We are committed to identifying students who are academically able or very able, and then challenging them to improve even further.

Starting in Year 9 and continuing throughout the Senior School, our teachers and House staff help to instill in these pupils a sense of intellectual curiosity. We’re also keen to provide co-curricular opportunities for able students, and subject departments will help them enter regional and national competitions. Many of our students have enjoyed significant success, in UK Maths Challenges, History, and writing.

Outside of the classroom, we encourage scholars and other able students to attend the Senior School’s Pryor House Group. This group aims to provide a challenging yet supportive environment for students; a setting where they can explore subjects and ideas that they simply wouldn’t encounter in the school curriculum.

We also design programmes to broaden the intellectual horizons of the most able students. These help to improve their ability to think critically, develop their skills of analysis and evaluation, and encourage independent thought. We arrange trips for able students too, so they can attend seminars and workshops run by external organisations such as Excellence East.

We host an annual Academic Scholars Dinner in the Senior School’s dining hall and invite an eminent academic speaker to address the gathering. In recent years, this included Sir Richard Dearlove, Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge, and former Chief of MI6.