Middle Years

Welcome

From the ages of 13-16 your son will move through the 3 middle school houses.

His Academic Tutor will follow him, working closely with the House team to support his progress ahead of public exams. Each year your son will gain greater independence, personal space and responsibility surrounded by professionals who really understand adolescence.

New boys start in Fourth Form, when they join Chalmers West House. They meet up with those boys who have moved up from our Juniors and form a year group of around 60 boys. In the following year, which we call ‘Shell’, the boys are starting to focus on their GCSEs. The next year, Fifth Form, is then the crucial GCSE year, and this is when all the preparation and hard work pays dividends.

Please note we are currently undertaking a rolling programme of refurbishment of the Houses, commencing with Chalmers West in Autumn 2021. We continue to operate a vertical House system, but there will be minor adjustments to the published allocation of Houses according to year group.

Come and visit us and see for yourself the spirit, ethos and demeanour of our boys.

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Integrity

Our Difference

over 200

hot chocolates a night

over 400 hours

of prep a night

10 hours

physical activity a week

opportunity to specialise in a particular sport or develop a bespoke sporting programme

61%

of pupils achieved a*/a grades at gcse

bronze and silver duke of edinburgh opportunities

18

pupils achieved 9 or more a*/A gcse grades

extensive weekend activity programme

our difference

The three ‘Middle Years’ are not only a time of strong academic advancement, but also a time of fun, exploration and cultural and sporting expression. Boys mature rapidly between 13 and 16, and our specialist knowledge of teaching boys in a boys’ only environment will give your son the best possible platform for moving onwards into the Sixth Form.

boarding or day?

A Day in the Life of the Middle Years…