The Emanuel curriculum

Provision for Scholars at Emanuel is inclusive, meaning that all enrichment opportunities are also available for all other pupils, in line with our More Able and Talented policy.  

All Academic Scholars and Exhibitioners attend a half-termly meeting with the SMT Associate (Academic Enrichment). The format of this is informal, involving discussion around activities pupils have been involved in, feedback and comments on Expo events attended and reminders of relevant events such as competitions and challenges to participate in. It is also an opportunity to share content, research or other ideas where appropriate and is an opportunity for departments or staff to publicize events or share information about enrichment activities.  

The range of academic enrichment opportunities is wide and reaches every year group and almost every field of academic activity from maths and sciences to humanities. Details are below with links to more information. 

Within the classroom:  

Teachers provide regular extension and stretch opportunities for all more able pupils as a matter of course. This is reinforced by specific, detailed Challenge Tips shared with teaching staff fortnightly, as well as half-termly Teaching & Learning Committee sessions which focus on teaching methods, research and strategies to underpin teaching practice. Slides from these sessions are also shared with staff unable to attend.  

Beyond the classroom: 

• Weekly Clubs for all year groups: full list of specifically academic clubs and societies.  
• Peripatetic academic competitions and challenges : both internal and inter-school or national. 
• Fortnightly Expo events providing a platform to engage with subjects beyond the classroom and curriculum and explore links between subjects. Scholars are expected to attend at least 3 events per term.  
• In Lower School, the Inspired Learners Award creates further structured incentive and opportunity for enrichment and challenge for Scholars and all other Year 7 and Year 8 pupils under the ethos of ‘explore, experiment, exceed expectations’ and celebrates pupils who show curiosity, creativity and commitment to subjects. This is awarded on a termly basis in recognition of contributions throughout the full term. Pupils enjoy these stimulating opportunities to explore subjects in different ways and teachers appreciate being able to reward pupils who might not get the top grades but are very invested in their subject. 
• In Middle School, the Year 11 Stretch Programme is a very popular initiative offered to aspirational Year 11 pupils as part of their preparation for the selection of A Level subjects. This also starts early the process of deepening subject knowledge and sharpening research and critical thinking skills. Scholars are invited to participate.  
• In Sixth Form, the university mentoring support and the carefully tailored Oxbridge Mentoring Programme ensure that Scholars can feel confident in aiming for the very highest educational and professional goals and will be fully supported at every step. The Judt Group further deepens exposure to foundational intellectual content, ideas, discussion and debate and Sixth Form Scholars are invited and encouraged to participate.  

Timetabled subjects

English, Mathematics, Science, Geography, History, Religious Studies, Music, Art and Design, Computing, Design and Robotics (CDR), Drama and PE. In modern foreign language lessons, pupils have taster courses in French, German and Spanish. There is a double period PE lesson, a Games afternoon and a Life Education lesson each week (see the ‘Life Education’ section here for more information on this subject). Pupils also have a weekly lesson called ‘Ethos’; this is an introduction to critical thinking, informed discussion and debating, aiming to develop independence and resilience in our younger pupils.

Homework

Pupils are not set homework for the first two weeks of the academic year. After this, set homework takes approximately 30 minutes per night from Monday to Thursday, with 45 minutes of homework (30 minutes, plus 15 minutes of spellings to learn) set for the weekend.

Timetabled subjects

English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics (as separate sciences), Geography, History, Religious Studies, Computing, Design and Robotics (CDR), Music, Art and Design, Drama and (from 2022-3) three languages: French, Latin and German, with the opportunity to substitute one of these for Spanish in Year 8 when they will go forward with two languages from these four. There is a double period PE lesson, a Games afternoon and a Life Education lesson each week (see the ‘Life Education’ section here for more information on this subject). Pupils also have a weekly lesson called ‘Ethos’; this is an introduction to critical thinking, informed discussion and debating, aiming to develop independence and resilience in our younger pupils.

Homework

Pupils are not set homework for the first two weeks of the academic year. For the first half of the Autumn term, pupils can expect 30 minutes of homework each night from Monday to Thursday, and 1 hour and 15 minutes of homework to cover Friday and the weekend.  After half term, homework increases to 1 hour per night (two lots of 30 minutes), and 1 hour and 30 minutes to cover Friday and the weekend (three lots of 30 minutes).

Timetabled subjects

English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, Art, Computing, Design & Technology, Geography, History, Music, PE, Religious Studies and the two languages studied by the pupil in Year 7 (Spanish/French and Latin/German).

There is a double period PE lesson, a Games afternoon and a Life Education lesson each week (see the ‘Life Education’ section here for more information on this subject). All pupils in Year 8 have one lesson a week called “social entrepreneurship”. This is an approach taken by groups to develop non-profit solutions to social, cultural, or environmental issues.

Throughout the year pupils learn by hearing from a selection of guest speakers and, in collaboration with a variety of departments, develop, plan, and organise a marketing campaign for a business idea. The course begins with students learning about personal finance, including topics such as budgeting, in order to improve their financial literacy.

Homework

Year 8 pupils can expect 1 hour of homework each night (two lots of 30 minutes), and 1 hour and 30 minutes to cover Friday and the weekend (three lots of 30 minutes).

Timetabled subjects

English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, History, PE, Religious Studies and Life Education. Art, Design & Technology, Drama and Music are studied on a rotational arrangement. Pupils will be studying two languages until the end of Year 9. (Spanish/French and Latin/German). Skilled linguists may be able to take on an additional language as an accelerated independent course.

New pupils in Year 9 are expected to continue with the foreign languages they have been studying in their previous school, and for which they sat papers in the entrance exam.

Computing is taught on a rotational arrangement within Mathematics lessons.

Pupils in Year 9 are introduced to the concepts of social entrepreneurship through the Life Education programme and are given opportunities to practise these skills through our enterprise competitions. See the ‘Life Education’ section here for more information on this subject.

Homework

Year 9 pupils can expect 1 hour and 30 minutes of homework each night (three lots of 30 minutes).

Compulsory subjects

English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

The majority of pupils currently study the three separate sciences to IGCSE, resulting in three qualifications, but a minority of pupils follow a Double Science Award which leads to two IGCSE qualifications.

Additional subjects

Pupils choose one humanity subject, selecting from Classical Civilisation, Economics, Geography, History or Religious Studies, and a further three subjects from: the languages (French, German, Spanish or Latin), humanities (Classical Civilisation, Economics, Geography, History or Religious Studies), Art, Computer Science, Design Technology, Drama and Theatre Studies, Music or Physical Education.

Pupils have timetabled lessons in Life Education and Games. Part of the programme involves pupils considering their choices after they finish Year 11. See the ‘Life Education’ section here for more information on this subject.

2024-26 GCSE CURRICULUM

Timetabled subjects

Most pupils elect to pursue three subjects to A Level alongside an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) with some following a four A Level pathway.

Students choose A level subjects from: Art, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Classical Civilisation, Computing, Design Technology, Drama and Theatre Studies, Economics, English Literature, Film Studies, French, Further Maths, Geography, German, Government and Politics, History, Latin, Mathematics, Music, Photography, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religion, Philosophy and Ethics and Spanish.

Each subject is taught for eight periods per week for both years of the Sixth Form. Students in both years also have timetabled lessons in Life Education (see the ‘Life Education’ section here for more information on this subject) and Games.

Click here to find out more about the Sixth Form curriculum at Emanuel or take a look at the A level curriculum booklet below.

A LEVELS 2024