Children are encouraged to take a pride in both the content and the presentation of their work. Cumnor has a fine record of scholarships, but we try to ensure that these are gained without forcing the pace or narrowing the broadly based education that we offer and in any one year our Common Entrance and Scholarship candidates will be going on to around 20 different schools. Common Entrance candidates almost always pass into the school of their first choice; much time and thought is devoted to advising parents about the choice of schools.
The syllabus for each term in each subject is published in advance and it is education rather than examination that concentrates our thoughts.
FORM STRUCTURE
In years 3, 4 & 5 the emphasis is on English subjects and Mathematics, taught largely by form teachers. Oral French and practical Science are started in Year 3, as are Design and Technology, Pottery, Home Economics, Class Music and Handwriting.
Simple written French and Latin are introduced in Year 4. Flexible streaming begins in Year 6 and children are taught by subject teachers. In Year 6, whilst the children are still in mixed ability forms, they are put into ‘sets' for English, Maths and Science. In Years 7 & 8 this setting extends to cover Languages and gthe Humanities with mixed groupings remaining for PE, Music, DT and Art. A Scholarship ‘stream' operates in Years 7 & 8 leading towards a range of Public School Scholarship Examinations.