more complex language. Lessons are engaging and fun,…
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Music is both a focus for study and a means of communal expression. Students develop musical understanding and skill (in perception, as composers and as performers) in classes, in option groups, individually and in school ensembles. The many expressions and celebrations of school life, such as assemblies, awards events and Founders’ Day, are enhanced by musical performance. In Key Stage 3 students develop and reinforce their understanding and practical skills using their voices, instruments and music technology. Through listening, composing and…
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A student of philosophy is open-minded, willing to learn new ideas and has the ability to evaluate the views of others. As one of the oldest academic subjects in the world, it seeks to answer basic, ultimate questions about human life. This makes it one of the most relevant and forward-looking on the curriculum. Course Offerings
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Physical Education develops students’ physical competence and confidence and their ability to use skill learnt in a range of different activities. It promotes physical skilfulness, physical development and a knowledge of the body in action. Physical Education provides opportunities for students to be creative, competitive and face up to different challenges as individuals and in groups and teams. It promotes positive attitudes towards active and healthy lifestyles. Students learn how to think in different ways to suit a wide variety of…
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Physics allows students to explore the world around them, applying logic and understanding to everyday situations and exciting phenomenon. Topics include: Space, Mechanics, Electricity, Nuclear and Thermal Physics. The course follows a spiral curriculum; always revisiting and building upon prior knowledge. In Key Stage 3 the main concepts are introduced and students start to develop the skills needed to be a scientist. In Key Stage 4 the concepts are covered in more depth, with more challenging theories and questions. In the…
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Politics is a diverse subject encompassing some highly theoretical concepts and also the study of day to day events and their impact. At RGS, students have the opportunity to examine the nature of government, both in the UK and abroad. They can also study political concepts such as democracy, human rights and international relations. They also have the opportunity to examine political ideologies such as feminism and liberalism. Increasingly, particularly with the advent of social media, people have a chance to…
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Product Design gives students the chance to put to practical use what is learnt in almost every subject taught in the school and to use this knowledge in a creative, risk-taking and determined fashion to design, develop and make a wide range of products using graphics, textiles or resistant materials as media. In Key Stage 3 students are given the opportunity to experience a variety of project-based lessons in order to help them select a suitable GCSE topic. In Key Stage…
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Course Offerings
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Course Offerings
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Science is an experimental subject that combines Biology, Chemistry, Physics and the Environmental Science. It acts as a gateway to careers in the natural sciences, the health sector, engineering and many other diverse areas. At Key Stage 3, the students are given opportunities to develop their interest in, and enthusiasm, for Science. They acquire and apply scientific skills, knowledge and understanding of how science works and its role in society. In years 7 and 8 students study biology, chemistry and physics…
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At RGS the Sociology Department has seen been hugely successful in recent years with examination grades at all key stages registering well above the school average. Studying sociology will equip your daughter with a respected qualification valued by both universities and employers. Most importantly your daughter will develop a critical view of the world and develop a number of essential academic skills. Students will question common sense assumptions about the world around them, learn to cut through the spin of advertisers,…
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The theory of knowledge is part of the core of the International Baccalaureate, as it requires students to critically analyse and assess the information that they gain. The course focuses on knowledge claims that are made in their IB subjects, and seeks to question the accuracy, reliability and limitations of this knowledge. An example of a typical knowledge question could be: how might ethics limit the methods available to a natural scientist? The aim of the course is for students to…