Departments

As pupils move up the school, the more subject-based and specialist the curriculum becomes so that by Year 12 they are studying six main subjects for their IB Diploma. The narrowing of the curriculum is mirrored in the structure of the academic side of the school where in the Secondary School there are academic departments in certain areas. The most obvious example is English for which there is an established head, as well as members, of department. Particularly within officially classified department there is close cooperation between members and its head who coordinates policy and manages everyday matters as well as planning the strategic development of the department. Whether there is an official department or not, the identity of each subject is more clearly defined, as reflected in the predominance of subject specialists among the teaching staff, in this section of the school.

That said, the work of the Modern Languages department, as well as that of the Sports and Music departments, extends below the Secondary School to the Primary School and the Early Years where the heads of these respective departments work closely with the respective Heads of School and classroom teachers to ensure effective incorporation of their discipline within the wider curriculum. This serves the cause of inter-disciplinarity as well as ensuring each of the subjects or activities maintains its own identity.

In addition, the Modern Languages, Music and Sports departments have an extensive range of activities and events or fixtures outside the formal curriculum but within the wider life of the school, reflecting the school’s recognition that there is more to education than what goes on within the four walls of a classroom.