Challenge and Opportunity in a Caring Environment. But what exactly do we mean by that?
Challenge
A curriculum at A level and GCSE which has no easy options.
Students kept on course to get the best exam grades possible.
Only subjects that offer a real academic challenge at the right level are offered.
We won’t fiddle with our curriculum to make school results look better!
Students are encouraged to learn independently not just spoon fed.
Challenged to be creative in Key Stage 3, encouraging involvement in music and drama and the development of presentational skills and confidence.
Physical challenges: We all take part in a real Sponsored Walk. House competitions are open to all – e.g. Rugby and Sports Day – importantly, it’s not just the elite sportsperson who gets the chance to represent his or her House – we encourage wide participation.
Opportunity
We expect all our students to take advantage of the variety of challenges provided by the school.
Travel: GGS has been to Africa, China, India, South and North America and New Zealand on sporting trips, for World Challenge expeditions, or on school exchanges.
Duke of Edinburgh awards, charity work, drama, and music – all provide powerful leadership opportunities.
Caring
Student Support Staff: full time pastoral help is available all day, every day from dedicated specialist staff, and not left to subject teachers.
Specialist Counselling to support students with a range of issues; initiatives focusing on adolescent mental health.
Smoother transition to Year 7 – students have fewer teachers because we have developed the use of Key Stage 3 ‘specialists’ who teach boys several subjects in Year 7. This makes for better relationships and a better understanding of individual students.
Layers of support. The first port of call is the form tutor. Students are also in a ‘House’ where older students provide leadership.
The School motto Consule Cunctis means ‘care for all’. At GGS we interpret this guiding principle to mean caring for each and every member of the School, caring for our wider community and environment; and caring on a wider, global scale through the charity work we undertake generally. Developing a caring ethos with a strong sense of responsibility is an important facet of students’ education at GGS – and one in which they never fail to make the School proud.
