Inside the classroom

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Our Teaching

 

 

Quakers believe every contribution is worthwhile and that truth is not confined to a single point of view. These principles are at the heart of our approach to teaching.

We appreciate the talents of each student and our small classes allow us to nurture potential from an early age.

Our teachers have the freedom to teach. They are encouraged to be as creative as possible. Similarly, our students are confident enough to ask questions and to contribute ideas of their own. This produces a mature and mutually respectful learning relationship between teachers and students.

We pursue an unashamedly academic programme of study which nonetheless prizes the performing and creative arts, for example, equally with the more supposedly ‘traditional’ subjects.

Students study a broad programme in Schoolrooms (Years 7-9), and then choose ten GCSE subjects in Seniors (Years 10-11) at present, although this can be tailored for those who need it to be, such as boarders getting to grips with the English Language.

The core curriculum at College level (years 12-13) is three A Levels, an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) or Bootham Research Project (BRP) and fifty hours of service. It is also possible to take a fourth A Level, as well as various short ‘challenge courses’ which include subjects as diverse as First Aid, Cookery, Programming and Art History.

Subjects

Our aim is to provide challenging, rewarding and useful courses to prepare students for A levels and Higher Education, as well as the demands of the working world in the twenty-first century.

The Bootham Curriculum goes significantly further than the requirements for each National Curriculum group.

Lower Schoolroom (Year 7)

All students take English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, History, Classics, French, German, Spanish, Philosophy & Religious Education, Music, Design Technology, Computer Science, Physical Education, Art, Drama and Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE).

Middle Schoolroom (Year 8)

All students take English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, History, Latin or Classics, French, German or Spanish, Philosophy & Religious Education, Music, Design Technology, Computer Science, Physical Education, Art, Drama and Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE).

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Upper Schoolroom (Year 9)

All students take English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, French, German or Spanish, Latin or Classics, Geography, History, Philosophy & Religious Education, Art, Drama, Music, Design Technology, Computer Science, Careers, Physical Education and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE).

Seniors (Years 10 & 11)

GCSE Results 2023

9-7 or A*/A: 52.3%

The Bootham Curriculum in Lower and Upper Senior (Years 10 and 11) provides a broad programme of study which gives students understanding and flexibility of mind. These qualities provide a sound basis for a full and stimulating education.

All students take a core of English Language and English Literature, Maths, a science (Biology, Chemistry or Physics) and a modern foreign language (French, German or Spanish). Students can then choose from Art, Biology, Chemistry, Classics, Computer Science, Design Technology, Drama, French, Geography, German, History, Latin, Music, Physics, Philosophy & Religious Education, Spanish and Physical Education. All students also take non-examined courses in Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and Physical Education.

For more information please see the GCSE Curriculum booklet

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College (Years 12 & 13)

A-Level Results 2023

A*/A   38.5%
A*- B   71.4%

A Level students at Bootham School celebrated excellent results in 2023. With 71% of grades at B and above, there were some outstanding individual results. Charlie Thornton is studying Natural Sciences at Cambridge after being awarded four A* grades. Lara Webster, is at Newcastle studying Medicine and achieved 3* grades out of 3, while Milly Baker, Gordon Cam, Rachel King, Ren Tse and Vincent Yang each gained 2 A* grades, as well as A grades in their other subjects. In all, 13 students achieved nothing less than an A grade.

Results in the Extended Project Qualification were also notable, with 11 A* and 6 A grades awarded out of 23 entries.

Retention into College is strong and a good number of students join the school at that stage, meaning that College year groups are often bigger than they were the previous year.

Students starting in September each year can choose from a wide range of courses:

Art, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Classics, Computer Science, Design Technology, Drama and Theatre, Economics, English Literature, French, Geography, German, History, Latin, Maths/Further Maths, Music, Physical Education, Physics, Politics, Psychology, Religious Studies and Spanish.

View the destinations of College Two Leavers 2023 here

COLLEGE CURRICULUM