Academic
‘Being here means I have developed a curious and enthusiastic attitude to a wide variety of subjects.’ — U8th former
We have an outstanding academic tradition, which fosters a culture of scholarship, creativity and enquiry.
Our teachers are experts in and passionate about their subjects, and they venture well beyond the assessed syllabus. We wish to inspire our pupils and to respond to their questioning and curiosity.
Boys are encouraged to develop their own passion for learning, to develop a spirit of enquiry and to become increasingly self-directed in their study. Their tutors assist them in learning how to balance their academic interests and their other commitments.
Academic Performance
Boys follow a curriculum to IGCSE/GCSE and then to AS and A Levels. We believe that IGCSE offers breadth and good curriculum content, and that of all the 16+ examination options A Levels provide the greatest flexibility and choice for both boys and teachers.
We are proud of our pupils’ outstanding results in these exams, but the real academic strength of St Paul’s is that discussion in the classroom is not constrained by the examined curriculum. Examination success is important, but for gifted boys it should be a by-product of their broader intellectual development.
St Paul’s regularly topped the league tables published each August before we co-founded a movement among leading schools to withhold publication of our GCSE and A Level results at that time of the year. We believe that league tables are too narrow a measure of a school’s educational provision. The school publishes its results each year once all re-marks are known. Our results, and the all-round education we provide, are such that pupils go on to study at top universities in the UK and North America.
Core Subjects at GCSE
All boys take these subjects to GCSE:
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English Language, English Literature, Mathematics
Options for AS and A Level
These include the subjects for GCSE together with:
Computing, Economics, Further Maths, Politics, Theatre Studies and a range of Extended Projects
Options for GCSE
Boys can also choose from the following subjects at GCSE:
Ancient History, Art & Design, Drama, French, Geography, German, Greek, History, Italian, Latin, Music, Religious Studies, Russian, Spanish, Technology (Electronics, Systems & Control, Resistant Materials)
Academic News
ISI report, 2013
St Paul’s judged exceptional in most recent inspection. More
International Olympiad in Informatics, 2013
James Clarke selected for GB team. More
National Science & Engineering Week, 2013
We were delighted to take part in this celebration of invention and discovery. More
Target Two Point Zero national finals, 2013
St Paul’s, 2012 champions, were joint runners-up in this year's Bank of England/Times competition. More
Hans Woyda, 2013
For the third year in a row, St Paul’s has won the final of this London Mathematics competition. More
