Girls move into the Upper School at the start of their two year GCSE courses. (NB: GCSE Sciences are taught as a 3 year course, beginning in Year 9.) They are expected to start taking greater responsibility for the organization of their work, part of which takes the form of coursework, such as projects or fieldwork, or ongoing assessments of the application of knowledge and practical skills as in Science subjects. Some periods are allocated for independent study in the Senior Library where girls are encouraged to make use of the excellent facilities, both for research and project work and for their own wider reading.

Girls at Tormead normally take a maximum of ten subjects to GCSE, including a compulsory core which corresponds to the National Curriculum core subjects and also covers the essential GCSE subjects for most career areas:

English, English Literature, Mathematics,

Biology, Chemistry and Physics and a Modern

Foreign Language.

Girls then choose three further subjects. Where possible, girls are encouraged to choose their optional subjects from different areas of knowledge in order to maintain variety, breadth and balance in their education until the age of 16. The availability of individual subject choices depends on the level of pupil demand and on timetabling considerations. Possible options include:

Languages: French, German, Spanish, Latin, Greek. (Mandarin Chinese is available as an extracurricular activity).

Humanities: Geography, History, Religious Studies.

Aesthetic/Practical Subjects: Art & Design – Painting, Drawing, Graphics, Textiles or Three dimensional Studies, Design and Technology – Graphic Products or Electronic Products or Resistant Materials or Textiles Technology, Home Economics-Food, Music and Drama. ICT skills

are developed through a specialist course which all girls follow in Year 10.