Gad’s Hill School operates as three distinct departments within one school. The Kindergarten takes children from age three in our Nursery through to Year 2. Here, alongside the foundation in literacy, numeracy, sciences and humanities, there is a strong emphasis on play, physical education, music and drama with all pupils performing in a number of short productions each year. The school places particular emphasis on communications and therefore pupils from Reception upwards receive twice weekly lessons in Spanish and also ICT.
The Junior School is two-form entry from Years 3-6. Our Junior pupils receive a high proportion of lessons with subject specialists; in particular Modern Languages (Spanish), DT, Computer Science, Art, Music, Science & Games. By Years 5 and 6 nearly all lessons are delivered by specialist tutors. In sport our students have the opportunity to represent the school in fixtures against other schools.
Our school is located geographically within a selective secondary system and historically many of our pupils would leave to attend grammar schools at the end of Lower Shell (Year 6). However, in the last few years, the growing success of our Charles Dickens Scholarship Award, providing financial assistance to the most able pupils from our own Junior School and many from the wider community, has resulted in the development of highly capable and aspirational cohorts at Key Stage 3. Our strength is to make the most of our small class sizes and supportive atmosphere to add significant value to every individual.
The Upper School generally has a two-form entry. The curriculum is relatively broad, with all pupils taking a spread of subjects including Art, DT, Food & Nutrition, Spanish, Computer Science, Music and Drama. Students choose a range of options at the conclusion of Year 8. They follow a core of Maths, English (Literature & Language), Separate or Combined Science and CCF (comprising BTEC Teamwork & Personal Development and Institute of Leadership & Management diplomas). As options they may choose from History, Geography, Spanish, Art, Food & Nutrition, DT, Computer Science, Music, Drama and PE, and in recent years we have supplemented these options with Psychology and Statistics exam courses for our increasingly able cohorts.
At present there is no sixth form education at Gad’s Hill and pupils currently depart for local schools, colleges or other independents. In the last year we have partnered with the University for the Creative Arts and several of our leavers have commenced Extended Diploma courses with them.
The school operates a good number of after school activities and would welcome new additions to the extra-curricular programme.