The Plus Programme

The Plus Programme is designed to accelerate the learning of our most academically able pupils and has, at its core, aspirational aims to:

1. inculcate a love of academic learning and pursuit of knowledge;
2. develop leaders in a global community;
3. promote ambitious and challenging next steps in education and careers.

 The programme’s curriculum is ambitious and demanding, extending students’ knowledge and skills beyond the National Curriculum. The aim of our programme is to equip students with the skills and knowledge to become experts in their chosen fields of study and their future careers. Throughout the programme, our students are exposed to a first-class series of seminars, extra-curricular visits and career opportunities.

 At Key Stage 3, as part of their timetable once per fortnight, students study an exciting course that introduces key concepts in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE). Students will also develop their critical thinking skills, oracy, and leadership skills by writing and presenting on a key concept from their year of study.

 At Key Stage 4, students build on the knowledge and skills gained through their PPE course to complete a High Achievers Programme, delivered in partnership with Andover College and leading to a GCSE-equivalent qualification. Through an invaluable partnership with the University of Oxford, we are also able to provide high-quality training and education in accessing elite universities and career paths.    

Year 7 Focus - Philosophy

Students learn how to think methodically by studying what good reasons look like, what a premise is and how to construct a valid argument.  They also learn how to identify fallacies and arguments that are not valid. They then apply this to the real world and assessing arguments in the media, fake news and bias. Later in the year, students study Plato’s views on democracy.  They will study how Athenian democracy compares to our own democracy along with the ideas of experts, non-experts and persuasive tyrants. Finally, they will explore, using contemporary examples, how to overcome the issues that Plato presents, and whether they remain valid.

Year 8 Focus - Politics

Students learn to recognise, compare, and critique global political ideologies and systems, as well as evaluating key concepts such as Equity, Justice and Liberty. We begin by exploring the concept of ‘The State’ and what it means for students as individual citizens and as members of a national community. We then consider different political systems in comparison to the UK, evaluating both direct and proportional representation. Students will also consider ideas of Disenfranchisement, Distributive Justice, Equality vs. Equity vs Justice, and the challenges of ensuring a fair and equal society.

Year 9 Focus - Economics

Students learn to recognise, compare, and critique key actors, concepts and theories in global economic systems. We begin by exploring the role of money in society and the students’ own role in the economy as a consumer. We discuss limitations, challenges and decision-making for producers, governments and market agents. Once we’ve considered basic agents and foundational theories in Economics, we begin to critically examine modern debates (from the relevance of multi-national organisations, to the challenges of job markets of the future, to potential solutions for global wealth inequality) from an economic standpoint.

Year 10 & 11 Focus - The High Achievers Programme 

The High Achievers Programme is designed to further develop higher order thinking skills through the completion of an independent project that will lead to a Level 2 Higher Project Qualification (GCSE equivalent). The course includes subject-specific lectures, 1:1 mentoring from an A-level teacher in their chosen subject, an introduction to post-16 courses and, importantly, the development of independent study and research skills valued by employers and universities. 

Throughout Key Stage 4, the Plus Programme, through the school’s links to the University of Oxford and Cambridge, aims to de-mystify the process of applying for and attending top-class Russell Group universities and culminates in a visit to the University colleges.