Nurturing academic excellence for bright futures
A broad, balanced and engaging curriculum coupled with personalised learning and inspirational teaching are at the heart of what we do; we endeavour to develop in our pupils a breadth of academic interests and activities, offering exciting enrichment opportunities to extend, challenge and develop intellectual curiosity. Our pupils reach their full academic potential through our rigorous academic programme and exceptional pastoral care.
At Sancton Wood we broadly follow the National Curriculum, taking its best bits and making it our own. We offer a wide range of subjects and pupils have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of computers in the multimedia Study Skills room and excel in the Arts in our Performing Arts block. Specialist teachers in our Pre-Prep and Prep schools deliver lessons in French, Spanish, Mandarin, Physical Education, Music, Drama.
In Science, our aim is to give each student a sound scientific foundation using a mix of practical investigation, written work and class discussion. Our upper school has three new purpose-designed laboratories and in addition, our partnership with Anglia Ruskin enables our students to access to their outstanding computing, engineering and multi-media facilities. Our Prep School has its own lab and computer suite.
Pupils are sensitively guided to make GCSE options choices at the end of Year 9. They generally take 10 GCSEs and our results are consistently high, on average 96% 5 or more 9-4 in the previous five years..
All subjects are taught in small groups, ranging from 11 to 18 students; these small classes enable teachers to provide individual attention, consolidate taught skills, and accelerate the attainment of our high achievers. Relationships between staff and pupils and among the pupils themselves are excellent; all our pupils feel able to contribute in a supportive, non-judgemental environment, and as a result, are willing to try out new ideas. Throughout the school pupils achieve their potential through strategies designed to challenge them and this environment leads directly to our outstanding results, enabling all our students to achieve access to their first choice A-Level setting.
The Assistant Principal (Academic) oversees all academic matters. Our teaching and learning is organised in academic departments, led by our Heads of Department; in turn, they support the whole of our teaching body. We keep a close eye on the academic progress of all of our pupils, and ensure that we keep in touch with parents and guardians as their children progress through the School.
Parents are kept informed on the curriculum as part of our weekly Nursery, Pre-Prep and Prep School, and Senior School newsletters.
