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.
Learning to Learn Programme
As we continue to celebrate each individual student at King’s, we want to help them achieve the very best that they are capable of in a supportive and caring environment. Academically, we want to maintain our strong tradition of scholarship and examination success, whilst also keeping in mind the well-being of the students and developing highly effective learning skills that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
We are delighted to launch our new Learning to Learn Programme for Removes from September 2018 and Shells from September 2019. This exciting initiative is designed to improve learning and outcomes for students in a sustainable, embedded way.
A new innovative and integrated programme of study skills, including revision techniques, from J3 to Upper Sixth
Regular assessments through the year to replace end of year exams for Removes (from Sept 2018) and Shells (from Sept 2019)
A greater emphasis on comment-based feedback to support individual learning
A new grading system focused on individual progress and attitude to learning
In this short video, our Deputy Head (Academic) Mr Millard explains these changes in more detail.
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 choice of two from 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
History
Biology
Latin
Computing
Further Mathematics*
Chemistry
Music
Classical Civilisation
Physical Education
Design Technology
Physics
Drama
Religious Studies
Economics
Spanish
French
Geography
German
*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 13 or 14 pupils, the tutors really get to know their pupils. The focus in Removes (Year 7) is on supporting the transition of pupils into the Senior School. They then become members of Houses in Shells (Year 8) and remain with the same tutor for the rest of their time at King’s. 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
Concert Band
Sixth Form Choir
Troubadours II
Soul Cats
Song Writing Club
School Choir
Sax Group
Wind Band
Lower School Brass
Senior String Quartet
Advanced Aural Skills Club
Theory & Composition Club
Madrigal Choir
Senior Piano Trio
Senior String Orchestra
Jazz Cats
King's Brass Consort
King's Strings
Aural Skills Club
Schola Cantorum
Clarinet Choir
Big Band
Concert Orchestra
Chamber Orchestra
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:
AcademicSkillsCreativeCommunity Action
Chemistry Club
Codes, Ciphers & Logical Puzzles
Engineering
Young Scientist
Electronics
Thinking Skills
Biology & Medicine
University Extension
Chemistry & Medicine
Economics
A Level Psychology
Scholarship Speech & Debating
Business Management
English
Geography
History
Maths
Philosophy
Physics
Expedition Skills
Research Skills
Life Saving
Football Coaching
Theatre Tech
Pre GCSE Drama
Animation
F1 in Schools
Radio Blog
Printmaking
Maths Roadshow
Riding for the Disabled
Charity Shops
Care Homes
Music & Performance Care Homes
Primary & Junior Schools
Maths Roadshow
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 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 closely with the very popular author, Non Pratt, 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 many academic journals, daily newspapers and some recreational magazines. We also subscribe to many online resources, including JSTOR, 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. 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.
We'd like to invite you to experience firsthand the unique learning environment and outstanding facilities here at King's Senior School. On Tuesday afternoons from 2-3:30pm, we open our doors for parents to see inside the Senior School on a typical school day. Pop into a lesson and feel the stimulating atmosphere that is King's!
Our Open Door Days are held every Tuesday during term time.
Welcome to our Senior School
