Curriculum Statement
“The curriculum at Mount House School aims to generate an enthusiasm for life-long learning and to stimulate intellectual curiosity in all our students. Our inclusive curriculum is nurturing, relevant and innovative, full of creativity and challenge. We seek to develop an understanding of and an appreciation for diversity in every sense, and use local, national and global contexts to help achieve this aim. It offers variety and provides opportunities for all students to find their passion and to develop their skills to realise their potential, so that they can pursue individual and collective ambitions for their futures.”
Mount House is an inclusive school and, in a family atmosphere, builds up each student’s awareness of their own personal worth. This is the school’s ethos and is the driving force behind the curriculum, which is designed to promote an intrinsic love of learning. We expect our students to be self-reflective, to think, and hear other perspectives.
Sara Trickey, Head of Technology, talks about Technology at school and in life
Years 7 – 9
From Years 7 to 9 students study a broad and balanced curriculum. We value the creative and performing arts and they are as crucial part of the curriculum as core subjects and the humanities, while all students study two languages.
Sport and Music are enjoyed across our year groups, with access to a variety of sports facilities and our school hall as a performance space. This provides the perfect learning environment for students to thrive in an inclusive way at both elite and enjoyment levels. We place a strong emphasis on developing both collaborative skills as well as independent learning and academic understanding to prepare students for their GCSE studies.
We also have some unique aspects to our curriculum including the opportunity to opt for Global Studies in Year 9, and an Enrichment course exploring critical thinking and global issues in Year 8. All students will also take timetabled PSHE classes.
Students also have the opportunity to develop the curriculum outside of the classroom with trips, cross-curricular activities, and our Activities Week provision. Our co-curricular programme also develops curriculum links with clubs such as Apps4Good, Model United Nations, and Robotics both drawing from the curriculum and extending the participants with their challenge.
Years 10 – 11
In Years 10 and 11 we continue to offer a range of subjects that allows students to enjoy a broad and balanced curriculum and strives to develop each individual to their full potential. The range of subjects and ability to adapt the curriculum offer for students helps us ensure we are both valuing talents and responding to specific needs.
Generally speaking, our Year 10 and 11 students’ study between 9 and 10 GCSEs students. We have a GCSE core of English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, and Biology, Chemistry and Physics (leading to three separate iGCSEs or the Dual Science Qualification which is equivalent to two GCSEs). Further to this we encourage our students to take a language, and most will also opt for a humanities subject too. They can then choose from a wide range of subjects to match their personal strengths and set themselves individual challenge with subjects such as Computer Science, PE, Business Studies, Music, Drama, Food & Nutrition, and Photography to name a few to choose from.
All Year 10 and 11 students also take timetabled PSHE classes and Sports afternoons to support their wellbeing and health.
Beyond their studies we encourage students to broaden their minds by exploring interests outside their examined subjects. This may be through guest speakers, trips or our broad co-curricular programme which is an excellent way to stretch and challenge the areas they are most interested in.
