Bexley Grammar School is a Specialist College of Languages, with a second Specialism in Science with Mathematics. Granted HPSS, Bexley Grammar School is also a designated Leading Edge School enhanced with Gifted and Talented provision.

The Curriculum

All Bexley Grammar students study two languages to GCSE. From September 2009, students opt to study two of the following languages: French, German, Spanish, Russian, Italian, Japanese or Chinese, one of which must be French or German. Sixth Form students have the opportunity to study a wide range of languages. In addition to the above, they can choose the very successful British Sign Language course.

All Bexley Grammar students have the opportunity to study Biology, Chemistry and Physics to GCSE. From September 2009, all Year 11 students will follow this Triple Award GCSE course. Sixth Form students have the opportunity to study Biology, Human Biology, Environmental Systems, Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Astronomy and Science for Public Understanding, as part of the curriculum.

Curriculum Enrichment

Last year Bexley Grammar School students had the opportunity to participate in overseas visits to France, Germany, Spain, China and Japan. This year students will additionally be visiting Russia. These visits include home stay visits as well as study tours. Sixth form MFL students have the opportunity to complete work experience placements overseas during their final year at Bexley Grammar School.

A large number of extra-curricular clubs are run to provide students with further language support. All Year 8 students visit Europa Centre to practise their first language and all Year 9 students attend an in-house day of enrichment activities to extend their second language. Students of Japanese attended a Taiko Drumming workshop. Students of Russian, Spanish, French and German attend Europa Town in the target language, hosted by our Year 12 MFL students. Chinese, French, German and Russian students work in groups to produce a film in the target language and Spanish students complete an art workshop.

The Science Department organises a range of external speakers to speak to students across the year groups. Each year, Year 7 students visit London Zoo and Year 8 students visit the Natural History Museum. GCSE students complete a day of Forensic Science and complete a CSI Workshop. Gifted and talented Science students work with London Gifted and Talented and video-conference with the National Portrait Gallery to extend their knowledge of the history of Science and Medicine. Gifted and talented Science students also complete a number of external competitions including Top of the Bench, Science Race and the Science Olympiad. A number of extra-curricular clubs are run by the Science Department.

In the Summer Term 2008, Bexley Grammar’s first annual Science and Maths Week provided staff and students with a fitting end to the academic year. Year 7 students greatly enjoyed ‘Murderous Maths’ and the chance to see birds of prey flying just above their heads. Year 8 students investigated pandemics, through the ‘Avi Flu’ simulation, and extended their knowledge of bearings, through the maths orienteering workshops. Year 9 students became crime scene investigators for the day, after completing maths code breaking workshops. Year 10 students met Galileo, launched their own rocket and investigated the chemistry of the cosmos.

Community Links

Bexley Grammar School works extensively with primary school staff and students, across the Borough. Language lessons in French and Spanish, given jointly by Bexley Grammar staff and primary school teachers, take place on a weekly basis in six local primary schools. Bexley Grammar School coordinates primary language teaching across the Borough and organises training for Bexley primary teachers in preparation for 2010, when languages become a compulsory part of the primary curriculum. BGS is currently working with ten local secondary schools, to lead the development of the KS3 MFL strategy. Whole school events such as Europa Town are enjoyed by both BGS students and students from local primary and secondary schools.

Every Summer Term, Science teachers, Science technicians and Sixth Form Science Prefects work with over 300 Year 6 students from five of our local primary schools to complete the annual Science Transition Project. The aim of the project is to further develop the scientific enquiry skills of the KS2 students to help them with their KS3 Science studies in September.

BGS is currently involved in working with seven local primary schools on a cross phase Science and Maths project. Primary and secondary staff have been involved in the joint planning of a series of science and maths lessons, linked to the theme of a ‘desert island’. During this term Year 6 teachers will be delivering some of these jointly planned activities and Year 6 students will be creating fruit batteries, launching rockets and investigating solar and wind energy amongst other activities. Year 12 Science and Maths Prefects are supporting this project by working with the Year 6 students involved. Next term BGS staff will be delivering a series of follow up activities. The project aims to improve the quality of science provision at KS2 and KS3 through the sharing of pedagogy and the language of learning at primary and secondary level.

Bexley Grammar arranges and hosts INSET for Science technicians across Bexley. The Science Department recently delivered a day of CPD for Science leaders and teachers from local secondary schools, as part of the National Triple Science Support Strategy. The day provided delegates with information on curriculum planning, successful pedagogy, e-learning, enrichment and raising achievement, all in the context of Triple Science. During the day delegates observed a live lesson, interviewed a Science Prefect and worked with many members of the Science Department to investigate successful practice. The day was attended by delegates from 23 local secondary schools from a number of local authorities.

Each Summer, the school organises a number of Summer Schools for gifted and talented students from across the Borough. In Summer 2008, Bexley Grammar School ran four such Summer Schools, a Year 6 French Summer School, a Year 6 Science Summer School, a Year 7 British Sign Language Summer School and a Year 11-12 Foreign Language Leader Award Summer School.