Curriculum

Preparatory School

The Prep School starts for children in Year 4 and ends in Year 8, after which the pupils move to our Senior School at Appleford.

Each child has a Form Teacher responsible for his or her academic progress and pastoral care, which is augmented by our Pastoral and Therapy teams and overseen by the Head of Learning Support and Director of Studies. Each Teacher is responsible for a class of no larger than ten pupils and is supported by a Learning Support Assistant.

The overriding principle in the Prep School is to get our children ready for the demands of Senior School study and examinations. We do this by giving them the confidence to learn through a curriculum which provides a specialised, multi-sensory approach with an emphasis on literacy and numeracy skills. The children in Years 4 to 6 follow a ‘Creative Curriculum’ where they learn through creative and active teaching strategies. This gets beyond rote learning and focuses on big ideas and interesting projects. We have our own Forest School and Vegetable Garden and Polytunnel, which allows for plenty of outdoor learning.

When children move into Years 7 and 8 they develop greater independence following a broad curriculum and taught by subject specialists in literacy, numeracy and science. They will also access Senior School resources such as the Food Tech room and Science Labs.

Alongside their academic provision, children enjoy a wide range of extra curricular activities such as sporting fixtures which play an important part of Prep life with our teams regularly competing against other schools.

“Small class sizes and highly trained specialized staff create a very positive atmosphere that fully supports learning”

Independent Schools Inspectorate

Senior School

In terms of achievement and access, study will focus on GCSE and / or BTEC qualifications. By beginning these courses in Year 9, we provide pupils with three rather than two years to progress through the programmes of study – which gives Appleford children a chance to maximise their opportunities for success.

Towards the end of Year 9 pupils, with their teachers’ and parents’ guidance, choose which option subjects to continue with in Years 10 and 11.

All pupils are assigned a Tutor who manages aspects of pastoral care, along with our Pastoral Team, to support the pupils in accessing school life.

Provision at Appleford ensures every pupil is given the opportunity to develop through specialist support in a learning environment where they can gain confidence in their ability and go on to attend university, further education college or employment.

Our grades at both GCSE and BTEC regularly exceed mainstream attainments. However, the overriding ethos at Appleford is that we do not teach a curriculum, we teach children!

Our latest ISI report has borne out our commitment to providing the very best levels of provision and teaching for our pupils. In all areas we were judged as Excellent – the highest possible grade.

“An Excellent, vibrant curriculum and excellent teaching are the foundation for Appleford’s success”

Independent Schools Inspectorate

GCSE Examination Results Data 2016 - 2022

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