Where everything flourishes
Senior School
A very warm welcome from the Senior School Team
The Senior School is an energetic and dynamic place of academic adventure and personal development. Our students immerse themselves in lessons which are an exciting journey towards a deeper understanding and broader horizons. Learning in the Senior School stretches far beyond the curriculum; extra-curricular life is a chance to take on real leadership and make an impact both within school and in the wider community. A combination of significantly greater freedom and personalised one-to-one support prepares our students to flourish in the world beyond school.
We look forward to meeting you and answering your questions during our open day. In the meantime, please contact admissions@spgs.org if you have any specific queries.
Best wishes,
Rupert Try
Deputy Head, Director of Senior School
Cat Graham
Head of VII (Year 12)
Rosie Selby
Head of VIII (Year 13)
Nina Williams
Senior School Administrator
Senior School
Academic
Academic study in the Senior School is highly engaging and rewarding. Lively scholarship fills the last two years of study as students specialise in the subjects about which they feel most passionate.
The Senior School is, above all, a place for the stimulating exchange of ideas, whether in small group lessons or in the common room, within a supportive, familial atmosphere that encourages intellectual risk. The confidence students develop in this environment is exciting and deeply valuable.
Academic endeavour is supported by initiatives such as the St Paul’s Programme, an exciting part of the non-examined curriculum, which includes electives and an independent research programme.
This sits alongside the traditional Friday Lecture series. Every week the whole Senior School gathers to hear eminent speakers from all walks of life open windows onto their work and thought. These inspiring examples expose students to a diverse range of perspectives and lived experiences.
Independence
In the Senior School students enjoy much greater independence, preparing them for the self-directed study expected at university. The Senior School is based in the Garden Building, a modern, purpose-built hub opened in 2017 which contains a common room, a kitchen and a variety of workspaces specifically for use by senior students.
This is a relaxed, sociable place where students can get on with work or catch up with friends over tea and toast. Relationships with members of staff become much more collaborative and debate and discussion are at the centre of all learning. Students are given greater freedom to organise their own time; they have private study periods and are allowed off the school site at lunchtime when they don’t have timetabled lessons. Support is personalised and plentiful, but students are trusted to pursue their own interests, equipped with the tools to succeed.
Role models
Responsibility and leadership are at the heart of Senior School life and senior students play a major role in the running of the school. They lead a great range of societies for younger students, catering for everything from political debate to improvised comedy. They take on key roles in school performances and sports teams, oversee the school council, edit a variety of student magazines and much more.
Senior School
The Senior School presents many opportunities, whether running clubs and societies, organising teams and rehearsals, or being part of the school council and Head of School Team.
The Senior School curriculum emphasises depth of study and rewarding content that goes far beyond the syllabus.
Senior students leave St Paul’s with the skills, resilience and confidence to pursue their ambitions, wherever they may take them.
The atmosphere in the Senior School is kind, relaxed and supportive, so that every student can flourish.
Responsibility
The VII and VIII (Years 12 and 13) are remarkable in their passion and dedication to a wide range of causes, leading groups such as SPEAC (St Paul’s Environmental Action Committee) and the Charities Committee, which organise a vast range of events and projects throughout the year. Students are encouraged to take the initiative; if a club or committee doesn’t exist to support their interest, they are empowered to make it happen.
In the VIII (Year 13) students can apply to join the Head of School Team. They meet weekly with the High Mistress and help to shape the school’s agenda. However they choose to participate in the co-curricular life of the school, senior students lead the way as role models.
Volunteering and service
Much of this activity involves the wider community. Every member of the VII (Year 12) spends time in service to the local community. Opportunities are always changing but they include working in care homes, community centres and primary schools. It is vital that all Paulinas leave school as active, responsible citizens with care for those around them.
Support
An extensive network is in place to guide and support senior students through their final two years of school and beyond. Daily meetings with their tutor ensure advice is never far away. The Senior School pastoral team (comprising Heads of Year, the Senior School Administrator and Director of Senior School) is based next to the common room and staff are always on hand to help with questions, big or small! A highly experienced higher education and careers team provides extensive support for decisions about life beyond school.
Whatever courses you take, and whichever path you choose, you’ll find the Senior School a wonderful place to be.
A levels
The Senior curriculum
In the Senior School all students study four core subjects in the VII (Year 12) from a choice of more than options. All students also have dedicated time with their tutor, their choice from a wide range of sport, a PSHE session and a weekly lecture as part of their main timetable. Students also follow the St Paul’s Programme on a Friday afternoon.
