The School Curriculum

With an average class size of 14, we are very advantageously placed as regards small groups of boys in the classroom. There are 2 forms for each age group, giving an annual roll of about 30 in any given year, so there are enough children to form the right dynamics for out of class activities. Equally, we are able to place a great deal of stress on individual attention.

The curriculum is deliberately broad. Our unashamed intention in the early years is to give priority to literacy and numeracy skills (not least fighting the corner for the book against the computer). Also, from early on, all the boys learn French (in Year 4 they start Latin and they can also study Spanish). Music, Art, ICT and Science are introduced as soon as we can – most of the subjects right from Foundation. No boy can sit at a desk for the whole of a school day and there is plenty of space on the timetable for team and individual sports.

Our belief is that the well-balanced boy, who may particularly enjoy his football and his judo, may be singing in the choir and learning an instrument, working at his chess and his drama and many other things will come to his studies with added zest and enjoyment. In fact, he will probably perform to a much higher academic level if there is a breadth and variety to his school day.

One aspect of Willington that most of our parents cherish is that we are not aligned to any particular senior school, seeking rather to match up as closely as possible a boy’s talents and personality with the right follow-on independent school for him. Typically, Willington sends on 2 or 3 boys to 8-10 different schools each year. We win awards at many of these senior schools and the school has a tremendous Common Entrance record.