“The school has put in place a carefully considered and ambitious curriculum. It goes beyond the scope of the national curriculum.”

Ofsted Report, January 2024

At Forest Hill we combine the traditional values of hard work and academic learning with up to date methods and content. We believe that students achieve their full potential if they enjoy their work and find it stimulating and challenging.

The school offers a broad and balanced curriculum, fulfilling all the requirements of the National Curriculum, while at the same time reflecting as wide a choice of pathways as possible, to cater fully for all levels of aptitude and ability. We are clear that a broad curriculum with access to all the arts is a major benefit to our students.

From Years 7 to 9 (Key Stage 3), all students enjoy lessons in:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Computer Science
• History
• Geography
• Modern Foreign Languages (French, German or Spanish)
• Design Technology
• PE
• Art
• Music
• Dance
• Drama

Every student in Years 7 and 8 has a supported library lesson in which to read, choose and discuss books. This supports the development of literacy.

We also deliver Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE) during tutor time, assemblies and drop-down days. Key areas covered include sex and relationships, drugs and health education and citizenship.

Towards the end of Year 9, students decide which subjects they want to take for GCSE. Some of the GCSEs are compulsory: English Literature, English Language, Mathematics and Science. Students either study Combined Science (a mixture of Biology, Chemistry and Physics worth two GCSEs) or Single Sciences (all three Sciences are studied separately and worth three GCSEs). The majority of students also study a modern foreign language and either Geography or History.

Further information about GCSE Options is available here.