Welcome to our Senior School
Our Senior School is about opening minds to the love of learning. This is a time of adventure and challenge during which pupils discover themselves and their world, growing in knowledge and self-confidence along the way. Our role is to provide them with every opportunity to find out what they like and want to do in life and to encourage their curiosity.
Well rounded, independent young people, who respect the views of others and are quick to celebrate each others’ achievements.
Inspection 2015
Our focus is on scholarship and academic excellence, as it has been for King’s for centuries. We also embrace new ideas and new technologies, wherever they enhance learning and give a winning edge.
We’ve been around for 475 years, but our Senior School never stands still. It is an exciting, energising and empowering community of learning.
A Typical Day
A broad and balanced curriculum provides our Senior School pupils with the perfect foundation for their first three years. Sciences are taught separately and a carousel of three modern languages together with Latin support the core subjects. Once pupils reach Fourth Year (Year 10) they make their 10 subject choices for GCSE including Maths, English Language and English Literature and games/rowing and seven further choices with at least one modern language and at least two sciences from:
| Art | Further Mathematics* |
| Biology | Music |
| Computing | Physical Education |
| Chemistry | Physics |
| Classical Civilisation | Religious Studies |
| Design Technology | Spanish |
| Drama | Latin |
| Economics | History |
| French | German |
| Geography | |
**Additional subject for advanced mathematicians only
Our teaching is lively and challenging and we have passionate and committed teachers who are skilled at stimulating and stretching minds.
In small groups of no more than 12 or 13 pupils in Removes (Year 7), increasing to 22 pupils in later years, the tutors really gets to know their pupils. This gives a strong rapport; encouraging, guiding and supporting them as they grow up.
In the classroom the emphasis is on discussion, debate, research and critical thinking. Pupils are encouraged to challenge accepted notions. Questioning and thinking are very much part of life here. Tablet computers are used widely in most subjects.
The library opens at 8.00am and the first clubs of the day start from 7.45am but the school day starts at 9.00am with registration and then is divided into five lessons of 55 minutes with a morning break of 20 minutes and a tutor period of 25 minutes. Tutor period is used for assemblies on some days which might be spiritual, business or year group assemblies. Lunch is 65 minutes, giving pupils ample time to join one of the 130 plus clubs and activities, many of which are at lunchtime. From trying a new sport such as archery or getting involved in a debate or discussion such as History’s Past Masters to learning a new language such as Russian or joining one of the 25 music ensembles, there is a club or activity for everyone. The day finishes at 3.50pm but clubs and activities continue for at least another hour and the library remains open until 5.30pm.
All our students get involved and make the most of the opportunities on offer every day here at King’s, they thrive on being busy and love learning.
Clubs and Activities
There’s a constant air of busy excitement in and around the School, with a huge range of activities happening at lunchtimes and after school, enthusiastically organised and embraced by pupils and teachers alike. Over 130 clubs and activities provide exciting and interesting options for each pupil to chose from in the Seniors.
Most clubs and activities are open for anyone to dip into and see if they like what’s going on. Some are team based, some provide a platform for individual expression and many lead to performances , presentations and displays which are enjoyed and embraced by the whole school.
All our clubs add to the fun and vitality of school life and are an important part of developing well rounded and fulfilled young people. Not just by stimulating new interests, but also by socialising, sharing and problem solving together.
From tackling a philosophical problem to getting stuck into a sporting challenge, a chess game or a craft competition, there’s always plenty to get involved with here at King’s.
