ANNUALREVIEW 2012 Academic Success
Onceagain the efforts of our Year 8 boys and staff can be applauded as they have upheld the School’s longstanding reputation for academic excellence.
Of the 273 Common Entrance and Scholarship examination papers taken in English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, French, Latin, Ancient Greek, History, Geography and Religious Studies. 84% were graded A or B and 50% graded A by the boys’ destination senior schools. These exceptionally high standards are very much in keeping with the achievements of recent leavers; since 2007 the six year average stands at 82% of exam scripts graded A or B and 51% awarded A grades. This year’s results confirm that Arnold House boys not only win their places to the leading independent schools but do so in some style, gaining inclusion in higher sets when they arrive.
As a public examination Common Entrance has not endured the tribulations suffered by the National Curriculum Key Stage 2 exam at 11+, GCSE and to an extent A Level where concerns over grade inflation,
the modular system allowing for multiple retakes, and the sense that the importance of subject knowledge is in decline have undermined confidence in the true worth of pupils’ achievements. CE remains a rigorous and broad examination for 13 year olds up and down the country which makes this sustained level of high academic performance all the more gratifying.
Particular congratulations must go to the six boys who had the honour of being entered for scholarships; Tom McMahon (St Paul’s), Alfie Murray (Westminster), Harry Orwell (St Paul’s) and Bruno Pujos (Westminster) all got the better of the academic scholarship papers, Nicolas Markantonis (St Paul’s) acquitted himself very well in his music assessment, and Charlie Dryer (Mill Hill) was recognised for his games playing ability and potential with a sports scholarship.
Educational Development
Every year we review the breadth and quality of the education we offer the boys at Arnold House. This process took on an added dimension this year due to the completion of the loft extension rooms in the summer of 2011. The two new classrooms and the additional two tutor rooms for small group work enabled us to be bold in our discussions as to how we can best utilise our facilities and teaching resources for the benefit of the boys.
3 Group Teaching in English and Maths in Years 3 to 8
The outcome of these lengthy deliberations at management and governing body level has resulted in a fundamental change to the way we will organise the teaching of English and Maths at Arnold House in the future.
From September 2012 English and Maths lessons will be arranged in the timetable as follows:
• The two Forms in each year group, from Year 3 to Year 8, will have their English and their Maths lessons timetabled at the same time
• Each year group will be split into three teaching groups (rather than a split into two as has been the case until now)
• Three English teachers and three Maths teachers will be assigned to each year group
• In Year 3, each Form Teacher will teach the majority of his or her Form. The third teaching group will consist of an almagamation of the boys in each Form who require a greater level of classroom support in their learning
• The arrangements for Year 3 will continue into Year 4 until such time as it seems judicious to divide the year group into three sets by ability
• Three group setting in English and Maths will continue throughout a boy’s time at Arnold House until the end of Year 8
The benefits of this new approach are:
• Each boy is taught in a group that is suited to his needs and abilities at any given time
• Most senior schools like to pre-test boys in English and Maths in Years 6 or 7 before
offering a place conditional on meeting the school’s required entry standard in Common Entrance at the end of Year 8. By investing considerable extra teaching resources and expertise to English and Maths in the years prior to the pre-tests we aim to give Arnold House boys every chance to impress
• The framework for grouping and setting is flexible and lends itself to regular collaboration between teachers, and the secure and sustained progress of the boys in their linguistic and mathematical understanding. It is not inconceivable, for example, that, in time, Year 8 will have a scholarship Maths set, running alongside two parallel sets aiming to master the most demanding material on the Common Entrance syllabus
New Educational Opportunities and Innovations
There is always room for improvement in what we are able to offer the boys. New ideas can often come from a new member of staff joining the Arnold House team and sparking the boys’ enthusiasm in a particular interest of their own. Just as easily, the impetus for a change comes from established teachers looking for fresh challenges.
• For the first time in many years, Years 3 and 4 seized on the opportunity to perform in a full scale musical.
of the boys in
assemblies as part of a new House Drama competition
• House Captains and Vice Captains took full control of the twice termly House assemblies
• Particular care is taken by staff to secure the best locations for the numerous residential trips that take place each year for the senior boys. Year 6 and Year 7 stayed in new venues for their trips to Devon (Leadership Week) and Dorset (Geography Field Trip) respectively, and the wider variety of facilities available to the boys at these centres added an extra dimension to the continuing success of these trips.
• The 1st XV rugby tour visited Leicester for the first time
• A swimming club has been formed for Year 4 boys within the activities programme
• English Speaking Board assessments were incorporated into the Year 6 Compass Course
• The AHPA introduced two new events into the School Calendar; Christmas in the Courtyard and the Summer Festival
• Year 7 performed improvised short sketches to the rest
Curriculum Review
A major review of the curriculum was undertaken to ensure the breadth and balance in the boys’ working week is maintained. There have been some small but significant adjustments made to the 2012-2013 timetable, most notably:
Years 3 and 4
• Science increased from 3 periods to 4 periods per week
Year 5
• English increased from 5 periods to 6 periods.
• Maths increased from 6 periods to 7 periods.
Year 6
• Maths increased from 5 periods to 6 periods.
Academic Subjects Timetable 2012 - 2013
Non- Academic Subjects Timetable 2012 - 2013
• IT & Drama in Years 5 & 6 = Compass
• Yr 7 & Yr 8 Greek (by invita tion) - 2 extra lessons
Years 5 and 6
• A more formal arrangement to teach the Compass Course through the individual disciplines of IT and Drama.
The new timetable is included below to illustrate the variety of lessons and subjects boys can look forward to when they return to school after the summer break.
