Curriculum

Winchester's curriculum is centred on Division. A division is a form, but it is much more than an administrative unit. In Division, a group of boys works with the same Don every day throughout the academic year. The Don gets to know the academic qualities and needs of individuals and he encourages them to read, to learn, to debate - to present coherent ideas and propositions. Division is not based on examination specifications: it establishes learning for its own sake within a wide cultural framework.  

In the First year Division encompasses English, History and Religious Studies. During the Second year Division is taught by English Dons and in the Third year by Historians. In the final two years, Division includes literature, history, music, philosophy, ethics, current affairs; a good deal of reading is required and there are regular written assignments. Boys and Dons take Division seriously.  

The rest of the curriculum is taught by highly qualified subject specialists. Accelerated learning is allowed where appropriate. Boys usually complete between eight and ten GCSEs (IGCSEs) by the end of V Book. In VI Book the School follows Cambridge Pre-U courses in almost all subjects. These are linear courses so there are virtually no external examinations in the penultimate year. The Cambridge Pre-U offers breadth and depth; there are open-ended questions and plenty of encouragement for independent learning. Assessment provides differentiation at the highest level with three grades of distinction. Boys take Division and three subjects, with an additional option to take Mathematics to A2 as a short course in the penultimate year.   

 

Nomenclature:  

1st Year		Junior Part (JP)		Year 9
2nd Year		Middle Part (MP)		Year 10
3rd Year		V Book		Year 11
4th year		VI Book 2		Year 12
5th year		VI Book 1		Year 13

Junior Part

Division (English, History, RS), Biology, Chemistry, French, Geography, Latin, Mathematics, Physical Education, Physics
Options: Chinese, German, Greek, Spanish
Carousel (two terms): Art, Design Technology, ICT, Music
In the final term of the year, one of the subjects from the carousel is chosen. Russian is added as an option to this list. ICT is not available as a GCSE subject
 

Middle Part

Division (English), History, Latin, Mathematics, French, Religious Studies
Options: Most pupils study three separate Sciences - Biology, Chemistry and Physics. A few study Dual Award Science and Geography.
One subject from Chinese, German, Geography, Greek, Spanish
One subject from Art, Design Technology, Music, Russian
 

V Book

Division (History), English, Mathematics, French
Options: Most pupils study three separate Sciences - Biology, Chemistry and Physics. A few study Dual Award Science and Geography.
One subject from Chinese, German, Geography, Greek, Spanish
One subject from Art, Design Technology, Music, Russian
Also choose either Latin*
or one subject from Chinese, German, Japanese ab initio
or the carousel (Economics, Geography, History of Art, Religious Studies)
*Most boys who opt to continue Latin take a single AS module at the end of the year. 

VI Book

In VI Book the following subjects are available, though not all combinations are always possible:  Art, Art History, Biology, Chemistry, Design Technology, Economics, English, French, Geography, German, Greek, History, Latin, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Music, Philosophy & Theology, Physics, Russian, Spanish.  

Cambridge Pre-U courses are taught in all subjects except Biology and Design Technology, which are taught as A-level courses.