Specialisms

Science as a Platform for Medicine

All our Science staff are fully qualified Physicists, Chemists or Biologists, bringing outstanding levels of expertise to the classroom and bring engaging classes to students in our military academy. Year 7s have one general Science teacher, then in Year 8 the three sciences are taught separately by the relevant specialists. Most pupils take double Science, but for those who exhibit high levels of ability and enthusiasm there is the option to take triple Science, which is an excellent platform for careers in medicine. Setting by ability, learning styles and literacy levels means that we can make sure every child participates and gets the most out of Science – and most importantly, they enjoy it.

Learning Facts and Skills

We focus on applied learning, teaching pupils that Science has enormous value in the real world, so they reach a high level of understanding. Knowing that Chlorine enhances the colour in a firework, for example, brings the theory to life. Pupils don’t just learn facts; they learn skills and how to apply them, which is a much more enriching experience. Thanks to innovations brought in by York University and the Royal Society of Chemistry, pupils find Key Stage 5 Chemistry particularly practical and stimulating.

Ecology-Based General Science Club

Science Clubs enhance the learning experience. Juniors can join the ecology-based General Science Club, and can later graduate to Forensics Club and our hands-on Salters’ Chemistry Club, where they make sparklers and learn how magicians’ flash paper is put together, which enlivens the subject no end! We are broadening our Science curriculum further, to include a BTEC in Applied Science, Human Biology at A Level, and Health and Social Care at GCSE (to be confirmed).

Specialists in Physical Education

Sport is an enormously important part of everyday life here at the Duke of York’s, and Physical Education has been selected as a specialism for the school. Our staff value physical activity as a powerful force binding the school together; and for pupils it represents a chance to participate and excel in a competitive arena – and to let off steam when they need to. The vast majority of pupils throw themselves into sport with great enthusiasm and participate hard, making the most of our excellent facilities and wide open spaces. They enjoy the sense of achievement and release which physical exertion can bring, and they bond with different groups of friends. We have three full-time staff teaching examination and core Physical Education, and all pupils participate in a sport every term, the majority of teaching taking place in the well-equipped gymnasium.

Sports Science at University

For curriculum PE at Key Stages 3 and 4 we allocate three 50-minute lessons per fortnight. Years 7 and 8 are taught dance, gym, trampolining, swimming and athletics, and Year 9s learn trampolining, swimming, athletics, basketball and vaulting. Years 10 and 11 - Key Stage 4 – are taught basketball, badminton, trampolining and health-based exercise. GCSE PE for Years 10 and 11 is very popular and is based on assessed performance, and for those pupils wishing to pursue a related career, A Level PE is an option which can lead to Sports Science or PE at university. The basis of our approach to sport and physical education is to provide pupils with variety and opportunities, both structured and individual. We give them a raft of mainstream and niche activities to choose from through lessons and clubs, encompassing everything from golf and horse-riding to externally-coached fencing and free weights.

Cricket, Athletics, Tennis and More

Sport follows the seasons, and the school’s extensive grounds come into their own in summer, with cricket, athletics, tennis and rounders taking centre stage. The relatively small pupil numbers here are an added bonus: it gives children a good chance of selection to represent the school, in A or B teams; and enables us to coach and develop particular skills, for example through the rugby under-16s teams which most schools are not able to offer. House allegiances are strong and rivalry is fun but fierce in the numerous inter-House competitions which take place across sports including rugby, football, hockey, netball, cross-country and athletics. Dukie loyalty comes to the fore, however, during the regular competitions and tournaments against other schools: pupils from every House and Year are united in enjoying the contest and urging their compatriots to victory.

PSHE Plays a Vital Role

We find it is good for boys’ and girls’ social skills to take part in mixed sports, and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) plays a vital role in helping them to learn how to be healthy and understand the importance of a balanced lifestyle. We are educating children to help them make their own choices in the future, and alongside academic and cultural learning, sport and Physical Education is part of the mix which creates well-rounded people who can do well in university and the workplace.

Music Pervades and Enriches Everyday Life

Music pervades and enriches everyday life at the Duke of York’s, and our innovative approach to the subject supports our family ethos and our unique military heritage. Academic music study is compulsory for Years 7, 8 and 9, and we offer GCSEs, A Levels and A2s in Music. We are broadening the curriculum to offer a BTEC in Military Music, for which we are a Pilot school. Music has always played a vital role in military life, and in study units on music and war, pupils learn how it has been used to signal on the battlefield; in propaganda and persuasion; and in celebration.

Music Teaches Teamwork

Participating in music teaches pupils about teamwork, and can help them learn about their own identity: it gives them a chance to shine and boost their self-esteem. We therefore give every Year 7 pupil the opportunity to learn how to play an instrument, through ‘taster’ sessions. An extensive assortment of instruments from violins to snare drums is set out on tables, and every child circumnavigates the entire collection, trying out anything they like the look of and making a note of their first and second preferences. This novel approach is paying off, with increasing numbers of children choosing to play instruments.

Four Full-time Instrumental Instructors

For some, playing an instrument provides a welcome break from academic work, and our small tuition groups are lighthearted and fun, not intense. But many choose to take it to the next level and pursue instrumental music study. They reap the full benefit of the Duke of York’s being the only school in the country to have four full-time instrumental instructors - piano, percussion, woodwind and brass, - supported by further visiting staff who teach guitar, voice and flute. Tuition is therefore tailored to be personal and flexible, and our Music Theory Club helps pupils with the theory component of examinations Grade 5 and above.

More Than a Dozen Ensembles

The school boasts a diverse range of more than a dozen ensembles, and activities for everyone from beginners to advanced musicians including junior and senior choirs and a jazz ‘Big Band’. We have regular school musical productions and tours; Spring concerts; a Christmas carol service and concert; and even an annual Musician of the Year competition. Every year we take a small group of our highest achieving Music students to Valley Forge School in Philadelphia, where they join forces with the school band to participate in their annual tattoo. Children here strive for excellence in Music as they do in all subjects, and are rewarded through the recognition which many achieve when they represent the Duke of York’s locally, nationally and internationally.