At Bexley Grammar School we strive to develop students who value Intellect, Empathy, and Courage. Our vision is of a school that gives students the confidence to succeed in whatever they aspire to do in their lives. We want all students to reach their full academic potential and to develop into compassionate future leaders in line with our Ethos:
Students are excited by the world around them and curious to know more. They engage critically with information and grapple intellectually with global and more personal issues.
Students appreciate and value other people and acquire the skills needed to communicate ideas and information. They understand and appreciate their own culture and are open to the values and traditions of others. They act to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Students are open to new situations and experiences and have the independence of spirit to explore new ideas. They act with integrity and honesty and take responsibility for their actions. They give thoughtful consideration to their strengths and limitations and act to support their development.
The school is concerned with the development of the full personality of each student and not only with academic progress, important though this is each student has the right to be valued on his or her own merits. There are many opportunities, not only in the senior part of the school, for students to accept responsibilities for and to be of service to others, both within the school and in the wider community.
Bexley Grammar School is committed to exposing our students to a comprehensive array of beliefs, traditions, cultures, norms, and values as part of our commitment to social, moral, spiritual, and cultural education. Throughout this exposure, there is a dual emphasis upon the diversity of modern British multiculturalism and the traditional British values which bind our society together.
The aim of our school curricula, from Key Stage 3 beginning in Year 7 to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme studied by our Sixth Formers, is to spark an enthusiasm for learning both inside and outside of the classroom. Our PSHCE program, Every Child Matters Days, Assemblies, and the quality of the relationships between staff and students contribute towards a shared ethos and belief in democracy, equality before the law, tolerance, conflict resolution through discussion, and democracy, and an inclusive view of the community. We facilitate our students to embrace religious tolerance, to reject bullying and violence, to pursue excellence in both academic and non-academic interests, and to strive for a sense of achievement that stays with them as they move into adulthood.
We recognize that the education of young people is a partnership between school, the students themselves, parents, governors, the Local Education Authority, and the community close contact between the partners ~ especially between home and school ~ is welcomed and encouraged. Collaboration is the key to sharing best practices and generating new ideas to improve our provision. To that end, we are an active member of the Penhill Academies Trust (PAT), a collaboration between five local schools.
Our vision is of a school where all students reach their full academic potential and develop into considerate young adults who are in a position to pursue their aspirations and interests as responsible members of our society.
In all our work we wish to perform at a standard that will justify the use of the term "excellence". There is no longer any funding for Specialist Schools. Bexley Grammar School first gained Specialist Language College status back in 2002. We were later awarded a second specialism in Science with Mathematics, then granted HPSS (High Performing Specialist School) and finally designated a Leading Edge School, enhanced with Gifted and Talented provision.
The funding that accompanied designation as a Specialist Language College enabled us to enhance our Language provision throughout the school to become one of the leading schools in the country for the delivery of Modern Foreign Languages. Although the funding dried up, its powerful legacy has shaped the school, underpinned our move to the International Baccalaureate Diploma, and allows us to remain at the top of this area of the curriculum. As the local Language Hub, we still support local schools, both primary and secondary and continue to provide a remarkable range of languages which put our students in a very strong position both for Higher Education and for an increasingly competitive international job market.
