Curriculum

Furthering Excellence

Our aim is to provide an excellent education for all our students, transforming their life chances and, in turn, giving them the knowledge and skills they will need to shape the world in the future.

Excellence in…

The curriculum: Our curriculum is traditional and academic, demonstrated by our commitment to the principle that all students should attain the English Baccalaureate as well as the wide variety of additional subjects available for all to study at GCSE and in the Sixth Form. We believe that this broad and balanced diet will provide all students with the cultural capital required to build the foundations of a successful life. At the heart of this curriculum lies a respect for the subjects we teach and the particular insights each can give into the world around us.

Teaching and learning: Our curriculum and assessment model is based on the latest cognitive science, encouraging the building of rich schema and a cumulative approach to education that best supports deeper, life-long learning. We teach children how to be active consumers of the knowledge they master by developing an open and questioning mindset. By focusing on ‘The best that has been thought and said’ we will encourage our students to fully appreciate the richness of the human condition and become active citizens when they leave us as adults.

Cultural Capital: The experiences our students have do not end in the classroom; we value the extra-curricular and these activities enable our students to flourish as individuals and pursue their own talents and passions in greater depth, in the arts, sciences and sporting domains. Our student leadership pathways are highly developed and support our intentions to develop the whole child.

Developing life-long learners: Our curriculum vision is metacognitive; by using Thinking tools the Thinking Schools Academy Trust are unique in their focus on ensuring that students are equipped with the tools they need to reflect on the knowledge they learn. As a result, the Rochester Grammar School is recognised by Exeter University as one of the few Advanced Thinking Schools in the country and is pioneering the use of a cognitive approach to education and student learning.

Years 7 to 9

Students start the Rochester Grammar School with a broad and balanced three year Key Stage 3 which allows students to study a range of subjects and embodies our commitment to provide students with the cultural capital required to be successful. During this time students are supported in their transition to a secondary school curriculum with the support of specialist teachers and introduced to their thinkers’ toolkit allowing them to process and memorise new knowledge, think deeply about the issues they study and examine topics from different points of view.

When students reach year 9 they embark on an enquiry based study, allowing them to use their toolkit to explore big questions and come to carefully considered conclusions which forms an excellent transition towards their GCSE studies, and they will be supported, with the help of the Key Stage team and teachers, to decide on the pathway that is right for them.

'Teachers are supportive and encouraging, they help me work to the best of my ability.' - Megan, Year 7

Year 10 to 11

Students are able to take a variety of different pathways at Key Stage Four however all students study the English Baccalaureate as standard.  All students therefore study English Literature and Language, Maths, Science, History or Geography, a Modern Foreign Language, RS and core (non examined) PE and ICT.  All students are able to opt for any accelerated subjects on offer such as AS Film or Further Maths, if they wish to.  Additionally students are able to choose two further options from a range of subjects such as Art and Design, Business Studies, Computer Science, Design and Technology, Drama, Geography, History, Music, PE, Psychology and Sociology*.

Students are encouraged through the structured revision note programme, cyclical assessments and regular retrieval practice to apply and refine their thinkers’ toolkit from Key Stage Three.  This is embedded within their lessons and revision programmes.

* Please note that student options and pathways are subject to change.

All students in Years 7 to 11, will have one PSHE lesson per fortnight, with the PSHE curriculum using a thematic spiral approach, in line with recommendations from the PSHE Association. This will be delivered by the House form tutor team and students will be in House year groups for PSHE lessons. Students will build on the knowledge and understanding they have acquired and developed at primary school through a sequenced, age appropriate lessons.

Year 12 to 13

We are offering A-Levels from September 2025!

Following a consultation with our current KS4 students, we are now taking a new approach from September 2025 by offering A Levels.
The A Level offering will be accompanied by an Enrichment curriculum to ensure our students can continue to thrive in their academic and personal development.

Join us for our Open Event event on Wednesday 27th November to learn more about our vibrant and ambitious Sixth Form!

Almost all our students decide to apply for University or an apprenticeship and consistently gain places in the most prestigious institutions both in the UK and around the world.

Academic Excellence

We have created an A level programme which ensures that students can achieve academic excellence, carefully selecting well regarded and rigorous A level programmes which we know will keep the widest variety pathways open to our students.

We have also selected a range of complementary additional qualifications students are able to supplement their A levels with, from the well known and regarded Extended Project Qualification to GCSE Japanese, we are confident there is something for every student to add to their curriculum which will allow them to develop beyond their main courses of study.

Students will study a minimum of 3 A levels and in addition can opt in to study either:

  • A fourth A level
  • An AS level (specific subjects only)
  • Extended Project Qualification
  • Japanese

All students will have the opportunity to complete an EPQ throughout their time in Sixth Form. Full details of these courses can be found in the course directory, and a summary of each is provided below.

AS levels

We have made the decision to offer a small number of AS levels in addition to full A levels. The subjects we have selected complement studies elsewhere and can be beneficial to either university applications or to the workplace.  We are offering AS levels in; Mathematics, Further mathematics, French, German and Spanish.  Whilst AS Mathematics and Further Mathematics can support applicants for any Science or Social Science course, Languages are highly valued by higher education institutions, and can be particularly appealing for those considering the study of Law, International Relations or Business when they leave school. In the subjects specified students can make the decision as to whether they will complete the AS or the full A level in Term 3 of year 12, as they will be taught alongside A level students throughout year 12.

Extended Project Qualification

A widely taught and studied qualification, this is equivalent to half an AS in UCAS points, and develops students’ ability to plan and complete a research project into an area of their own interest. There is a great degree of freedom with regards to what students can research and produce, allowing students to focus this on a field they are interested in pursuing in the future. Students have 2 taught periods of EPQ lessons a fortnight to facilitate the taught component and to allow for support from their supervisor, but are expected to allocate their own study time to completion of this qualification outside of lessons. Students not selecting EPQ at the beginning of year 12 will have the option to complete EPQ beginning in term 6 of year 12.

