Curriculum Overview
The academic curriculum at Verulam is designed to offer breadth and opportunity. All students are encouraged to explore a wide range of subjects at the beginning of their school career, covering all key areas, including language options and creative disciplines.
As students’ progress and reach the end of Key Stage 3 at the end of Year 9, they choose to focus on subject specialisms. Our inspirational teaching allows students to not only gain qualifications at the highest levels but to also develop as creative thinkers and independent, lifelong learners.
By the time a Verulamian enters further education they have a wide knowledge in their chosen subject areas, but a broader education that exceeds the confines of GCSE and A Level courses.
Academic study is an integral part of life at Verulam. Whilst learning is well-supported, engaging and inspiring; scholarship, perseverance, and hard work also form part of our high expectations and aspirations for students.
With the support and guidance of specialist teachers, our students’ love of learning thrives and lasts a lifetime. Students have access to a busy, well-resourced library offering a diverse range of texts to supplement their studies and interests, and foster a love of reading.
Creative thinking is a key element within our curriculum design. Verulam students are actively encouraged to think ‘outside of the box.’ They are inspired to be intellectually fearless, pushing boundaries in order to break conventions, to re-imagine the future for society and its citizens, creating new and amazing ideas.
The curriculum at Verulam is diverse and inclusive. We ensure that all students see themselves in the curriculum, are known, valued and are exposed to figures that will inspire them. Our students are encouraged to be non-conformist, to be the trendsetters and trailblazers of the future. In addition, the learning experience is enriched through a number of close partnerships with Old Verulamians and other highly successful schools, both locally and further afield.
To support academic success and mental health and well-being, we prioritise the teaching and delivery of RSE and Health Education (commonly jointly referred to as RSHE) by providing every year group with a weekly session. We also work closely with a number of specialist organisations to support our students to deliver high quality sessions so that they are well-informed, able to make positive, healthy decisions and keep themselves and each other safe.
All students are able to use technology to support their learning across the school, and the blended learning environment provides a powerful base to enhance learning at all levels. We also encourage students to develop a passion for learning and become increasingly self-directed to study through the range of Higher Projects that are offered (HPQs).
Our well-established and highly successful post-16 partnership with Beaumont and Sandringham Schools provides sixth form students with access to an unparalleled range of courses and subject expertise. In addition, a range of Extended Projects (EPQs) are offered in Year 12.
Students study the following National Curriculum Subjects at Verulam
- We offer a broad and balanced curriculum. All of our students take GCSE English Language, GCSE English Literature, GCSE Mathematics. We allow our students four option choices in their GCSEs.
- A number of our students will choose highly academic subjects which will qualify them to meet the standards required for the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), a measure that has been identified to ensure students are prepared for academic careers. We do not believe that this route is suitable for all our students and allow pupils to choose the subjects that they are passionate about, rather than forcing them into set pathways.
- We offer the following subjects as an additional GCSE option choice in year 9: History, Geography, French, Spanish, Religious Education, Design & Technology, Food, Art, Computer Science, Drama, Business & Economics, Media Studies, Music, Physical Education.
- Prince’s Trust and Asdan courses are also available for some students.
- All pupils have one period of PSHE/RSE and a period of Citizenship per fortnight (on alternate weeks).
- We encourage students to develop a passion for learning and become increasingly self-directed to study through the range of Higher Projects that are offered (HPQs).
- In the Sixth Form we offer a board and balanced curriculum. We offer the following subjects at A Level: Art, Art – Photography, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Product Design, Economics, English Literature, Geography, History, Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Psychology, RE, Sociology, Law, Physical Education, Government and Politics. We also offer the following BTECs: Business, Creative Digital Media Production, Sport, as well as a range of Extended Projects (EPQs)
- We offer the ‘Engaging Minds’ programme of academic lectures at A Level designed to enable students to broaden their experience and understanding of various aspects of contemporary culture.
