Welcome to the Senior School.
As pupils transition from the Junior School, or join us from other schools at Year 7, there is a sense that a next stage of the journey is beginning. Whilst much will feel familiar, we work with our young people to feel comfortable with a greater level of independence and to embrace the changes that a move to a more senior environment will bring.
Our commitment to all pupils achieving their academic potential continues through from the Junior School, whilst interwoven with the development of the future skills your child will need to thrive.
Year 9 is an exciting point in the Downsend journey and represents the start of a three year GCSE, designed to ensure not only the very best GCSE outcomes, but also to provide an opportunity to enjoy the amazing breadth on offer in the Downsend curriculum, and beyond.
In Year 9, students will start to build, consolidate, and apply their knowledge as they work towards their GCSE exams in Year 11. They will be helped and encouraged to take responsibility for their learning and to develop skills that will allow them to flourish both academically and personally.
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Meet the Head
Meet the Head of Senior School.
Richard Dolan, Head of Senior School, is dedicated to providing a well-rounded, supportive educational experience for all students. With a strong commitment to personalised learning, he ensures that each student receives the guidance they need to excel academically and develop personally. Richard places high importance on pastoral care, fostering a safe and nurturing environment that encourages growth and resilience.
Aligned with the school's Future Skills vision, Richard actively promotes the development of key skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and adaptability. He is also a strong advocate for the enrichment program, recognising its role in offering diverse opportunities that prepare students for future challenges. His leadership is focused on helping students thrive both in their academic journeys and in life beyond school.
Brilliant Basics
Delivered by a specialist team.
In the Senior School, we have a strong and dedicated specialist team who have shaped their teaching to deliver the curriculum in imaginative, engaging and inspiring ways.
Our curriculum is detailed and immersive, carefully designed to allow students to fully engage with the subject area without having to rush their learning.
We have a meticulous approach to tracking progress, with individual targets set for each pupil. These targets are reviewed termly, with new approaches taken to stretch higher-order thinking, or support areas of weakness. We use MidYis and Yellis (Year Eleven Indicator System) to help us track baseline assessments, predict GCSE performance and produce a detailed analysis of individual strengths and weaknesses.
Tutors and teachers encourage the pupils to become more independent in their learning with opportunities for self-directed study either in the Senior Library and an open-door policy at break and lunchtimes for pupils to ‘drop in’ if they have any queries. They are also encouraged to set themselves SMART targets during their termly tutorials and are given opportunities to review and reflect on their progress, encouraging greater ownership of their learning and development.