Sport ActivitiesExtra Curricular ActivitiesMusic Activities
| Rowing | Open Badminton | Dance |
| Tennis | Tae Kwon Do | Football |
| Swimming | Basketball | Hockey |
| Cricket | Gym Club | Badminton |
| Athletics | Cross Country | Water Polo |
| Rounders | Gymnastics | Netball |
| Fencing | Golf | Rugby |
| Gifted and Talented sessions | | |
| Book Club | Amnesty International Youth Group | Computer Game Design |
| Chemistry Olympiad | Engineering and Design club | French Club |
| Drama Club | Maths Support Session | Social Skills Club |
| Touch Rugby | Don't be Board Games Club | Geog Soc |
| Chemistry Clinic | Senior Debating | Origami Club |
| The Academy | Society Against Sexism | Archery |
| History Club | Senior Biology Club | German Conversation Class |
| Maths Challenge Club | Spanish Club | Theatre Criticism Club |
| Past Masters | Chess Club | Isms |
| The Business Society | Physics and Engineering Club | Chemistry Club |
| Sherlocked | Socratic Dialogue | Student Arts Commitee |
| Passion 4 Poetry | Spanish Film Club | D&T Club |
| CCF | Russian Language Club | Gardening Club |
| Duns Scotus | | |
| Troubadours I | JS Mini Trumpets | 4 in a Bar Quartet |
| School Choir | Concert Band | Wind Band |
| Senior Brass Ensemble | Senior String Quartet | String Quartet 2 |
| Pandemonium (Rm & Sh Strings) | Madrigal Choir | Junior Piano Trio 2 |
| Schola Cantorum (Full) | Jazz Ensemble | King's Brass Consort |
| Senior String Orchestra | Aural Skills Club | Schola Cantorum |
| Barber Shop Quartet | Big Band | Sinfonia |
| Jazz Improvisation Class | Sax Group | Senior Piano Trio |
| Chamber Orchestra | The Troubadours II | |
Our Enrichment Programme
Our Enrichment Programme enriches and enlivens the curriculum for all our Senior School students, broadening their experience and setting it in the wider context of the world outside school and home.
Our Seniors regularly explore areas outside of the traditional academic core subjects. Over their time here, each student will have explored all four aspects of the programme: academic, creative, skills and community. Our aim is to nurture and develop some of the qualities which will help our young people throughout their careers and lives.
As well as broadening horizons and adding to a well-rounded education, Enrichment gives our Seniors the extra knowledge and ability that can make all the difference to their success.
The programme also encourages teamwork and a community spirit, bringing extra colour and vitality to the curriculum. Above all, it enriches their lives.
Our Enrichment Options offered include,
AcademicSkillsCreative
| Russian | Chemistry Club |
| Engineering | Young Scientist |
| Electronics | First Tech Challenge |
| Research Skills | University Extension |
| Psychology | Codes, Ciphers & Logical Problems |
| First Aid | Sports Leadership |
| Theatre Tech | Life-Saving Award |
| Moneysense | Football Coaching |
| Thinking Skills | Expedition Skills |
| Drama | Digital Photography |
| F1 in Schools | Radio Blog |
| Printmaking | Lego Mindstorms |
| Recycled Fashion | Theatre in Performance |
| Riding for the Disabled | Charity Shops |
| Save the Family | Residential Homes |
| Schools | Organising Own |
| Maths Roadshow | |
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The Wickson Library
Our library is a wonderful asset to the School. It offers a calm, comfortable and welcoming place for study and reading within the School. With a class-sized ICT suite, it also has plenty of study space and comfortable seating areas for reading.
Our library aims to foster a love of life-long learning outside of the confines of the curriculum and to promote and support reading for pleasure.
Ros Harding, Head Librarian & Archivist
The library is open from 8:00am until 5:30pm every school day and all students are welcome to come and use the library for homework or quiet reading outside of lesson times.
It is used throughout the school day not just for lessons and private study time, but also for many fun activities to promote reading for pleasure.
The library also runs a very popular reading award scheme, promoting reading throughout the term and also through the holidays, something many of our pupils embrace with excitement. We also organise a number of author visits each year and work very closely with local author Jon Mayhew, who we are proud to have as our Patron of Reading.
The library holds around 11,000 books, of which around 4,000 are fiction. The non-fiction collection enables students to read around their subjects and supports recreational interests. We also subscribe to over 60 journals and three daily newspapers. We also subscribe to many online resources which provide useful and reliable information on various subjects. These can all be accessed on the school network and outside of school through Firefly.
Alongside our books we embrace technology. As well as JSTOR we have a Reading Cloud which pupils can access any time at home or in school and an e-book lending service which allows pupils to borrow books on their own personal devices.
We enter a team into the Cheshire Schools’ Book Quiz every year and we also reached the National final of the Kids’ Lit Quiz in December 2014 and 2016.
Welcome to our Senior School
