Academic Curriculum

We believe we have a modern curriculum that offers the most flexible combination for today’s sixth-former.

Richard Baldwin - Academic Head of Sixth Form

At Canford, we have taught A levels for many years and are proud of the high quality results we achieve each year.  Canford has a deserved reputation for academic excellence in the region, where our A* and A*/A grades are consistently among, if not the best.  For us, the excitement of A level teaching remains undimmed and we believe that there are huge challenges in mastering the content of any of the A levels we offer.  The A* grade, introduced in 2010, provides a real and demanding target for the most able. We use the Cambridge Pre-U where appropriate - currently in Art and Modern Languages.

It would not help many of our pupils, we feel, to study the six subjects (including English, Maths and a foreign language) required by the International Baccalaureate. We believe that there is ample scope at GCSE level for pupils to test their ability in a wide range of subjects. Sixth Form academic choices are the start of the process of specialisation for a University degree.

While we do not offer the IB at Canford, there are elements of the IB programme which we like and have adapted these into our Sixth Form curriculum. The IB's extended essay has led to the introduction of Extended Project Qualifications (EPQs) for interested Lower Sixth.  The Theory of Knowledge component has been threaded throughout Canford's unique General Studies programme, called Connections, giving pupils in every year group the chance to place into a wider context the knowledge they gain through subject lessons.  Explore more from the links below.

Among the top 25 co-ed boarding schools in the country for A*/A grades 

www.best-schools.co.uk 

A Level Course Guide