Our excellent academic results are achieved because we encourage a culture of high expectations. We set a brisk academic pace and the girls are encouraged to realize their potential in a setting which is conducive to learning.
Pupils enjoy and achieve by developing new skills, broadening their knowledge and growing in confidence. Girls are well informed, prepared to meet the challenges of higher education and to take leading roles in society.
We try to provide a broad and balanced curriculum with scope for girls to pursue their own interests as these emerge. The timetable is constructed each year around the girls' choices with the hope that everyone's individual needs can be met.
The Art Department at Babington is a thriving, dynamic area within the curriculum that constantly evolves to reflect current exhibitions and art practice.
Both Fine Art and Textile Design are taught from year 7 to year 9, with both courses offered at GCSE.
In years 7, 8 and 9 pupils study a broad range of skills and techniques. Some of the areas covered are still-life, perspective, printing and painting. In textiles pupils learn to weave, make felt, knit, stitch by hand and machine and generally design work to be translated into fabric. At all stages a multi-cultural approach is taken with an emphasis on experimentation and historical reference.
For GCSE a portfolio of work is developed, refined and modified with a strong emphasis on independent learning. Preparation for the exam is undertaken over several weeks.
Work is frequently shown at exhibitions and we have enjoyed much success in both local and national competitions.
At Key Stages 1 to 3 Drama has a major role to play in enhancing the delivery of a range of cross-curricular subjects, as well as in developing important creative and team working skills. Drama is also important in helping to build confidence and develop social skills. In the Senior School, Drama lessons in years 7 to 9 develop the following skills:
• Group working
• Physical theatre
• Improvising and devising
• Role play
• Scripted work and script creation
• Exploring issues and genres
• Responding to a stimulus
At GCSE, pupils will be challenged to further develop their creative skills, work as part of a team to achieve exciting and engaging performances, and develop verbal and written evaluation skills.
KS4 students follow the Edexcel specification which consists of three units. Units 1 and 2 are coursework units which have both practical and written elements, whilst Unit 3 culminates in an exam performance which is marked by an external examiner.
1. Drama Exploration
2. Exploring Play Texts
3. Final examined performance
Every year Babington House presents a major school production which gives students the opportunity to get involved in all aspects of a performance - from stage design to lighting, back stage management to make up. This is a much anticipated event which endeavours to involve as many pupils as possible.
The English department at Babington House plays a key role within the school. We aim to stimulate intellectual, emotional, social and academic growth. In addition, lessons expose pupils to different and often conflicting viewpoints, develop pupils' speaking and listening skills and help foster a life-long love for reading and learning.
In Years 7-9 we begin to prepare students for the skills they will need at GCSE level. This covers three strands:
• Speaking and Listening
We use Assessment for Learning extensively and pupils are part of their own learning with individual, peer and teacher assessments completed regularly. All our pupils are entered for both English Language and English Literature GCSEs, following the AQA specifications for examination.
The requirements of the new GCSE mean that students no longer complete Controlled Assessments for GCSE English Literature and Language, and all exams are taken at the end of Year 11.
In Years 10 and 11 we prepare students for the following examinations:
Paper 1: Shakespeare and the 19th Century Novel
Paper 2: Modern texts and Poetry
Paper 1: Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing
Paper 2: Writers' Viewpoints and Perspectives
Spoken Language Non-Examination Assessment - separate endorsement (0% weighting of GCSE)
In addition, we widely encourage reading and have a book-borrowing scheme within the department. Our debating club is run by pupils in Year 11 and gives the girls the opportunity to work with other year groups and express their views in a safe and rewarding environment.
The department seeks to encourage and extend an enjoyment, appreciation and understanding of both English Language and English Literature and create an atmosphere where students wish to learn.
Geography is an active and engaging subject at Babington House School. Teaching and learning is based upon a successful mixture of skills, knowledge and concepts with a strong emphasis placed on students developing the independence and leadership of their own learning.
At Key Stage 3 all students study Geography as part of the curriculum. Typically this would include the investigation of the difference between Weather and Climate whilst also understanding the microclimate of the school, the processes affecting the coast and the impact of flooding. The curriculum is current and focuses on real life events in order to help students make sense of the world around them, for instance studying the processes involved in the creation of disasters in the news and the impact and responses of the human population.
Geography Fieldwork is not just an important part of studying geography, it offers a wonderful way of seeing different environments, and a chance for personal development. At Babington House we visit the coast, rivers, marshes, and shopping centre's and local settlements in order to bring classroom teaching to life. We have had great academic success with students entered in exams with the AQA exam board.
History is an active, vibrant and stimulating subject at Babington House. Teaching is based upon a successful mixture of content, skills and concepts with emphasis placed upon independent learning. In the classroom a variety of teaching methods are used. The pupils are encouraged to debate, use peer assessment, drama and ICT to deepen their understanding of a topic and focus their analytical thinking.
