Key Stage 3
The curriculum during the first three years of the Senior School (Years 7-9) is designed to give a broad and balanced education. Fifteen subjects are taught: English, Mathematics, Science (Biology, Chemistry & Physics), Art, Careers Education and PSHEE, Design & Technology, Drama, French, Geography, History, ICT and Computing, Music, PE and Spanish.
Key Stage 4
The curriculum in Years 10 and 11 offers a good range of subjects both at GCSE and IGCSE with some pupils accessing AS level course material in Additional Mathematics. All pupils study a core of English, English Literature, Mathematics, French or Spanish, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Girls select a further three additional subjects from Art, Drama, Geography, History, ICT or Computer Science, Music and French or Spanish, making a maximum of 10 GCSE subjects. In addition, each week, all pupils attend lessons in Careers Education and PSHEE and PE.
Enrichment and Residential Trips
We are able to offer our Senior pupils at PGHS the opportunity to participate in a number of residential trips which is an extremely beneficial feature of the curriculum. For example, our Year 7 pupils enjoy a 3-day team-building residential trip. Year 8 enjoy a Geography Rivers field trip which greatly prepares them for their GCSE fieldwork. The MFL department also prepare a full range of trips which may include but are not limited to trips to France to visit Paris or Spain to visit Madrid. Year 10 and 11 also trips support the Art and History curriculum to places such as Berlin.
Other regular trips include visits to the theatre and art galleries organised by the Art, Drama and English departments. The Science department organises many enrichment opportunities for the girls, particularly during Science Week and some Year 9’s are chosen to attend The Royal Institution, supported by the London Metropolitan University, where they undertake a series of Engineering Masterclass workshops led by experts from industry, academia and education. The Music department organises for the Chamber Choir to visit Jesus College, Cambridge every year for their Choral Evensong.
Senior pupils also have the opportunity to go on the biannual skiing trip and participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award.