Japanese

In year 12 students will build up their knowledge and understanding of the Japanese alphabet and language, completing an internal certificate at the end of year 12.  Students may then choose to progress on to complete a GCSE in Japanese at the end of year 13 should they choose to. 

Academic Support

It is well known that the Key Stage 5 results at the Rochester Grammar School are some of the best locally, and nationally, with the Times placing Rochester Grammar School’s Key Stage 5 results for 2024 as the 34th state school in the country. We pride ourselves on the environment of academic excellence we are able to create for our students.

Students attending the Rochester Grammar School for Key Stage 5 can be confident that they will be taught by curriculum experts who know their courses in fine detail. Lessons in Key Stage 5 maintain the excellent practices students will be used to that facilitate the outstanding GCSE results that our students have achieved for many years, whilst also acknowledging and reflecting the increased autonomy and independence of our older students.  We have high expectations, but in return our students can be confident that our teachers will also reach their own high expectations.

Active engagement in lessons is essential for students to master content and become comfortable with the high-level ideas covered in A level content, and therefore students should expect that there is no room for coasting in lessons.  Students are expected to be able to answer questions and pose their own, with students being active participants in their learning.  Students can expect that the high expectations staff have are supported by high quality teaching, deploying thinking tools and Cornell notes to structure student thinking and note taking in order to ensure that they are able to leave the classroom with a sound understanding of the content covered. Knowledge Banks are also provided for all students, providing a summary of the main content covered in each topic; not only do these provide an invaluable revision and learning resource, but they also help students to organise their understandings and make links between the topics taught.

In addition to excellent teaching and learning, the Sixth Form Team are also there to support all aspects of the Sixth Form experience; with members of the team dedicated to pastoral or academic needs, you can be certain that we will be able to guide and support students, whatever they are facing. The Sixth Form Team also craft the Pastoral Programme; this is where for 1 period a fortnight the Sixth Form Team are able to support students with anything they need to succeed over their time in Key Stage 5.  This will include; study skills sessions, support with applications to university or apprenticeships, lectures and talks from universities or apprenticeship providers, careers information, as well as some whole cohort enrichment opportunities like planning the Senior Citizens Christmas Party in year 12 and Christmas Entertainment in Year 13.

We have a team of dedicated and experienced Form Tutors in the Sixth Form who are able to support students both academically and pastorally, and who deliver the Sixth Form-specific PSHE programme. These tutors are also the ones who will write references for the pathways students pursue post Key Stage 5. We also have an Oxbridge Programme which supports year 12 and 13 students through the application process, as well as a medic programme, with specific support from staff who have successfully supported such applications for over a decade.

Enrichment

We believe strongly that learning in Key stage 5 should not stop at the confines of academic studies.  We have always had a strong culture of personal development at Rochester Grammar School, but this is formalised and celebrated in Sixth Form through our enrichment lessons.

These encourage all students to engage with Extra-Curricular experiences, those which complement their academic studies by showing commitment and often develop softer, transferable skills which can be highly beneficial in students’ next steps.

Enrichment lessons will take place in the last period of the day on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, where students have choice over which experiences they complete, and these will change throughout the year.  Below are some of the example experiences students may be able to engage with throughout their time in Sixth Form:

  • Completion of the Bar Mock Trial
  • Seasonal recreational sports
  • Use of the fitness suite
  • Mentoring younger students
  • Supporting primary schools in the local area
  • Debate Club
  • Supporting the School Production
  • Young Enterprise
  • RGS Newspaper
  • Charity Committee
  • Cookery lessons
  • Year Book Committee

As these enrichment lessons are tailored to Sixth Form, we have the ability to shape the offering based on student request / enjoyment. 

In addition to the formalised Enrichment programme, students in Sixth Form are able to set up and run any club that they are interested in, although some may require teacher supervision. For example, our student-led Law and Medic Societies have been running for many years and often have external speakers attending, either in person or virtually to support these clubs.

Students also have access to a range of leadership roles within the school, including Executive Officer roles, House / Academic Officers, Sports Captain roles, as well as being part of Student Voice and an integral part of Pupil Parliament.

Super-Curricular

Students in the Rochester Grammar School Sixth Form are encouraged to develop their academic interests beyond the curriculum, this is known as Super-Curricular.

This is all about demonstrating an interest in a given field, whilst also gaining specific experiences and skills which be useful in their field of choice.  To facilitate this, each student has access to an account with mysupercurricular.com, a repository which brings together a full range of different Super-Curricular experiences that students can engage with, from work experience opportunities (both in real life and online) to webinars, to MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses, many of which are available for free) to books to podcasts, there is something for everyone to engage with. 

Not only does this support students in applications for university, as it is expected that students will talk about their research beyond the curriculum, but it also allows them to explore their field of interest and confirm that they are applying for the right course for them. Many of our enrichment opportunities can act as Super-Curricular experiences, for example, the Bar Mock Trial for Law, or the RGS Newspaper for Journalism, and students are able to tailor these to their interests.

Students in year 12 also complete a week of either work shadowing / summer schools towards the end of the academic year, which they source themselves. Students have completed outstanding placements in recent years, including going into Chambers, shadowing consultants at hospitals, working at banks such as HSBC as well as completing summer schools from UNIQ at Oxford, the Sutton Trust and Nuffield Placements to name a few. Finding a placement is a real learning experience too, as students learn how to engage with professionals and use the correct register for their communication. Support is provided to students to do this.