The aim of the Babington House History Department is to teach skills of analysis, interpretation and communication and to give the pupils understanding about the past. Pupils learn to look for the value in sources and to understand why attitudes of people in the past may be different and presented in different ways. By linking current events with the past, they begin to connect how historical events influence contemporary issues.
At Key Stage 3 all year 7, 8 and 9 pupils study History as part of the curriculum. Courses include: Medieval England, Tudor Monarchs, the Civil War, the Industrial Revolution and the Twentieth Century World. In Year 9 pupils begin studying the GCSE course by looking at Life in Nazi Germany.
GCSE pupils follow the Edexcel GCSE course. This includes the topics Medicine through Time c1200 to the present, Weimar Germany 1918-39, Elizabethan England 1558-88 and the Cold War.
A-Level History students follow the AQA course which includes a study of Tsarist and Communist Russia 1855 – 1964, Religious conflict and the Church in England, c1529–c1570 and an independent research project.
A-Level Government and Politics students follow the Edexcel course. The first year of the course includes a study of Democracy and Participation in the UK and an analysis of the UK's Parliament and Judiciary. In their second year, students study American political systems; Elections, Congress, the President and the Executive; the Supreme Court and race-relations in the USA.
Bonjour, Guten Tag, Hola!
Did you know that French is an official language in 29 countries and is spoken around the world by around 128 million people as first or second language? Or that German is the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union and is spoken by approximately 100 million native speakers and also by about 80 million non-native speakers? Did you know that approximately 406 million people speak Spanish as a native language, making it second only to Mandarin in terms of its number of native speakers worldwide?
French, Spanish and German are taught by a dynamic and enthusiastic team of three native specialist educators using stimulating techniques.
Pupils have the option to learn 2 of the 3 languages from Year 3 in Prep and Senior schools.
We are firm believers in teaching languages from an early age, which allows them to develop and improve as they progress through the school. Pupils have pen friends and are encouraged to correspond regularly with them. We hold a termly KS2 Modern Foreign Language assembly in which pupils learn about other cultures.
French: In French, we use the course book "Studio" in KS3 and KS4 and we follow the Edexcel syllabus for GCSE. Our pupils have the opportunity to take trips abroad, for example we visited Paris in June 2011 and Northern France in June 2013.
German: Work in German is enhanced by cross-curricular projects with modules on chocolate, fashion and The East German State from 1945 to 1989, with a focus on the Berlin Wall. We use the Stimmt course book which is then followed by the Edexcel course book. Our trips abroad have included the very popular Christmas Markets tour and Senior school journeys to Berlin.
Spanish: We teach Spanish across the Prep and Senior School up to GCSE. This popular subject uses the course book "Viva" for KS3 and KS4. Each year, students attend a trip to a Spanish restaurant. We also run a trip to Barcelona for KS3 and KS4 pupils.
Babington House's Science Department has two laboratories and specialist teachers in all three scientific disciplines. The Science Curriculum is based upon the National Curriculum and ensures a firm foundation for GCSE study. Assessment takes a variety of forms and from Year 7 the lessons contain a high practical component within a maximum class size of 20.
At Key Stage 4 the pupils take two Science GCSEs: AQA Science A and Additional Science, delivered through designated lessons in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. GCSE Science A provides a Key Stage 4 science course for learners of any ability, whether they intend to study science further or not. The specification presents Biology, Chemistry and Physics in separate teaching and learning units.
The Additional Science course, when combined with GCSE Core Science provides a firm foundation for progression to AS and A-level Science.
Other pupils are offered three science GCSEs, Biology, Chemistry and Physics are taken as separate subjects and provide an excellent progression to A-level Science.
In the Senior School pupils are encouraged to attend Salter's Chemistry festivals, Chemistry camps (which give an insight into Science at university) and a range of other scientific trips.
Welcome to the Mathematics Department at Babington House School where mathematics is fun. This innovative department is focussed on the pupils' learning and achievements. We work to ensure that every pupil has the opportunity and encouragement to do her very best, to develop mathematical thinking, to raise standards and to enjoy mathematics.
All pupils follow a linear Mathematics course that leads to the Edexcel GCSE examination. Each year group is divided by ability into two sets enabling them to be challenged according to their ability.
Selected pupils in Years 7 and 8 enter the UK Maths Challenge. In Years 9, 10 and 11 a selection of pupils enter the UK Intermediate Maths Challenge. Pupils from Years 8 and 9 often represent the school in the Regional Final of the UK Team Maths Challenge. Other pupils regularly attend Saturday morning Mathematics Masterclasses with other able mathematicians from across the London Borough of Bromley. Not only have the pupils performed well in all of these but they have also enjoyed competing and working alongside other schools both nationally and locally in a stimulating mathematics environment.
