Examination results matter. We understand this, and encourage all our boys to aspire to academic excellence. Our record in enabling boys to achieve the qualifications they need to access the best universities across the globe speaks for itself.
That said, we strongly believe that the journey is as important as the destination, and to send a boy to university without the best habits of independent learning and, critically, a love of learning is to send him woefully unprepared. It is crucial that boys enjoy their studies, thrive and have fun, rather than leave feeling burnt out and disengaged.
The school is highly successful in fulfilling its aim to promote the best habits of independent thought and learning in the pursuit of excellence. This is reflected in exceptional results in GCSE, A-level and Pre-U examinations
ISI inspection, December 2021
Our academic curriculum is broad. With 28 subjects on offer, including 10 Modern and Classical Languages, every boy has the best opportunity to discover his passion.
Our Masters are subject-specialists who invariably hold prestigious degrees in their subjects, but equally as important in their appointment has been their capacity to build relationships and inspire learners.
Our House Master and Tutor system ensures that at least two adults have oversight of every boy’s individual progress and are there to support and encourage him.
of all GCSE grades achieved in 2019 were Grade 8 or 9.
We set regular Extra Work (homework) to be completed in the Boarding House, with discrete time set aside for this. This encourages a culture of industry but also independence, as boys have to plan their free time to ensure it is completed.
Regular internal reporting enables House Masters and Tutors to keep track of every boy’s progress. Boys also sit internal examinations, known as Trials, in all their academic subjects at the end of the Michaelmas and Summer Halves, unless they are taking external examinations.
We have a dedicated Learning Support Centre to help boys who need support with study skills or have specific educational needs. All boys sit an assessment when they arrive to determine whether additional support is required, and boys can be referred to learning support at any time during their Eton career.
The pupils’ excellent achievement and progress are not only evident in the school’s examination results. They can also be seen clearly in the breadth and depth of their intellectual curiosity, revealed when they discuss their work, in the work itself, and in their intelligent and perceptive contributions in lessons.
ISI inspection, December 2021
Our vibrant academic enrichment programme encourages boys to develop their interests beyond exam syllabuses and to take the lead in introducing those interests to other boys.
The Tony Little Centre for Innovation and Research in Learning (CIRL) is unique facility that aims to put us at the forefront of teaching and learning development. Not only does the work of the research centre inform Masters’ teaching which directly benefits the boys, but boys can also access the centre to develop their understanding about how best to learn.