Year 9 (13 +)

Year 9 prepares students for taking GCSE studies in subsequent years.

We screen all students shortly after they arrive. This ensures each student's academic programme best suits his or her needs.

We normally have four or five classes:

• One is for students whose past performance indicates particularly strong academic potential.
• The other classes comprise a rich mix of students of all abilities.

The academic week has 39 periods.

One of our aims is to keep students' options as open as possible. Students are grouped by ability only in mathematics and in their core foreign language, French or Spanish.

Most other subjects are taught in students' class groups. In addition, we:

• offer a range of activities in the Broader Curriculum;
• ensure that Information Communication Technology (ICT) extends across the curriculum;
• can arrange extra Music tuition;
• place particularly strong emphasis on International Citizenship; and
• provide learning support and English language support specialists.

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Information on the syllabus for Year 9 can be found in the departmental pages.

The Broader Curriculum

Afternoon activities vary during the year.  Students are encouraged to participate in all these afternoon sessions on a rotational basis.

Monday

International Citizenship.  The Monday afternoon sessions continue throughout the year and include units on  - World Cooking; Music; TV Issues; Environmental Design

Tuesday/Friday

 Major Games :  Boys from cricket, cross-country, hockey, rugby, tennis
                        Girls from hockey, netball, tennis, cross country

Wednesday

Music practice, band practice, sport coaching rotation : sports include badminton, hockey, squash, football.

Thursday

Expedition training.  Preparation for weekend expeditions and an introduction to several outdoor activities including climbing, canoeing, orienteering as well as basic expedition skills.

Saturday

Competitive sport or choice of other games including badminton, squash, climbing, pool canoeing, swim training, football.

Sunday

A wide variety of activities are played across the year in Inter-House competitions.  Skiing is also offered on Sundays.

All Year 9 students also experience during the year:

• Two compulsory expeditions to the mountains, one in the autumn and one in the summer term
  Seamanship training for a six-day period
  Two House expedition weekends
• Competitive sport or choice of other games including badminton, squash, climbing, pool canoeing, swim training, football.

Information Communication Technology

ICT skills are taught across the curriculum, not just in ICT periods.

All students learn a level of basic proficiency that is built upon throughout their school career.

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Music

Music classes are classroom-based.

Students may also arrange, through the Director of Music, to have individual instrumental tuition.

For further information, please email bewsk@gordonstoun.org.uk

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International Citizenship

This is fundamental to the Gordonstoun curriculum. Students learn about:

• cultural and spiritual awareness;
• communication;
• civics;
• personal health and the environment; and
• a range of practical skills.

The course fosters in students a desire to explore what it means to live as a citizen in changing times.

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Learning support

We assess individual students with needs such as dyslexia or other learning difficulties.

In Year 9 we emphasise touch-typing and reading skills.

There may be an extra charge for specialist help for lessons that the School:

• has not recommended; or
• previously agreed with parents.

If your child requires learning support, please contact Mr John Hall, our Director of Curriculum, as early as possible in the application process to find out how we can help.

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English Language Support

We assess each student before and on arrival at School. Each will receive the appropriate degree of help and support from our English as an Additional Language (EAL) specialists.

For example, some students will require a little help and support while others may need full in-class assistance.

There may be an extra charge for EAL support for lessons that the School:

• has not recommended; or
• previously agreed with parents.

If your child requires English language support, please contact Mr John Hall, our Director of Curriculum, as early as possible in the application process to find out how we can help.

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