The Sixth Form students have followed the Edexcel Modular course in Advanced Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics. The course is a mixture of pure mathematics, statistics, mechanics and decision maths. The aim of our teaching, as well as helping each student achieve their potential, is to promote enjoyment in this wonderful subject both inside and outside the syllabus. Students are encouraged to attend Maths in Action lecture days, take part in the Senior Maths Challenge and to help the younger pupils.
We aim to provide a curriculum which is enjoyable and which offers a broad, progressive, relevant range of activities and experiences for both girls and boys throughout all of the key stages.
At Babington House pupils have the opportunity to participate in a whole range of extra – curricular clubs, intra-house tournaments and inter-school competitions and events throughout the sporting year. Pupils also have the opportunity to complete at the ISA competitions. All pupils are encouraged to participate in sport at local and national levels and we pride ourselves on our club links.
The GCSE course has changed, we have one year finishing the course in 2017 and the current year 10 are studying the new syllabus.
2017 - GCSE pupils follow the AQA GCSE Physical Education Course and are assessed in four sports. This course is 60% practical 40% theory and includes the following topics:
- The active participation
- Knowledge and understanding for the active participant
- Health, fitness and healthy active lifestyle
- Making informed decisions about getting involved in a lifetime of healthy physical activities that suit their needs.
2019 – GCSE pupils follow the AQA GCSE Physical Education Course and are assessed in three sports. This course is 40% practical 60% theory and includes the following topics:
- Knowledge and understanding of the key body systems and how they impact on health, fitness and performance in physical activity and sport
- Knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of movement and their effect on performance in physical activity and sport
- Knowledge and understanding of the principles of training and different training methods in order to plan, carry out, monitor and evaluate personal exercise and training programmes
- Knowledge and understanding of the psychological factors that can affect performers in physical activity and sport.
The human body and movement in physical activity and sport:
- Applied Anatomy and physiology
- Movement analysis
- Physical training
- Use of data
Socio-cultural influences and well-being in physical activity and sport:
- Sports psychology
- Socio-cultural influences
- Health, fitness and well-being
- Use of data
Religious Education at Babington House attempts to enhance awareness and understanding of religions and beliefs, teachings, practices and forms of expression and of the influence of religion on individuals, families, communities and cultures.
At Key Stage 3 level (Years 7, 8 and 9), we have one lesson of Religious Education a week. RE should provoke challenging questions about the ultimate meaning and purpose of life, beliefs about God, the self and the nature of reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human. It develops pupils' knowledge and understanding of Christianity, other principal religions, religious traditions and world views that offer answers to these challenging questions. It offers opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual development.
Religious Education is a GCSE option.
Key Stage 3 and 4 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) at Babington House aims to prepare pupils for their adult life, enhance their learning, and build upon their own skills and knowledge. Embracing new technology throughout all curriculum subjects, gives pupils opportunities to explore the use of ICT equipment and software to maximise their learning potential.
Specific ICT lessons are taught throughout the senior school within our brand new ICT suite and learning takes place through an ever changing curriculum that is adapted to new technologies, programming and software. Pupils learn a range of skills that will support their studies and give them life-long competencies. By creating an ethos that embraces technology we are able to support our pupils' understanding of the wider use of ICT and how it is used inspirationally in the real world. A range of qualifications and certificates are awarded by external examining bodies as pupils build up their portfolio of skills including Functional Skills at Key Stage 4. Pupils wishing to develop their understanding of how ICT is used as a method of communication within Business can choose 'Business and Communication Systems' as an option at GCSE.
Business and Communication Systems (BCS) offers pupils the opportunity to study a new subject at GCSE. This course combines ICT skills with Business Studies, providing life-long skills for any pupil aspiring to succeed in the business world.
The course is split into three stages, focusing on business context, developing communication systems, and ICT skills needed.
Pupils gain knowledge and understanding of; how businesses are structured; characteristics of successful business people and types of organisations. Learning about laws that affect companies enables pupils to analyse and reflect upon rights of employers and their employees, as well as the considerations needed when identifying environmental, social, moral and ethical impact.
Pupils experience how companies use software to effectively communicate within their own teams and with their stakeholders. Through web-design, formal document structure and comparisons of latest methods of communications, pupils are able to analyse the suitability of communication systems and provide both drawbacks and benefits depending upon a business's needs.
Music at Babington House thrives as an academic subject, as an extra-curricular activity and an integral part of the school's assemblies and church services. The Music Department offers pupils opportunities to develop their talents in a vibrant and highly supportive environment. All pupils are encouraged to develop a wide range of musical skills through performance, composition and to listen to music of all genres including world music. Most importantly, pupils are encouraged to enjoy and succeed in their musical activities. The most up-to-date music technology is available, enabling pupils to develop their writing skills in composition.
