Senior School

Welcome to Stephen Perse Cambridge Senior School - a community defined by the combination of intellectual energy and warmth. We are a school where students are excited to arrive each morning, motivated by a curriculum that challenges them and a community that celebrates them.

Whether they love Chemistry, crocheting or classical guitar, our insistence on truly knowing and valuing every student as an individual creates in them the confidence they need to excel. While our pupils achieve exceptional GCSE results, they finish Year 11 with far more than grades: they move on as interested, interesting, and compassionate young people, equipped with the character and curiosity to thrive in the Sixth Form and beyond.

Stephen Ward
Vice-Principal and Head of 11-18

Abbey Jones
Senior Deputy Head 11-18

Memorable experiences

We offer a diverse range of unforgettable experiences. If music is your passion, you might find yourself playing a concerto with our Symphony Orchestra at West Road Concert Hall, choreographing a dance for students in your House, having your piano lesson on a Steinway, or performing with your rock band at the Portland Arms!

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Exceptional teaching and learning

Our teachers are truly passionate about their subject. Lessons are catalysts, opening windows into a previous age, developing empathy through the study of literature, or igniting curiosity about the next scientific breakthrough. This deep engagement empowers students to discover and pursue their own intellectual passions.

Pastoral warmth

The wellbeing of our students is our number one concern, and we are proud of our reputation for outstanding pastoral care. Our year teams, health centre staff and in-house counsellors work as a team to provide students with a safe, secure, happy and relaxed environment in which to thrive.

Sporting success

Our teams regularly reach national finals across a variety of age groups and sports. While we excel in our main sports of hockey, netball, cricket and football, we also facilitate individuals in achieving success in their own sports. Our commitment to sport and our high-level coaching makes it no surprise we have produced multiple Olympic gold medalists!

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Balancing inclusivity and excellence

We look to provide relevant opportunities for every student. For singers, this means the choice between an open, unauditioned choir for enjoyment or joining a high-calibre group that performs Evensong with Cambridge College choirs. Roles in our performing arts productions span the entire creative spectrum so there's something to suit everyone.

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Responsible technology use

We have a deserved reputation as a leading digital school. While ensuring our students understand the benefits of technology, we recognise the risks. We actively promote responsible use, and have robust online safeguarding measures in place, with parents able to manage student devices at home as desired.

Our curriculum approach is designed to cultivate independent thinkers equipped for life in and beyond school. Our students develop and hone critical thinking skills, resilience, personal and social responsibility, all within a global perspective, supported by both traditional and cutting-edge teaching methods.

GCSE COURSE INFORMATION BOOKLET

Key Stage 3

The Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9) curriculum is designed to provide a broad and exciting grounding across six key areas of understanding: language, mathematics, science, humanities, creative/performing arts, and physical education.

Years 7 and 8

In Years 7 and 8, students study a comprehensive common core of subjects, including separate sciences, Latin, humanities, and two Modern Languages. Art, Design Engineering, Drama, and Music are taught in rotations to ensure experience of a full range of creative subjects.

Year 9

Year 9 transitions students toward future specialisation. The compulsory core narrows to ten subjects, and students select five additional options from a diverse list including languages (modern and classical), Classical Civilisation, Computer Science, and our four creative subjects.

The GCSE core

Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11) maintains breadth, with students typically taking a maximum of ten full GCSE/IGCSE qualifications. The compulsory common core consists of six subjects: English Language and Literature, Mathematics, and the three Sciences.

GCSE option subjects

Students are encouraged to take at least one Modern Language and choose options that include a humanity and a creative subject, to cover all six areas of understanding. A robust Careers and Guidance programme supports students in making informed choices for post-16.

Learning away from the classroom

Co-curricular

Our co-curricular programme plays a vital role in enriching learning beyond the classroom and supporting students' personal growth. We offer a wide range of opportunities that go beyond the traditional syllabus, encouraging students to follow their passions and develop a lifelong love of learning. Through clubs, sports, creative arts, and community projects, students broaden their horizons, develop character, and find unique pathways to success. Below is just a small selection of what we offer, click here for the full programme.

Hockey

Chess

Archery

Creative Writing

Teen Tech

Football

Symphony Orchestra

Climbing

Thinking Aloud

Basketball

TEAL (school magazine)

Brass Emsemble

Animation Club

Paddle Boarding

Ancient Academy

Netball

Rock School

Orienteering

Coding

Dungeons and Dragons

Cricket

Sailing

Worldwise Quiz

Ethics Cup

Rowing

Lego League

Backstage Club

Chamber Music

Knitwits (crochet and knitting)

Theatre Tech

From academic studies to sports, music, drama and art, we are proud of our innovative learning environments and award-winning Senior School facilities.

Located in the heart of Cambridge, our Senior School campus offers state-of-the-art facilities which include a large sports hall, drama theatre, a fitness gym, a rooftop multi-use games area (MUGA), an arts centre, a nature reserve and sports ground.

VENUE HIRE

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Get involved!

There are so many ways to explore new interests, develop leadership, creative and critical thinking, and find your people. Students can debate in the Ethics Cup, compete in the Teen Tech competition, edit Teal - our in-house magazine - found a new Dungeons and Dragons club, run Classics Society, hone your archery skills, find calm at crocheting club and much much more!

Trips

We offer a wide range of school trips both locally and all around the world. Some are subject-specific, such as classicists exploring Pompeii, geographers visiting Iceland, sports teams having their own unforgettable tours, and language departments offering linguistic and cultural visits. Adventure expeditions abroad attract older students, while others can go skiing or camping.

The House system

Each student and member of staff is assigned a school House, and students are awarded House Points to recognise effort, kindness, social responsibility and contribution towards certain UN Sustainable Development Goals. The competition between the Houses comes to a climax at the end of each term, with the House Cup (and ice-cream sundae treat) as the coveted prize!

The Stephen Perse Cambridge Sixth Form offers the perfect preparation for university life and beyond. Our class sizes provide students with a similar experience to the tutorial and seminar sessions you’ll encounter at top universities, and we have a dedicated guidance and preparation programme to support students to make the strongest possible applications to Oxford, Cambridge and other highly competitive universities. It has a very different feel to our other schools, with a focus on students managing their own time and workloads but with support available as needed, and an abundance of recreation and study spaces which create a friendly, sociable and welcoming atmosphere.

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