Teaching and Learning is at the core of what we do at Rugby School. Pupils at Rugby have the benefit of fantastic educational facilities and highly qualified staff. They learn what is needed to prepare fully for public examinations but, more than that, they develop a love of learning which stays with them long after they have left the School. We set high expectations of pupils not only in terms of their work ethic but also in terms of their intellectual ambition. Pupils aim high, and our record of university success is a record of this.
Pupils joining the School in the F Block receive a broad and balanced education in all the subjects which we feel are important for young men and women of the 21st century. This breadth and balance is continued when pupils move into their GCSE courses. Although we are not constrained to work towards the English Baccalaureate at Rugby, or to follow the National Curriculum, we do believe that this range of subjects gives pupils the best educational experience up until the age of 16.
The Sixth Form at Rugby is very different from many other schools. The School has a tradition of innovation in the curriculum and more details can be found on the next page of the website. We offer A levels, or the alternative CIE Pre-U qualification, in 29 subjects.
Pupils can also take an Extended Project qualification. This was developed here at Rugby through the pilot Perspectives on Science Qualification. The range of subjects offered has broadened now so that all aspects of the curriculum are covered and pupils enjoy the refreshing contrast between traditional exams and the opportunity to develop an extended piece of research in an area of their own choosing and interest. More details on our curriculum at all levels are available in the Curriculum Guides (please click on the links below).
Ultimately our aim at Rugby is to prepare pupils for university life and beyond. It is clear what universities are looking for. Top notch grades at both GCSE and A level but also an intellectual appetite. We firmly believe that the opportunities available here at Rugby address both of those aspects, and our pupils flourish.
Nomenclature: unsurprisingly, Rugby has developed terminology of its own in its long history for the year groups at the School. Most pupils enter the School in the F Block (Year 9) and progress through E and D. When they enter the Upper School, they become members of the Lower XX (Lower Sixth) before the final XX year. Marshall House pupils are in G1 and G2 (Years 7 and 8 respectively) before joining the main School.