A solid grounding in theory is offered and all pupils are taught to read musical notation in class music. Pupils are offered the opportunity to take part in ensemble performance as well as solo performance. A large number of pupils learn a musical instrument or have vocal training. A team of professional musicians (peripatetic staff) offer pupils opportunities in vocal and instrumental training, where success in graded examinations is encouraged. A musical scholarship is awarded in the Senior School to candidates showing exceptional musical potential. Regular visits are taken to see performances and participate in workshops at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and Glyndebourne. A musical show is presented by the school every two years.
(Personal Social Health Citizenship Careers Religious Education)
PSHCCRE is taught throughout the school. Topics are delivered through discussion, videos, external agencies, project work and role plays.
The overall aims of the PSHCCRE policy are to inform and explore a variety of issues which will become more complex as the pupils progress through the school. The aims of personal, social and health education are to enable children to:
• Know and understand what constitutes a healthy lifestyle
• Be aware of safety issues
• Understand what makes good relationships with others
• Have respect for others
• Be independent and responsible members of the school community
• Be positive and active members of a democratic society
• Develop self-confidence and self-esteem and make informed choices regarding personal and social issues
• Develop good relationships with other members of the school and wider community.
The aims of Religious Education are:
• To enable pupils to understand the nature of Christian beliefs and practices and the beliefs and practices of other world faiths
• To teach tolerance and challenge prejudice towards people of different faiths through providing opportunities to develop an understanding of the value of living in a multi-cultural, multi-faith and multi-lingual society
• To help pupils reflect upon their own needs, experiences and questions and to confront what are sometimes referred to as 'ultimate questions'
• To encourage pupils to develop open minds to new and different concepts and to form their own opinions based on evidence and argument
• To maintain close links with local churches and other religious communities
• To learn from religions in addition to gaining knowledge and understanding about religions
• Gain understanding of humanism, atheism and agnosticism.
Careers & Work Related Learning (Mrs Taylor is our Careers Adviser)
• Careers Education delivered in line with the school's PSHCCRE Policy
• Pupils have access to the Careers Resource Area
• Regular meetings with the Years 9,10 & 11 pupils to discuss their career options, GCSE subject choices, and post 16 options are held with Mrs Taylor
• Pupils work through careers education during PSHCCE lessons
• Guidance to pupils on writing CVs, preparing a personal statement, interview techniques and how to dress and present themselves for interview is also given
• Careers Fairs (eg Skills London, in November/December at ExCel Centre, London)
• Post 16 guidance interviews to discuss university choices and alternatives to universities.
GCSE Examination Results 2017
|B & CS||7||3||1||2|
|% A* and A grades (9-7)||34%|
|% A* - B grades (9-5)||71%|
|% 5 A* - C grades (9-4) (including English and Maths)||92%|
|% 5 A* - D grades (9-3)||100%|
Fantastic A and AS Level results were received by Babington Sixth Form pupils.
A Level – 100% A* - D
AS Level – 81% A - B
We wish the Year 13 students well as they are all off to University in September.
|% A* and A grades||22%|
|% A* - B grades||55%|
|% 5 A* - C grades including English and Maths||87%|
|% 5 A* - D grades||100%|
The first Babington House Sixth Form pupils were delighted to achieve a 100% pass rate at A Level and every student managed to secure the grades they needed to attend their first choice of university.
|% A* and A grades||25%|
|% A* - B grades||54%|
|% A* - C grades including English and Maths||75%|
|% 5 A* - D grades||100%|
|IGCSE Mathematics (E)||1||1|
|Core Science (A)||17||1||1||4||9|
|Additional Science (A)||13||1||8||2|
|IGCSE Biology (E)||1||1|
|IGCSE Chemistry (E)||1||1|
|IGCSE Physics (E)||1||1|
|Business & Communication Systems (O)||13||2||6||5|
|% A* and A grades||31%|
|% A* - B grades||69%|
|% 5 A* - C grades including English & Maths||100%|
For those girls who do not gain a place at our own Sixth Form here at Babington House, we help them find the best schools and colleges for them to move on to. After completing their GCSEs at 16 years old, they pursue A Level and IB courses at a wide range of institutions including the top selective independent and grammar schools in the area.
We currently have old girls at Sevenoaks School, Westminster School London, Eltham College, Tonbridge Grammar School, St Olaves Grammar and Newstead Wood Grammar, several of whom were offered scholarships.
BABINGTON HOUSE – Year 11 Leavers
Townley Grammar School
Tonbridge Grammar School
St Olaves Grammar School
Newstead Wood School Grammar School
Langley Park School for Boys
Dartford Grammar for Boys
Combe Bank School
Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar School
Bromley High School