Thornton is a thriving environment offering a diverse and exciting academic curriculum, with additional breadth provided as students move up through the school. Girls are given every opportunity to make the most of their educational experience. They are encouraged to develop skills and knowledge in a wide range of subjects.
Senior Academic Curriculum
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CURRICULUM AIMS
The Senior School Curriculum should encourage girls to:
- Prepare for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life
- Enjoy and take responsibility for their learning experiences
- Develop lively, enquiring, clear thinking, imaginative and creative minds and an ability to question and argue rationally
- Develop interests and skills that will enable them to contribute to and enjoy the benefits of society
- Develop a reasoned set of attitudes, values and beliefs
- Understand the world in which we live and the inter-dependence of individuals, groups, nations and the environment
- Develop and live the values of peace and harmony
To ensure that these aims are met the Governors, Headteacher and teachers of Thornton College offer a curriculum that includes:
- Access to a range of courses to suit the needs of a wide range of pupils
- A range of cross curricular topics
- A wide range of extra curricular activities
- The School’s equal opportunities policy ensures an entitlement for all
- Religious education and collective worship for all girls
- Appropriate progression through the key stages and beyond
- Continuity and links with the further education sector
- Differentiation which ensures students of all abilities have access to appropriate curriculum opportunities
- Appropriate assessment, recording and reporting of attainment by students
- Reporting to parents
- An appropriate curriculum for EAL (English as an Additional Language) students
- Homework
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YEARS 7 TO 9
From Year 7 to Year 9, all girls follow a broad curriculum. The subjects studied are Art, Design and Technology, English, French, Geography, History, Information and Communication Technology, Mathematics, Music, Physical Education, Religious Studies and Science.
From Year 7 all girls begin to study Spanish and from Year 9 they are taught Biology, Chemistry and Physics as separate subjects and drama is also introduced.
We have an excellent range of GCSE options where girls select three additional subjects alongside the core subjects of:
| ENGLISH LANGUAGE | ENGLISH LITERATURE | MATHEMATICS |
| MODERN LANGUAGE | RELIGIOUS STUDIES | SCIENCE |
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GCSE OPTION CHOICES
Girls may take all three Sciences as separate subjects AND select three of the following:
GCSE Option Choices
| ART | BUSINESS STUDIES | COMPUTER SCIENCE |
| DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | DRAMA | |
| GEOGRAPHY | GOVERNMENT & POLITICS | HISTORY |
| MUSIC | PHYSICAL EDUCATION | PSYCHOLOGY |
Consultations take place with students, parents and teachers to determine the appropriate number of subjects to be studied at GCSE.
English, Mathematics, Science and Religious Education are compulsory subjects.
More detailed information about GCSE courses is available HERE.
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GCSE PROGRAMME
Our GCSE programme offers breadth and opportunity for all. It allows girls to select subjects they enjoy and excel in and provides a firm base for further study at A level and beyond.
We have an excellent range of GCSE options with girls able to select three additional subjects alongside the core subjects of:
- ENGLISH LANGUAGE
- ENGLISH LITERATURE
- MATHEMATICS
- MODERN LANGUAGE
- RELIGIOUS STUDIES
- SCIENCE
Girls may take all three Sciences as separate subjects AND select three of the following.
GCSE OPTION CHOICES:
- ART
- BUSINESS STUDIES
- CITIZENSHIP
- COMPUTER SCIENCE
- DRAMA
- DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY
- GEOGRAPHY
- GOVERNMENT
- HISTORY
- MUSIC
- PHYSICAL EDUCATION
- PSYCHOLOGY
Consultations will take place with students, parents and teachers to determine the appropriate number of subjects to be studied at GCSE to achieve full potential.
SCIENCE OPTIONS AT GCSE
At Thornton, girls have the opportunity to follow one of several Science Pathways leading to two or three GCSE’s in Science. The school follows the AQA Science for all Suite in each pathway.
The first Pathway will involve girls achieving two GCSEs in Science and will follow the AQA GCSE Specification Combined Science: Trilogy. This is a linear syllabus and two 1hr 15 min Biology, Chemistry and Physics papers will be taken at the end of Year 11.
The Second pathway will involve girls achieving three GCSEs and will follow the AQA Separate Sciences specifications in Physics, Biology and Chemistry. These specifications are all linear GCSEs. Each separate Science will be assessed by 2 x 1hr 45min exam papers at the end of Year 11.
The Third Pathway will involve girls choosing one or more of the separate AQA Separate Science GCSEs (from the specification in Physics, Biology and Chemistry)
All of the courses will involve practical work, and it is planned that learning will stem from these practical sessions. Each of the pathways will involve a number of experiments that the girls will have to have completed before the end of the 2 year GCSE cycle.
There is NO practical assessment however, in ANY of the pathways.