Our senior school offers a small educational community that is focused on the potential of each pupil. Our pupils, staff and parents work in partnership toward our aim of achieving optimum progress together. The senior school at St Gerard’s is located in the original convent building with two more recent extensions to house purpose-built classrooms. The senior school is in close proximity to the junior school. This allows the interchange of staff expertise and the opportunity for interaction between junior and senior pupils' with the aim of benefiting the pupils' education.
At the senior school our teachers are subject specialists and individual year groups move from classroom to classroom to curricular need. Subject teachers are responsible for the design and delivery of their schemes of work as they align to the national curriculum and exam board specifications. Work is planned with close liaison, communication and support from the headteacher. Each member of staff in the senior school is linked to a form group to help monitor pupils' personal welfare as well as their academic progress.
Our small class sizes in the senior school allow for individual attention for each pupil. Teachers are aware of individual pupils' strengths and target individual areas for improvement.
We aim for us all to:
- feel safe and valued as part of a caring community that celebrates success
- be independent thinkers / learners who are able to seek solutions creatively and co-operatively
- inspire an ‘enquiring’ mind and ask questions
- experience and actively participate in a relevant, enjoyable curriculum that evolves to meet the needs of all
- listen and articulate responses showing consideration to others
- be polite and courteous
- be proactive in our responsibilities towards the community, society, the environment and economy, linking ‘real life’ with our learning
- understand and respect diversity
- be aware of and recognise our own learning needs and be involved in planning future steps and targets
- develop a sense of self-esteem and be well-balanced, healthy individuals
- contribute to our wider community by being considerate of others