Curriculum Overview
Our curriculum demonstrates our ambition for the pupils of OPGS. It is designed to be academic, broad and challenging, befitting of a Grammar School. As Ofsted stated in 2024, “The school’s curriculum gives pupils a broad and deep grounding across an ambitious range of subjects. Learning is sequenced carefully to build pupils’ understanding.”
The curriculum from Year 7-11 is based on a five year continuum, carefully sequenced to enable students to build on prior learning and make connections. Academic rigour, literacy and numeracy, stretch and challenge, resilience and personal development underpin the curriculum at every stage.
The Year 7 & 8 curriculum sets the foundations for academic success. Students study the following;
- English
- Maths
- Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
- History
- Geography
- French
- Spanish
- RS
- PE
- PSHE
- Computing
- Music
- Drama
- DT
Year 9 is our keystone year, equipping students with the challenge, skills, knowledge and understanding to enable them to be 'GCSE ready' in Year 10.
Students continue to study the majority of subjects listed above. However, having made a choice to specialise in one language, will now study only French or Spanish. Students may have the opportunity to restart the study of the second language as a chosen GCSE in Year 10. We also offer students a programme of Extended Learning which includes First Aid, British Sign Language and a focused careers programme.
In Years 10 and 11, all students access the EBACC and study GCSE courses in 10 subjects. All students study;
- English Language
- English Literature
- Mathematics
- A Modern Foreign Language
- Triple or Double Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
- A Humanity
- Religious Studies
They opt for additional subjects from;
- Art & Design
- Computer Science
- Design Technology
- Drama
- French or Spanish if wishing to select the other language at this point
- Geography or History if wishing to select the other humanity at this point
- Media Studies
- Music
- Physical Education
- Psychology
In the Sixth Form, students study three or four A Level subjects from the following:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Design Technology
- Drama & Theatre
- Economics
- English Language
- English Literature
- Fine Art
- French
- Further Mathematics
- Geography
- Government & Politics
- Graphic Design
- History
- Mathematics
- Media Studies
- Music
- Religious Studies
- Physical Education
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Spanish
Students can also study for an Extended Project qualification.
We also emphasise and promote a love of learning outside the classroom through a range of clubs and our Enrichment programme. Five Enrichment days, across academic year, give students the opportunity to extend their knowledge and skills further through whole subject day learning activities, visits and external speakers.
The extensive number of extra-curricula sporting activities also matches our intent to challenge our students to develop into well-rounded individuals. Football, rugby, cricket, athletics, table tennis, fencing, rowing, tennis are on offer with school teams participating on a weekly basis. From Year 10 onwards, students have the opportunity to participate in the DofE programme.
Our intent, above all, is to prepare our students for further study at university as well as high-quality higher level apprenticeships and this intent is matched with high-quality Information, Advice and Guidance programme, which starts in Year 7.
