We aim to provide education of the highest quality in a well-rounded and happy environment our small size and family atmosphere allow us to achieve the best possible outcome for each girl without intense pressure.
We are deeply committed to producing young people with integrity, a strong sense of self-worth, independence of thought, and the confidence to build careers and personal lives that will do them great credit.
ISI (The Independent Schools Inspectorate) undertakes rigorous inspection of schools at regular intervals and Wychwood’s last inspection was in November 2018. A copy of the report is available on request from the school or may be viewed on the ISI website.
The Boarding inspection aspect of the ISI report relates to the National Minimum Standards for Boarding, which covers the full range of welfare, health and safety, and policy issues.
At Wychwood, we believe that education is about more than just the exams which our pupils take, but we recognize that these exams are their passport for the future and therefore we take them seriously. Academic life is the backbone of our school day.
Girls are taught in groups of varying sizes, depending on their age and stage. In Years 7 to 9 (ages 11-14), they can expect to work in groups of 10 to 25, depending on whether they are in full or half classes. At GCSE, group sizes vary from about 5 to 20 and at A-Level the maximum size for a teaching group will be 10.
It is possible to have individual tuition in some subjects. Whatever the class size, girls benefit from much skilled, individual tuition within the curriculum. Each girl is encouraged to measure her progress and success against her own previous best rather than to compete with her peers. As a result, we see our girls achieve academic success way beyond that which may have been predicted at age 11, and they move on to each stage of their education with the confidence and will to learn which enables them to cope with the demands of the curriculum or the examination system.
All girls follow broadly the same curriculum for the first three years and the curriculum is intended to give a broad base foundation as an introduction to GCSE courses in Years 10 and 11. Girls study the National Curriculum core subjects (mathematics, English, and science) and the foundation subjects (history, geography, art and design, music, PE, modern foreign languages, and computing). All girls also study religious education, drama, and PHSEE. The Lower Transits (Year 9) may start Spanish as a second foreign language, having had an introductory course in Inters (Year 8).
The sciences are studied as separate sciences – biology, chemistry, and physics – taught by subject specialists. This gives girls choice and flexibility about whether they will take trilogy science (2 GCSEs) or separate biology, chemistry, and physics examinations at GCSE, so they can work to their strengths.
All girls take GCSEs in English language, mathematics, a modern foreign language (usually French, Spanish, or both), at least one science, at least one humanity (geography or history), and a short course or full course GCSE in religious studies and up to 3 other subjects. Most girls take 9 or 10 subjects in total. Choices are tailored to girl’s requirements, aptitudes, and needs and subjects include art, drama, English literature, computer science, music, photography, PE, psychology, and textiles. All girls continue with a weekly PE lesson during these two years and are encouraged to take part in school teams and sports clubs with the attendant practices and matches.
The Sixth Form years are the pinnacle of the educational experience we offer at Wychwood. There is much help with subject choices including A-Level and BTEC courses.
Most girls start 4 A Levels or BTECs to continue with 3 subjects. They may also take an EPQ (Extended Project Qualification). This is a largely independent qualification, appreciated by the universities. The taught component happens in Study I (Year 12), the independent research and writing up occurs during the following summer holiday, and the girls present and submit in the Michaelmas term of Study II (Year 13), allowing them to focus on their A-Level exams thereafter.
The universal skills of communication, improving own learning and performance, and creative thinking are embedded in the curriculum content. Other skills may be subject-specific (e.g. painting in Art and Design) or common to several subjects (e.g. inquiry skills).
Most key skills are also embedded in the curriculum content and the non-examined key skills of working with others, improving own learning and performance, promoting leadership, and problem-solving may be developed in non-curricular activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Model United Nations, assemblies, form plays, Young Enterprise, Council and work experience.
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