Curriculum

Preston School provides a broad and balanced curriculum for all students. We are proud of the breadth of subjects we offer, which are taught by subject specialists.

In Year 7, students study the following subjects:

• • Maths – Students study Maths for seven hours per fortnight. In a block with English, students are split into X and Y halves of the year group. Each of the halves then has four Maths sets, which are ability set.

• • English – Students study English for seven hours per fortnight. In a block with Maths, split into X and Y halves of the year group. Each of the halves then has four English sets, with one top set and three mixed sets.

• • Science – Students study Science for six hours per fortnight. Science is in its own block, made up of eight groups. Science is ability set.

• • Modern Foreign Languages – Students study either French or Spanish for four hours per fortnight.

• • DT and PE – Students study DT and PE for four hours per fortnight each.

• • History and Geography – Students study History and Geography for three hours per fortnight each.

• • Art, Computing, Drama and Music – Students study Art, Computing, Drama and Music for two hours per fortnight each.

• • PSHE and Philosophy & Beliefs – Students study PSHE and Philosophy & Beliefs for one hour a fortnight each, with additional sessions within the morning tutor program.

• • Enterprise and Renaissance Reading – Students study Enterprise and Renaissance Reading for one hour per fortnight each.

In Year 8, students study the following subjects:

• • Maths – Students study Maths for seven hours per fortnight. In a block with English, students are split into X and Y halves of the year group. Each of the halves then has four Maths sets, which are ability set.

• • English – Students study English for seven hours per fortnight. In a block with Maths, split into X and Y halves of the year group. Each of the halves then has four English sets, with one top set and three mixed sets.

• • Science – Students study Science for seven hours per fortnight. Science is in its own block, made up of eight groups. Science is ability set.

• • Modern Foreign Languages – Students study either French or Spanish for six hours per fortnight.

• • DT and PE – Students study DT and PE for four hours per fortnight each.

• • History and Geography – Students study History and Geography for three hours per fortnight each.

• • Art, Computing, Drama and Music – Students study Art, Computing, Drama and Music for two hours per fortnight each.

• • PSHE and Philosophy & Beliefs – Students study PSHE and Philosophy & Beliefs for one hour a fortnight each, with additional sessions within the morning tutor program.

• • Enterprise – Students study Enterprise for one hour per fortnight each.

In Year 9, students study the following subjects:

• • Maths – Students study Maths for seven hours per fortnight. In a block with English, students are split into X and Y halves of the year group. Each of the halves then has four Maths sets, which are ability set.

• • English – Students study English for seven hours per fortnight. In a block with Maths, split into X and Y halves of the year group. Each of the halves then has four English sets, with one top set and three mixed sets.

• • Science – Students study Science for seven hours per fortnight. Science is in its own block, made up of eight groups. Science is ability set.

• • Modern Foreign Languages – Students study either French or Spanish for four hours per fortnight.

• • DT and PE – Students study DT and PE for four hours per fortnight each.

• • History and Geography – Students study History and Geography for three hours per fortnight each.

• • Art, Computing, Drama and Music  – Students study Art, Computing and Music for two hours per fortnight each.

• • PSHE and Philosophy & Beliefs – Students study PSHE and Philosophy & Beliefs for one hour a fortnight each, with additional sessions within the morning tutor program.

• • Enterprise – Students study Enterprise for one hour per fortnight each.

In Year 10 and 11, all students study the following subjects:

• • Maths – Students study Maths for eight hours in Year 10 followed by seven hours in Year 11 per fortnight. In a block with English, students are split into X and Y halves of the year group. Each of the halves then has four Maths sets, which are ability set.

• • English – Students study English for seven hours in Year 10 followed by eight hours in Year 11 per fortnight. In a block with Maths, split into X and Y halves of the year group. Each of the halves then has four English sets, with one top set and three mixed sets.

• • Science (Separate or Combined) – Students study Science for ten hours per fortnight. Science is in its own block, made up of eight groups. Science is ability set.

• • PE – Students study Core PE for four hours per fortnight.

• • PSHE and Philosophy & Beliefs – Students study PSHE and Philosophy & Beliefs for one hour a fortnight with additional sessions within the morning tutor program.

Students also pick from four GCSE Option subjects. Each subject is studied for five hours per fortnight. Our current GCSE offering, includes:

• • Fine Art (GCSE)
  • Business Enterprise (BTEC)
  • Business Studies (GCSE)
  • Child Development (Cambridge National)
  • Computer Science (GCSE)
  • Design and Technology (GCSE)
  • Drama (GCSE)
  • French (GCSE)
  • Food Preparation and Nutrition (GCSE
  • Geography (GCSE)
  • History (GCSE)
  • iMedia (Cambridge National)
  • Italian (GCSE)
  • Music (GCSE)
  • Photography (GCSE)
  • Spanish (GCSE)
  • Sport Science (BTEC

Beyond our core curriculum, we take pride in offering supplementary qualifications tailored to support students of all abilities. These include Entry Level certificates designed to help pupils transition to Level 2 courses, alongside a range of language GCSEs, which many students undertake with the help of the languages team. This year, Preston pupils engaged with 29 distinct Level 2 courses, in addition to foundational prerequisite qualifications.