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<span>Upper School Welcome</span>

Upper School Welcome

Welcome to Thorpe House Upper School

In the Upper School, our aim is to provide excellent teaching in a small school environment, preparing the boys for tomorrow’s world and their next step in education. We seek to challenge, inspire and inculcate a lifelong love of learning whilst also developing the key attributes of intellectual curiosity, independent thinking and learning, resilience, respect and leadership.

The Upper School is an exciting place to be! We offer the security and structure to allow the boys to pursue their interests and passions for life. In September 2020, we embarked on a new and innovative programme for the boys in Years 9-11. We firmly believe that an extended Key Stage 4 allows the boys to not only develop a clear understanding of the content of their chosen GCSEs but to go above and beyond the curriculum in a number of ways. To this end, we introduced an online Mandarin course for boys in Year 9; a series of short courses to develop public speaking and computing skills; In Year 10 the HPQ course is offered and is worth half a GCSE. This course allows boys to produce an extended piece of writing or an artefact based on any topic that has really sparked an interest in them, encouraging independent learning and the opportunity to study something in real depth. The new timetable also provides us with time to provide even more physical activities and finally, but just as important, Community Service. These courses will run alongside and compliment 9 GCSE courses. All boys are expected to take the core subjects of English Language & English Literature, mathematics and a science. They will then choose an additional five subjects from a full range of options.

All teachers utilise their understanding of each student and by using kinaesthetic, visual and auditory techniques, the boys learn to develop their skills and strengths, so that by the time they leave us, they are equipped to face the challenges of tomorrow’s world. While we have a strong focus on academic achievement, we also believe that opportunities beyond the curriculum are also imperative for each boy’s development.

We offer all the other important elements that help to produce a well-rounded individual. All boys have the opportunity to compete for the school or their House on the sports field, in the swimming pool and on the athletics track. The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme is offered at both Bronze and Silver levels which help to develop self-reliance and resilience. Boys are given the opportunity to take part in a number of overseas trips and visits: the most popular of which are the annual football squad tours to a range of European venues, the Year 9 trip to the WW1 Battlefields in Belgium, language department trips to Spain and the skiing holiday in France.

Laura Macken,  Head of the Upper School

Thorpe House School

Thorpe House School has a very active Parents' Association

“Thorpe House School has a very active Parents' Association organising social events and raising funds for equipment which cannot be funded through fee income. ”

Boys scoring above the national average overall – 77.0%

“Boys scoring above the national average overall – 77.0%. Boys scoring above the national average in English – 79.31%. Boys scoring above the national average in maths – 75.86%. Boys scoring above the national average in science – 75.86%”