We offer a deliberately wide range of subjects, designed to appeal to a variety of interests and abilities, to open doors for future study and careers and to complement each other, so that pupils can achieve a beneficial set of qualifications.

Curriculum time as well as extra-curricular opportunities aim to reward effort, engagement and accomplishment to help each student to realise their personal and academic potential. We have a bespoke mix of traditional and vocational subjects to enable students to demonstrate their strengths in a variety of subjects and styles.

Course types:

GCSE | Academically focused learning with in-depth subject development, assessed primarily by end-of-course exams.

IGCSE | Offers a broad academic syllabus in the subject area. Assessed by end-of-course exams and worth the same as a ‘traditional’ GCSE.

BTEC Level 1/2 Tech Award | A more vocational course that carries the same workload, expectations and weighting as a GCSE. Assessed by practical and theory work over two years as well as a final assessment.

English and Mathematics

English Language and Mathematics are compulsory for all pupils. English Literature is also studied by pupils to extend those best suited to the subject, resulting in the potential to obtain two full GCSEs in English.

Science

Science is also compulsory with students studying for the Combined: Trilogy course. This course results in two GCSE grades

In addition to compulsory English, Mathematics and Science, pupils usually study four additional subjects. Students should select one subject from each column (A to D). All subjects will run if there is sufficient uptake and some subjects appear in more than one column.

Alongside their main GCSE choices, pupils also have the opportunity to extend their learning with additional courses that help to broaden their overall profile.

For those for whom it is best-suited, English Literature offers the opportunity to complete another full GCSE; suitability for this extra GCSE course is identified in conjunction with the Head of English. For those not taking English Literature, opportunities to take on the Level 1 and Level 2 project qualifications OR a digital skills and literacy course are available to help pupils expand their skills and knowledge.

Level 1/2 Project Qualification (AQA) – an independent research project focused on a pupil’s personal area of interest, culminating in a production log, a final project outcome (e.g. a 1000 word report) and a presentation of project findings.

Level 1 Introduction to Digital Media (Pearson BTEC) – a skills-based course that asks pupils to understand their own skill-set and develop a personal progression plan that looks at skills awareness, goal setting and information sourcing, before moving on to the development of multi-media presentation skills.

We celebrate the knowledge that everyone can be supported to learn differently, we aim to enhance the academic experience of all students so that they can be empowered to know themselves and to thrive both academically and beyond.

Milton Abbey is here to support students in pursuing their goals and achieving everything they are capable of through a curriculum that is as exciting as it is enabling.

A focus on Learning Development for all ability levels is part of every subject, in every classroom, for every pupil. Pupils who receive timetabled Learning Development for a particular reason in the Third Form usually continue with this during their GCSE and BTEC studies in the Fourth and Fifth Forms, in order to develop their study skills and academic attainment. This is timetabled alongside Science with pupils moving to the single Biology qualification to accommodate Learning Development lessons.

Being new anywhere is always a challenge, but you will find everyone here is focused on helping you make new friends, understand what is expected, and settle in. Kindness is what we call our ‘cornerstone’: it’s the most important attribute a Miltonian needs to show to others.

It usually takes about two weeks to know your House, about three weeks to get to know your year group, and by Half Term (about six or seven weeks in), you will know everybody, and they will know you. That’s one of the joys of a small school.

To find out more about settling in, watch the videos of the 2022 leavers talking about their experiences.

Top tips for settling in, from recent leavers:

• Get involved in as much as you can: it keeps you busy and you meet more people
• Never worry about asking if you need help or you are finding things hard – everyone knows what it’s like to be new, and there are so many people to help you
• Keep on top of your work deadlines, then you will be able to join in all the social activities without getting behind