In the VIII (Year 13) students continue with four core subjects if studying further mathematics or applying to American universities. All other students drop to three subjects, which gives them greater opportunity to research areas of special interest independently, and develop the scholarly engagement that is central to our ethos.
St Paul’s Programme
Alongside academic lessons, the St Paul’s Programme is a significant, highly exciting element of the non-examined curriculum offered in the Senior School. It is unique to the school and aims to help students develop the confidence and independence to thrive at university and into their future lives. The programme takes place on a Friday afternoon when students have no other timetabled lessons and it runs throughout the academic year.
Electives
As part of the programme students take electives, running for seven weeks, which may be practical, academic or general; recent courses range from ‘Renaissance world-view’ to ‘3D environments’ and ‘algorithmic sounds’.
Senior Scholarship
This is an independent research programme completed by students in the summer between the two senior years. Students are given supervisory support from teachers to research, develop and write on any subject of their choice, producing a final piece which could take the form of a scholarly essay, fieldwork report or a creative production such as a performance, novel or computer programme. Students are inspired to let their intellectual curiosity take them far beyond the curriculum.
Friday Lecture
The Friday Lecture is a treasured St Paul’s tradition and opens windows into other worlds. Explorers, inventors, artists, entrepreneurs and judges all give up their time to come in and tell students how they live and what they do. There’s no better way to learn about some of life’s possibilities.
Here are some recent highlights:
Distinguished Guardian journalist and alumna, Amelia Gentleman spoke about her uncovering of the infamous Windrush scandal, where it emerged that hundreds of Commonwealth citizens had been wrongly detained, deported and denied legal rights.
The Rt Hon Stuart Lawrence gave a powerful lecture for Black History Month on how we can combat racism and racial injustice.
Arabella Simpkin, Assistant Professor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School, discussed careers for women in STEM and the importance of complex problem solving in the medical field.
initiative
Senior students run a variety of clubs and societies for younger students, and if an activity does not already exist to support their interest, they are empowered to take the lead and set one up themselves.
Clubs and societies
risk
Small class sizes and relaxed relationships with teachers create a supportive environment where students are encouraged to take intellectual risks and develop their personal confidence.
Academic
fun
Life in the Senior School is rich, exciting and rewarding, as students enjoy greater independence and vibrant co-curricular life, supported by a caring, experienced senior team.
Drama
impact
During their time in the Senior School all students take part in service to support the local community, preparing them to step into the world beyond school as active, responsible citizens.
CommunityUniversity destinations
| University | No. of students | |
|---|---|---|
| Oxford | 28 | |
| American and Canadian universities | 20 | |
| Cambridge | 16 | |
| Edinburgh | 11 | |
| UCL | 7 | |
| Imperial | 5 | |
| St Andrews | 4 | |
| KCL | 3 | |
| Manchester | 3 | |
| Warwick | 3 | |
| Durham | 2 | |
| European universities | 2 | |
| Newcastle | 2 | |
| Bath | 1 | |
| Bristol | 1 | |
| Goldsmiths | 1 | |
| Hull/York Med | 1 | |
| Sydney | 1 |
Careers and Higher Education
We have an extensive and dedicated higher education team who provide Senior School students with personalised support as they begin to make important decisions about their futures. The Director of Higher Education works with senior tutors, departmental academic mentors and higher education coordinators to help students discover the route that is right for them and the team are always on hand to guide them through the application process. From university preparation classes and alumnae university events to our Higher Education Conference every spring, there are a host of opportunities to help Senior School students find their answer to the key questions: which course is right for me, and what is my chosen university looking for?
Students are also encouraged to attend a wide variety of careers events to help them identify the path that inspires them. The Senior School hosts a range of evening careers talks often focusing on one specific career path such as engineering, law and media. In addition students are invited to professional networking events, usually at a location in central London, where they can connect with inspiring role models. Our regular ‘working lunches’ give students in the Senior School a chance to meet with professionals from a multitude of sectors to discuss their work and career paths.
Visit
St Paul's
There is no better way to get to know a school than by taking a look around. Visit us to explore the school for yourself and discover some of our Paulinas’ favourite spots, from The Marble, the lively entrance hall situated at the heart of the school, to The Great Hall, home of assemblies, concerts, art exhibitions and more.
Visit us